Government and environmental non-governmental organizations in contemporary Iran

Abstract

Researches that have been conducted over the past three decades on environmental non-governmental organizations in Iran, it is found that there has been a significant gap between the people and these organizations. In other words, these organizations have been weak not only in informing the people about the environmental activities but increasing the knowledge, attitude and skills of the people, as well. Although various reasons can be cited but the state, as the most general institution of the country plays an irreplaceable role in making these organizations efficient or inefficient. The way the government looks at environmental organizations and make policies about them, especially in terms of legislation, can lead to the prosperity of these organizations and increase their productivity, or it can simply be vice versa. This research, using the historical research method and referring to the laws and regulations related to non-governmental organizations and also by using some program documents, seeks to investigate how the government deals with these organizations and its results. The findings show that the Iranian government, due to its tendency for centralism and authoritarianism in laws and regulations, limited the scope of non-governmental organizations’ activities, and made it possible for the government to interfere in their affairs and deprive them of their independence. This led to increase in the weakness of these institutions, their efficiency, lack of motivation on and their inability to communicate effectively with the people and promote the culture of environmental protection.

Keywords

• environmental ngos
• state
• legislation
• policy making
• authoritarianism