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Article: Meghalaya
Topic: Meghalaya Civil Society

New section being added under "Culture and Society" as 9.3.

Research Question: What is the current state of Meghalaya's civil society and how effective is it in its role as the "third sector" of society?

9.3 Meghalaya "Civil Society"
Meghalaya's civil society considers the people of the state as a collective community that exists through civil society organizations (CSOs), and serves the general interests of the public. These organizations include a wide spectrum of non-government organizations (NGOs), other community associations, and foundations. The current status of Meghalaya's civil society and the effectiveness of the many programs is debated by scholars.

Civil Society Programs in Meghalaya: From NGOs to Community Associations and Foundations
There are currently over 181 NGOs within Meghalaya that vary from charities to volunteer services and social empowerment groups. Most civil society organizations are also ethnically affiliated as the interests of different groups are championed between each organization. This in turn causes them to become representatives of ethnic communities around the state since the same individuals from such communities also participate in corresponding organizations that protect their ethnic interests. Three student organizations that represent the major ethnic groups of Meghalaya: Khasi Students' Union (KSU), Jantia Students' Union (JSU), and Garo Students' Union (GSU) embody this example into their overall functions as CSOs by applying pressure to local government in order to ensure that certain rights are being met.

There also exists many forms of community associations that revolve around the idea of community building. This includes examples such as sports, religious, educational, and other clubs that aim to establish individuals into different social circles based on their interests.

Philanthropic foundations in Meghalaya's civil society strive for the overall well being of its citizens. The Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has recently partnered with the government of Meghalaya to improve public health in many rural parts of the state by first strengthening the abilities of non-government organizations to perform such services.

Civil Society: Current Status and Scholarly Debates
Scholars are divided on the effectiveness Meghalaya's civil society. Some argue for its important role in state development through CSOs, while others point out that their impact is not only limited from above by the central government and its military, but also from below by insurgent groups.

Concerns over national security, such as the unification of neighboring hostile countries and local insurgent groups for a possible attack on the Indian state, has served as the longstanding point of emphasis on how the Indian Central Government operates in the Northeast. Different administrative programs have been created to establish peace and stability in this region through economic development. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that was passed in 1958 by the Indian Government granted the Indian Army exclusive powers to maintain order in this area. Many insurgent organizations were also developed alongside cultural and political movements, making it very difficult to distinguish them from what constitutes a civil society. These two factors have combined to enable CSOs to be easily deemed as insurgencies and grouped with other insurgent organizations that were banned by the government, thus restricting Meghalaya's civil society as a whole.