The 2009 and 2019 CSO laws in Ethiopia: from hinderance to facilitator of CSO activities?

This research examines the potential effects the new CSP no. 1113/2019 has on CSOs that carry on Human Rights based operations in Ethiopia. It investigates the current consensual understanding of CSOs and questions how these theories can shift in identifying the definition, roles and functions of CSOs in accordance with the political, economic and social contexts. The potential effect of the new CSP is explored by analysing the rationale and the process behind the legislation of the two CSPs i.e. 621/2009 and 1113/2019 combined with critical analysis of the two laws in terms of the contents in light with the empirical data gathered and certain conceptual framework. This paper challenges the assumption regard-ing Civil Society as an independent and an alternative to state. As the findings from the empirical data suggests the responses of the respondents regarding the accusations that other political and personal interests also shaped the new CSP. The waiting for the outcome of an upcoming election to anticipate on the po-tential effect of the new CSP could be a good illustration as to how the main-stream understanding of the concept needs to be readjusted to a more critical understanding of the concept.