Someone asked me whether we had real non-governmental organizations in this country and what active role they played. It was a difficult question, given the varying interpretations and meanings applied to such organizations. Nevertheless, we can say that we have both social and cultural organizations although these are more or less under state control. The kind of parental state that Saudi Arabia is has made the state assume responsibility for all institutions with the exception of a few economic and business ones.
The Saudi Society for Literature and Arts, for example, draws its annual budget from the state and must get official permission and approval for all its activities. The majority of social and cultural organizations are in effect run by the state which provides them with money. An exception may be in certain scientific organizations operating under the auspices of universities. These enjoy some kind of autonomy though the various university senates retain the right to approve.
Charities and philanthropic organizations have their own experience in managing their affairs but their financial records are subject to supervision by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Only the chambers of commerce can be said to have independent administrative and financial powers — but even here the Ministry of Commerce appoints a third of the chamber’s board members.
Social institutions in the country are thus somehow linked to the state and this fact may restrict their ability to operate independently. To become part of the new world order in which these organizations have a major say, there must be a review of the way the state controls and intervenes in the affairs of these bodies.
The state ought to cease such control and stop financing these organizations except when this is needed to enable them to stand on their own feet. This is the only guarantee of having truly representative, efficient and viable non-governmental organizations that can be an asset to the state in addressing and solving problems.
Arab News From the Local Press 13 May 2003
