Is there a need for a 'strong state' to be in place for civil (society) voices to be heard?

When CSO's want to exert influence on state policy they need formal power/ state structures/ institutions to address themselves to. Can we then claim, that there is a need for a 'strong state' to be in place for civil (society) voices to be heard? But then, where states are weak, unstable or recovering from conflict and where formal power structures are absent or at least very slippery and volatile - does CSB have a chance of success in such conditions?