1. INTRODUCTION
NGOs important in filling in the democratic deficit-exclusion of large numbers of the poor and marginalized in LDCs, who have little income, no job, no political voice and who are threatened culturally (ways of life, languages, types of political and economic organization under attack). Wider role of NGOs in development process much debated.
Need to contextualize work of development NGOs within concepts of-
1.1 Trusteeship--the intent, which is expressed, by one agency, to develop the capacities of another. It is what binds the process of development to the intent of development.
1.2 Civil society—the collective of those social organizations that enjoy autonomy from the state (are not a part of the state or creatures of it) and have as one important goal among others to influence the state on behalf of their members.
2. NGOs—Overview
Definition of NGOs
Types of NGOs—Operational and Advocacy NGOs
3. Type of work done by NGOs:
3.1 humanitarian relief
3.2 projects
3.3 Programmes
3.4 Sustainable systems development
3.5 Civic networking
3.6 Awareness raising/development education
3.7 Advocacy
3.8 Implementing policy changes
4. Strengths of NGOs
4.1 General arguments
(1) Field-based development expertise
(2) Innovative and adaptable
(3) Process not product approach
(4) Participatory methodologies and tools
(5) Long-term commitments and emphasis on sustainability
4.2 Economic arguments
(1) efficient
(2) cheap
(3) micro-level
(4) work closely with poor groups in society
4.3 Political arguments
(1) neutral
(2) act as intermediaries between government and people. Play an important bridging role
(3) act as agents of democratization
4.4 Social argument
(1) Closer to the poor than states, so know the need of the poor better than states.
5. Weaknesses of NGOs The role of governments, markets and NGOs often needs to be combined-but exactly how is the current debate-to what extent can the roles of development NGOs be generalized is also important to analyse. Contexts and
5.1 General argument
NGOs lack understanding of broader economic, political and social structures.
5.2 Economic arguments
(1) Lack resources and structures to be efficient—limited finance.
(2) When NGOs scale up become bureaucratic and inflexible
(3) Scaling up means that NGOs increasingly look for funding and support from international bodies and national governments –thus, they are not economically independent(self sustaining) or neutral.www.51lunwen.org
(4) Donors increasingly want funds to be used for marketisation-limited management expertise of NGO staff
(5) Involved in for-profit projuects- unwilling to be innovative and take risks.
(6) NGOs work cam become endless meetings and little action
(7) NGOs provision is not always cheaper than government provision
(8) Often work on isolated projects and do not co-operate.
5.3 Political arguments
(1) Radicals attack NGOs for being the new missionaries
(2) NGOs politically compromised
(3) NGOs are not formally accountable to their supporters
(4) Many NGOs confrontational politically
5.4 Social factors
(1) NGOs scale up-less sensitive to the culture of target group
(2) NGOs increasingly need to “show results” to their donors
(3) Westernization of NGOs
(4) Increasing media influence
6. NGOs as compradors debate
NGOs in developing countries have been criticized as compradors. They put into practice projects and programmes designed to bring the western liberal project to developing countries in return for good salaries, high status and other perks. Such a view is much contested.
7. Conclusion- the future for development NGOs?
Myth that NGOs can bring about development alongside the free market. Successful development needs a correct mix of the public(state), the private(business) and civil society(NGOs).
