parties. Financial support is provided by the government to parties for election campaigns. Furthermore, the parties have also instituted Joint Consultation Councils both in Federal and Regional election areas in order to resolve complaints, irregularities and other issues of common interest. In addition to this, on February 2009, following public discussion involving non-governmental organizations and relevant stakeholders, the Government of Ethiopia issued the Charities & Societies Proclamation, which aims to facilitate and strengthen the role of non-governmental organizations in the socio-economic development of the country. Incorporating new development realities in the country, the Proclamation adopted best practices from other nations. The Proclamation had two main objectives: first, to ensure the realization of citizens‟ right to association as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and second, to support and facilitate the role of charities and societies, and that of NGOs, in the overall development of the Ethiopian peoples. An average of 332 NGOs have sought registration each year since the Proclamation was adopted; and currently the number of NGOs operating in Ethiopia has reached more than 3000. The Proclamation, in addition to its impact in speeding up the processes of registration and encouraging new NGOs to register is also providing for a legal and conducive working environment for non-governmental organizations under which they come discharge their duties in an efficient and transparent manner. Micro and small-scale enterprises can be considered productive examples of citizens‟ application of their constitutional right of freedom of association. These enterprises form bases for industrial development and create wide income generation and job opportunities; they play fundamental roles in the country‟s socio-economic development. It is in light of this fact that the government designed and implemented the development strategy and policy for micro and small-scale enterprises. It now provides these micro and small-scale enterprises with credit facility, training, production and market facilities, information services, technology and other support. For the attainment of sustainable social and economic development and the realization of democracy and good governance in the country, public participation has a decisive role. Obviously, public participation is more productive if conducted in an organized manner, and the government recognizes that cooperative societies are important developmental instruments. As a result, over and above the acknowledgement of their role, the Government has established Federal, Regional State and City Administration Cooperative Agencies/Bureaus, and has organized and expanded the scope 65