Gulf | Bahrain
Bahrain activist calls for autonomy to NGO Support Fund
Bahrain human rights activist says many groups are not happy with selection process.
- Gulf News Report
- Published: 21:14 August 2, 2008
Manama: An activist is calling for the NGO's Support Fund, established in 2006 to finance distinguished projects by civic organisations, to be made autonomous.
Member of the Bahrain Human Rights Society and female activist Dr Sabika Al Najar told Gulf News on Saturday if the fund were independent it would make it less liable to ministry influence.
The fund is under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Development and provides annual assistance ranging from BD1500 (Dh14,613) to BD10,000 for selected societies.
The fund is part of a plan to support NGOs in their efforts in fighting social conflict and addressing social matters by offering them guidance and financial assistance.
"We support the fund, but it should be run by an independent body to avoid the influence and control of the ministry," she said.
Dr Al Najar proposed that the fund should directly report to the Royal Court or parliament. She also recommended the drafting of a law to regulate and legalise the fund's activities.
Al Najar said many NGOs were not happy with the criteria of selecting the winning projects. She said some societies felt the selection of projects depended on their good relations with the ministry.
Some societies had complained despite providing more than two projects not one of them had been selected and the ministry did not give reasons as to why they were declined, she said.
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