Conclusion: The Modern Welfare States–Civil Society Organization and the Welfare Challenges—Global and Local Debates

The point of departure for this volume is that globalization and neoliberalism have resulted in tremendous challenges to the governments of the South Asian countries. Despite development and economic progress, countries in the region continue to suffer from enormous social problems and challenges. The region is the home for ‘poverty’, one of the most distressful and disturbing conditions that poses serious challenges to the development of the region as well as of the world (Mohanty et al. 2015). The range of chapters covered in this volume from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are divided into seven parts in which a wide range of issues are discussed, including understanding and explaining poverty, women empowerment, refugee crisis and organic farming community, a broad range of civil society organizations (CSOs) working for the welfare of marginalized groups in society, the governance process, and the political transformation, democratic practices and the challenges faced by South Asian civil society. All of these chapters deal extensively with the role of the third sector and focus on the welfare of the population. However, there are debates and discussions about the strategic concerns pertaining to civil society’s role both as a direct social welfare provider and as a watchdog of the democratic welfare of state provisions in the South Asian region.