So we think democracy is growing?: Rethinking social exclusion
Release Date: 25 May 2005
By Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary General
Recently, I have had the opportunity to meet a few representatives of people living with disabilities. They argued in various fora that not only are they often neglected and ignored by government and business, but that their colleagues in civil society organisations often treat them similarly.
Activists in the women’s and youth movements and representatives of older persons have often expressed similar concerns. This reality raises an important question about how we understand social exclusion. Broadly, we can say that people in the global south use the term ‘poverty’ to describe a range of development deficits communities face in developing countries. ‘Social exclusion’ is used to similar effect in developed countries. This is a rather imperfect comparison of how the language of poverty in developing countries is similar to how social exclusion is used in developed countries.
However, it does raise the question, irrespective of whether you are from a developed or developing country, ”What really does social exclusion mean?”. If we use it in terms of constituencies of citizens that are excluded from effectively having democratic voice and rights, then who are we really talking about? This is important also since, of course, there is a growing use of the language of social exclusion in developing countries. Similarly, with deepening inequality and growing numbers of people living with various levels of economic insecurity, the language of poverty is increasingly used in developed countries. Essentially, the growth of an increasing number of poor people in rich countries also calls for our attention and concern for the growing “south in the north”.
So why rethink social exclusion and how do the comments of our colleagues in the disability, gender, youth and other groups of citizens, relate to social exclusion? More importantly, how does this relate to how we understand the quality of democracy that exists in the world today? And what challenges does this raise for civil society?
Whenever I hear the term social exclusion, the implication is that we are looking at a minority constituency of citizens. In so far as the term is used to describe specific groups of citizens, it is generally used to describe, racial, religious, cultural and linguistic minorities, homeless people, people living with disabilities, people living with HIV/AIDS, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans-gendered citizens and indigenous peoples, amongst others. Furthermore, these communities are often seen as minorities. However, my conversation with colleagues in the disability movement, has made me understand that there are close to 600 million people living with disabilities. If we add up the above numbers, and add to those the large number of women, young people and older persons who feel that they do not have an equal voice in public life, then we are talking about the majority of humanity and not clusters of minorities of citizens.
Given this reality, what does it say about a world in which democracy is deemed to have grown but where a majority of citizens do not feel that they have sufficient voice, relevant avenues for public participation, and where they are under-represented in all sectors of society: government, business and civil society organisations? In short, it raises serious concerns about the quality of democracy in the world today. It is no surprise therefore, albeit unfortunate, depressing and should be of deep concern that an increasing number of citizens choose not to exercise their right to vote. The responsibility of political leaders is to work much harder to ensure that political democracy is accompanied by economic democracy and the social and political inclusion of all citizens in the world.
The challenge for civil society is therefore immense. On the one hand, civil society needs to play a key role in rescuing democracy and democratise its meaning and practice in the current historical moment that we find ourselves in. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, civil society organisations need to look at how we prioritise communities of citizens who are socially excluded in the governance of our organisations and how we prioritise our work with regard to these constituencies. Civil society organisations often criticise our colleagues in government for operating with a “silo mentality”, as reflected in line ministries and departments, yet if we are self critical, it becomes clear that we need to look at how we can co-ordinate our work more effectively. It calls for us to create the space to understand what our colleagues in other parts of civil society are involved in. In short, it calls for greater unity within civil society, while recognising the rich diversity of civil society organisations.
As a student in exile in the 1980s, I was given a poster by a member of the UK Anti-Apartheid Movement with the following words by Pastor Martin Niemöller, written during the second world war: “When the Nazis came for the communists, I did not speak out because I was not a communist, When they came for the social democrats, I did not speak out because I was not a social democrat, When they came for the trade unionists I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. When they came for the Jews I did not speak out because I was not a Jew;. Then they came for the Catholics,and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. When they came for me there was no one left to speak out.”
I thought I should share these words as an appeal for all of us to look at how we develop a deeper respect and understanding for people and organisations working in areas other than the one to which we are committed, so that we may find common ground in our common quest to create a more fair, just and equitable world. Unless we create a culture of support within civil society so that when trade unionists, for example, are attacked, that NGOs rise to their defense and vice versa, we cannot claim to have a strong and organised civil society.
I apologise if this piece reads like an abstract discussion of concepts and language. Far from this, the intention is to encourage all of us to question our practice, pre-conceptions of other colleagues in civil society and to find ways to celebrate our common humanity. It is also a call for the need for raising critical questions about democratic practice, and to pose a big question: Why is it then that even though the majority of people on this planet desire peace, justice, equality and abhor poverty, that global reality is so different? And they say democracy has burgeoned and grown exponentially over the last fifteen years?
Warmest regards,
Kumi Naidoo
Please send your comments and suggestions to e-mail kumi@civicus.org.
