ABSTRACT
The Arab Human Rights NGOs have been active in the different countries and in different activeness, depending on their local political situation; however, many traits are common and a lot of similarities exist in the targeted communities. A clear increase in the number of NGOs occurred in the 1990s, so we can clear talk about two decades of activism and advocacy.
However, two parallel trends have been developing simultaneously since the 1990s, and the lighter hand of dictatorship opened the space not only to civic activism but also to an exceptional rise of Islamic fundamentalism. This rise in Islamic fundamentalism lead to further divisions within Islam and between Islam and other religions present in the region. This new tension is added to the other political, social and economic tensions, and creates a special challenge to the work and efficiency of civil society.
Furthermore, the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ appraisals exacerbated all of these tensions, and presented the Arab civil society with a huge challenge and responsibility that may partially make or break the state-building process
This chapter will try to summarize the most important challenges that civil societies are faced with currently, and that need to be properly addressed if we are to base the new upcoming regimes and societies on proper citizenry, human rights and democracy values, without which we cannot talk about a real “Spring.”
