A large segment of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are involved in charitable work and play a significant role in a country like India, which faces problems like extreme poverty, diseases, and a large population without basic human needs. For example, various religious organizations and NGOs are involved in providing free food, education, healthcare, etc. to the poor and marginalized sections.
However, another large part of the civil society is also engaged in the political processes for building just, peaceful, humane, and sustainable future by focusing on issues like uneven and unjust distribution of power, and its consequences on individuals and societies. This aspect is discussed below:

• Just society: CSOs play a critical role in building a just society in India by promoting transparency, accountability, and social justice. For example:
  • Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), a non-partisan organization, works to promote transparency and accountability in the political system.
  • Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) played an instrumental role in providing the citizens with the right to information.
  • Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), helped in organizing self-employed women in the informal economy and assisted them in their collective struggle for social justice, equality and fair treatment.
• Peaceful society: CSOs work to reduce conflict and violence, build bridges between communities, and promote dialogue and reconciliation. For example:
  • Women’s Initiative for Peace in South Asia (WIPSA) has been a pioneer in initiating the discourse on women, peace, and security in South Asia.
  • Many community policing initiatives like the Mohalla committee in Maharashtra, Janamaithri in Kerala, Friends of Police Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and Maithri in AndhraPradesh, have helped in preventing crimes.
  • Shanti Sena, a peace organization founded in 1957 by the social activist Vinoba Bhave, works to resolve conflicts and promote peace through non-violent means.
• Humane society: Efforts of the CSOs to promote human rights, social welfare, and compassionate values has played a crucial role in creating a society that is humane and compassionate. For example,
  • The Naz Foundation was involved in advocacy efforts to repeal Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality.
  • People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) looks into human rights violations and its reports have led to the exposure of illegal detentions, torture, and custodial deaths in India.
  • National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) works to promote the rights of Dalits in India. It played a key role in the passage of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 1989.
• Sustainable society: CSOs also work towards promoting sustainable development practices, conserving natural resources, and mitigating climate change impacts, as can be seen from examples below:
  • Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) is a pan-India wildlife research organization, promoting the cause of nature conservation since 1883.
  • The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) environmental research has supported decision-making by policymakers on current and emerging environmental challenges from local to global levels.
  • Vanarai has carried out various initiatives in more than 250 villages with the chief motive of making them self-reliant through people’s participation. Over the years, it has encouraged farmers and other voluntary organisations to take up the green initiative.

In a pluralistic democracy like India, citizens have varied interests, goals and desires. CSOs act as forums for like-minded citizens to pursue their collective goals, democratize ‘power’ and further the improvement of society.