NGOs Need Licenses

The website All4Syria published articles this week criticising the government for not issuing licenses to civil society organisations.



All4Syria, which supports the government but advocates for reform, published an article on October 19 by activist Maia al-Rahbi, who reported that women’s rights organisations were not receiving licenses.



The only organisation that has been approved, the Association to Develop the Role of Women, is close to government, Rahbi maintained.



She said the Syrian authorities failed to understand how civil society groups could help them on development issues.



The website published another article the following day criticising the government for interrogating members of human rights organisations and for refusing to issue licenses to the groups. The author, journalist Nizar Adla, argued that these organisations are not political groups and were not part of the opposition.



Adla praised efforts to train Syrian police on human rights issues, but insisted that human rights organisations must be licensed. He encouraged the government to open a dialogue with them, and to establish a council or ministry for human rights.