The Governance Capacity of Civil Society Institutions in Addressing Social Problems

This article examines, from theoretical and practical perspectives, the governance capacity of civil society institutions – non-governmental non-profit organizations, citizens’ self-governing bodies (mahalla), public oversight actors, volunteer structures and the media – in addressing social problems. The concept of “governance capacity” is substantiated as a four-dimensional model consisting of legal-institutional, resource, analytical-expert and partnership-communicative components. The legal foundations and practical mechanisms of civil society institutions in Uzbekistan are analyzed, and financial sustainability, staff training, evidence-based decision-making and the unsystematic nature of cooperation with state bodies are identified as the main obstacles. The article concludes with specific proposals, including expanding the state social order mechanism, maintaining a unified register of social problems, introducing a governance capacity index, establishing regional resource centers and creating a digital cooperation platform.