impact of international and regional changes on the development of civil society in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The civil society sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has witnessed remarkable development in recent decades, particularly during the 1970s. It is certain that Gulf civil society institutions have undergone both quantitative and qualitative transformations. Furthermore, with the escalating transformations and changes in the region, as well as the shifts in the international system, the Gulf states have opened up to the world and begun engaging with new concepts such as democracy and fundamental freedoms. This has also led to the development of the concept of partnership among three parties: the government sector, the non-governmental sector (represented by institutions and associations), and the private investment sector. It is worth noting that all constitutions and legal systems in the Gulf Arab states stipulate the right to form non-governmental organizations, and all countries possess laws and regulations governing civil society work and its associations, defining the nature of their relationship with the state, and outlining the limits of oversight and regulation. This is one aspect of the matter. This development in the civil society sector in the Gulf States is a natural consequence of the growing interest in the emergence of this type of non-governmental organization both locally and globally, particularly in light of developments witnessed on the international and regional stages in the political, economic, and social spheres. The spread of globalization and political and economic liberalization has been accompanied by an increase in civil society activities, a rise in the number of organizations working in this field, and a diversification of their specializations and activities to encompass many aspects of human activity in various fields of political and economic life, as well as issues related to women, the environment, and others.