Explain the term civil society.

Civil society refers to organisations that occupy the space between the government and the people, the term covers, but is not limited to, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, religious groups and political parties not in power. Civil society groups are essential to hold the government accountable and have a central role in promoting good governance. Civil society groups can encompass and lobby for a wide range of issues, often humanitarian or altruistic, for example, poverty, the environment and disaster relief. They are significant due to the degree of public participation they attract. Greenpeace has over 2.5 million members and Doctors without Borders has projects in over 60 countries. Civil society groups are important in fostering democratic engagement, and are essential to the creation and promotion of democracy. An underdeveloped civil society can hinder the progress of democracy as ‘democratic traditions’ are more likely to be unpractised by both the people and the government.