The Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Governance Board has called on Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to help influence national policies and programmes.The official argued that since most civil organisations are grassroots-based, they fully appreciate the scope of the challenges facing the local communities and, thus, understand which policies can best change lives. Over the past few years, the country’s civic groups have increasingly positioned themselves to play an improved role in the country’s governance process. They have organised forums to encourage public participation in the budgeting process and initiated public debates on key policy issues.Nonetheless, the CSOs still have a long way to go. They need to build on the government goodwill and prove they are invaluable development partners. The best way to achieve that is for them to identify with the communities in which they operate by serving them better.CSOs derive their legitimacy from the beneficiaries of their programmes, they must have a constituency to represent – and that is the people.

But they will have to earn the support of the people and respect from other stakeholders, including government. That is what civic groups operating in Rwanda must aspire for if they are to genuinely occupy their rightful place in governance matters.