A
non-governmental organization (NGO) is a legally constituted organization, NGO
is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that
operates independently form any government. In the cases in which NGOs are
funded totally or partially by governments, the NGOs maintain its non-
governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in
the organization. The term is usually applied only to organizations that pursue
some wider social aim that has political aspects, but that are not overtly
political organizations such as political parties.
Unlike the term inter
governmental organizations, the term non-governmental organization has no
generally agreed upon legal definition. In many jurisdictions. These types of organizations are called “civil society organizations” or referee to by other names.
NGOS may also be referred to as independent sector, volunteer sector, civil
society, grassroots organization, transactional social movement, private
voluntary organizations, self help organizations and non state actors1.
The
number of NGOS operating internationally is estimated at about 40,000. National
figures are even higher. Russia has 277,000 NGOs while India has close to 1.2
million2
Historical Origin
International non-governmental organizations have a
history dating back to at Ceara 19393. Rotary international was
founded in 1905. it has been estimated that by 1914. There were 1083 NGOs in
operation-International NGOS important role in the antislavery movement and the
movement for women’s suffrage. The activities of NGOs reached a peak at the time
of the world disarmament conference4
The
phrase, “non governmental origination” only into popular use with the
establishment of the United nations which provided in Article 71 of chapter 10
of its charter for a consultative rule for organisations which are neither
governments nor member states. Resolution 288(x) of Ecosoc on February 27, 1950
defined an NGO as “any inter national organisation that is not founded by an
international treaty”. The vital role of NGOs and other major groups in
sustainable development was recognised in chapter 27 of Agenda 21, leading to
intense arrangements for a consultative relations between the UN and non-gender
mental organisations. Repaid development of the non-governmental sector
occurred in western countries Asa result
o the processes of retraction of the
welfare state. Further globalisation of that process occurred after the falloff
the communist system. The fall of communism system. The fall of communism was
an important part of the rise of non governmental originations. The expansion
globalisation during the 20th century gave rise to the importance of
NGOs. Many problems could not be solved within a nation. International treaties
and international organisations such as the WTO were perceived as been too
central on the interests of capitalist enterprises. Some argue that in an
attempt to counter balance this trend, NGOs have developed to emphasise
humanitarian issues, developmental aid and sustainable development. A prominent
example of this is the world social forum which is a rival correction to the
world Economic forum. Some have argued that in forums like these, NGOs take the place of which should
belong to popular movements of the poor. Others argue that NGOs are often
imperialist in nature, that they sometimes operate in racialised manner in
dominant countries, and that they fulfil a similar function to that of the
clergy during the high colonial era5. Peter Hall ward, political
philosopher argue that NGOs are an aristocratic form of politics6.
Whatever
the case, whatever the argument either way NGOS have become extensive translational
net works. There is relevance, their influence and involvement in the social,
political and economic life of the global society has become robust and
manifestly undeniable.
Types of NGOs
NGOS can be classified or understood according to
their orientation and level of co-operation. NGO by orientation could be
charitable orientation, service orientation, participatory orientation, service
orientation, participatory orientation, empowerment orientation, etc. NGO type
by co-operation would be community based organisation, wide organisation,
National NGO or international NGO.
Non
governmental organisations are a heterogeneous group. They way go by
different Makes, appellations and
identities. A long list of acronyms have developed around the term Ngo. The
primary purpose of an NGO is the design and implementation of development,
related projects. this categorisation could be divided into relief oriented or
development oriented orgasnaitons. They can also be classified into according
to whether they lay emphasis on service delivery or whether they are religious
or secular, whether they are public oriented or private oriented. Operational
NGOs can be community based, national based or international based7.
The
primary purpose of on advocacy NGO, for instance, is to defend or promote
specific cause. As opposed to operational project managements, these
organisational typically try to raise awareness, acceptance and knowledge by
bobby in, press work and activist engagements. USAID refer to NGOs as private
voluntary originations. However, many scholars have argued that this definition
is highly problems as many NGOs are no fact state and corporate based, funded
and managed their projects with professionals staff.
NGOS
exist for a variety of reasons usually to further the political or social goals of their embers or
founders. Other reasons include improving the state of the natural. Other
reasons include improving the state of the natural environment, to encouraging
the observance of human rights, improving the welfare of the disadvantaged or
representing a corporate agenda. There are a huge member of such organisations
whose goals cover a broad range of political and philosophical positions. This
con also be easily applied to private schools and athletic organisations.
Method of operation
NGOs vary in their methods of operation. Some act
primarily as bobbysts while others conduct programs and activities. An NGO such
as Oxfam, for instance, concerned with poverty alleviation might provide needy
people with the equipment and skill required to find food and clean drinking
water whereas an NGO like the FFDA helps with investigation and documentation
of human rights violations and provides legal assistance to victims of hum
rights abuses. Others provides specialised technical products and services to
support development activities implemented on the ground by other organisations.
Public Relations:
Non
government organisations need healthy public relations and good understanding
with the public to succeed. To meet their goals, foundations and charities use
sophisticated public relations campaigns to raise funds and employ standard
lobbying techniques with governments. Interest groups may also be of political
relevance because of their ability to influence social and political outcomes.
A code of ethics was established in 2002 by the world Association of Non
Governmental originations.
Project Management:
There is an increasing awareness that managements techniques are crucial
to project success in nongovernmental organizations. Generally, NGOs that are
private here either community or environmental focus. They address varieties of
issues such as religion, emergency aid, or humanitarian affairs. They mobilize
public support and voluntary contributions for aid. They often here strong
lives with community groups in developing countries and they work in areas
where government-to- government aid is not possible. NGOS are accepted as a
part of the hitter national relations lands cape, and while the influence of
national and multi lateral policy making increases, they are more directly
involve in local activities.
Staffing:
It is not all the people moving to NGOs
that are volunteers. The reasons people volunteer for NGO work are not always
purely facruistic. They can provide immediate benefits for themselves as well
as those they serve, such benefits may include skill acquisition, experience,
contacts and of course, financial remunerations. There is some dispute as to
whether expatriates should be sent to developing countries. Frequently, this
type of personnel is employed to satisfy a donor who wants to see that support
projects are managed by some one from an industrialised country. However, the
expertise these employees or volunteers may be counter-balanced by a number of
factors like cost of foreigners which is typically higher and they may have no
grass root connections in the country they are sent to, and in such cases,
local expertise are often undervalued. The NGO sector is an important employer
in terms of members, for instance, by the end of 1995 “concern world wide, an
international NGO working against poverty had a staff strength of 174
expatriates and over 5,000 local staff deployed in ten developing countries in
Africa, Asia and in Hanti.
Funding of NGOS:
Large NGOs may have annual budgets running
into hundreds of millions of dollars. American Association of retired persons
(AARP), for instance was with $ 550 million in 1999. funding large budgets
demands significant fund raising efforts on the parts of most NGOs. Major
sources of NGO funding include membership dues, the sale of goods and services,
grants from international institutions and donor agencies, national governments
and private donaions. Several EU grants provide funds accessible to NGOs.
Even
though the term ‘non-governmental organisation” implies independence from
governments, most NGOs depend heavily on governments for their funding. A
quarterof the $ 162 million income of Oxfam in 1998 was donated by the British
government and the EU. The Christian relief and development organisation, world
vision, collected $ 55 million north of goods in 1998 from the American
government. The Nobel prize winner, medicines sams frontiers (doctors without
borders) gets almost 50% of its income form government sources.
Government
funding of NGOs is controversial since it is felt that NGOs are in most part.
Doing the work which governments were, for several reasons, most of them
political, unable to do. Government kinding therefore brings government
presence to bear on these activities and such in presence in one way or the
other may subvert the gamine intentions of the NGOs. According to David Bieff,
… the whole point of humanitarian intervention was
precisely that NGOS and civil social had both a right and an obligation to
respond with acts of aid and solidarity to people in need or being subjected to
repression or want by the forces that controlled them, whatever the governments
concerned might think about the matter…8
Monitoring and control:
In
a report released in March, 2000, on UN
reforth priorities, former secretary general Koffi Anan wrote in favour
of international Humanitarian intervention, arguing that the international
community has a “right to protect” citizens of the world against ethnic
cleansing, genocide and crimes against humanity. The governments of the
countries an NGO works or I registered in may require reporting or other
monitoring oversight function over the NGO. Donors and other financial
contributions generally require reporting and assessment. Such information is
not necessarily released to the public. They may also be associations and
watchdog organisations that carry out research and publish details of their
findings on the actions of NGOS working in particular geographic or program
areas. In present years, many large corporations have increased their
“corporate social responsibility” departments in an attempt to pre-empt NGO
campaigns against certain corporate practise. As the logic goes, if corporation
work with NGOs, will not work against corporations.
In
December, 2007, the US department of defence established an “International
Health” Division, part of whose responsibility is to communicate with NGOS in
areas of mutual interest. In compliance with international law, the defence
department has a responsibility to improve essential services in areas of
conflict such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Legal status:
The legal recognition of NGOs is diverse
and depends upon home grown variations in each countries’ laws and practices.
However, four main family groups of NGOs can be found would wide9.
These are
1. In
corporate and voluntary Associations
2. Trusts,
charities and foundations
3. Companies
not just established for profit
4. Entities
formed or registered under special NGO or non-pofit laws.
NGOs
are not subject of international law as states and intergovernmental
organisations are. An exception is the ICRC which is subject to certain
specific matters mainly relating to the Geneva convention.
The
council of Europe in strasbow dratted the European convention on the
recognition of the legal personality of international non government
organisations in 1986, which sets “common legal basis for the existence and
work of NGOs in Europe”. Article II of the European convention on Human Rights
protects the right to freedom of association which is also a fundamental norm
for NGOS.
Criticisms:
Consumption and mismanagement of funds.
Most times, NGOs do not commit funds to the project for which they were
provided.
2. Most
NGOs are self-serving. The are established to the personal benefits of the top
membership.
3. Most
time, NGOS connive with governments and corporate interest to defeat their
primary purpose which is the protection of public interest and to act as a
voice for the voiceless.
4. Some
NGOs propagate certain political and ideological views which may constitute a
betrayed of the basic ideals for which they were formed.
5. Some
are formed to act as opposition to certain business interest and corporate
bodies and this may not be in the best interest of the civil society.