International non-governmental organization

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An international non-governmental organization (INGO) is an organization which is independent of government involvement and extends the concept of a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an international scope. INGOs can admit members affiliated to government authorities as long as it does not interfere with their freedom to express themselves. [1] INGOs operate under the principles of neutrality, humanity, impartiality, and independence. [2] Around the world, there are about 75,000 international organizations and about 42,000 of them are active. [3]

Contents

NGOs are independent of governments and can be seen as two types: advocacy NGOs, which aim to influence governments with a specific goal, and operational NGOs, which provide services. [4] Examples of NGO mandates are environmental preservation, human rights promotions or the advancement of women. NGOs are typically not-for-profit, but receive funding from companies or membership fees. [5] Many large INGOs have components of operational projects and advocacy initiatives working together within individual countries.

Intergovernmental organizations such as International Labour Organization (ILO) and United Nations are formed when sovereign states form treaties but INGOs are not bound by state treaties when operating internationally.

INGOs can either be private philanthropic organizations such as Carnegie, Rockefeller, Gates, and Ford Foundations or as arms of existing internation insitutions like the Catholic Church. After World War II, INGOs began to increase due to the need for economic development or humanitarian needs. Such INGOs include SOS Children's Villages, Oxfam, Catholic Relief Services, Care International, and Lutheran World Relief. However, the influence of INGOs started to extended heavily in the 1980s. [6]

Except for incorporation under national laws, no current formal legal status exists for INGOs, which can lead to complications in international law.[ dubious – discuss ] INGOs have been trying to get a legal status under the international law. They have not legal personality and therefore, no formal rights. [7] INGOs must then operate under state laws even though they still have to follow the principles of independence and neutrality. China for instance, only allows foreign NGOs that have Chinese sponsor organizations and the government has the power to close and examine their offices and question their staff. [8]

History

International non-governmental organizations emerged as a result of the need for humanitarian aid as global problems increased after World Wars. No single government could solve these problems leading to the formation of INGOs. [9] Governments began offering greater support to private, international organizations, and NGOs in the 1980s as a way of allowing more time and resources to be spent on national projects. Often, a humanitarian aid organization would clash with a government's approach to tackle a situation. In such cases, INGOs have sought out autonomy to extend help regardless of political or ethnic affiliation. [10]

In 1910, the Union of International Associations (UIA) were the first to suggest that a "super-national" status be given to international organizations with diplomatic intentions without governmental influence. [11] The International Law Association (ILA) modified this, adding that this "super-national" organizational status may be adopted for associations formed for no profit. [11] One of the oldest organization to be referred to an INGO is Save the Children-UK that was founded in 1919. [12] Since then, INGOs have been operating under their founding principles to provide different community welfare models.

Activities

The main focus of INGOs is to provide relief and developmental aid to communities that are in crisis. These programs include health-related projects such as HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment, clean water, and malaria prevention. INGO roles extend to education-related projects such as ensuring equitable education for all genders and providing books. Overall, INGOs help to provide the social services that governments do not provide. International non-governmental organizations are some of the first responders to natural disasters, like hurricanes and floods, or crises that need emergency relief such as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Other organizations, like the International Justice Mission, are working to make judicial systems more effective and legitimate. [13] Other INGOs promote micro-finance and education which directly impact citizens and communities by developing skills and human capital while encouraging citizen empowerment and community involvement.

NGOs, in general, account for over 15% of total international development aid, which is linked to economic development. [14] As of 2007, aid (partly contributed to by INGOs) over the past thirty years is estimated to have increased the annual growth rate of the bottom billion by one percent. [15]

Criticisms

Given they are usually supported by donations, a popular concern about INGOs is where the money goes and whether it is spent efficiently. [16] High administrative costs can be an indication of inefficiency, enrichment of employees at the expense of beneficiaries, embezzlement or misdirection of funds to corrupt local officials or dictatorship. [17] Numerous attempts have been made to remedy the accountability of INGOs surrounding where and for what their money is being used. [18] Websites like Charity Navigator and GiveWell attempt to provide transparency as to how much goes to administrative costs, what activities money is spent on, whether more donations would be helpful, and how cost-effective the activities are compared to other charities or potential activities.

Moreover, multiple organizations often exist to solve the same problem. Rather than collaborating to address a given situation, organizations frequently interact as competitors, which creates bottlenecks of treatment and supplies. [19] Conflicts typically require organizations to quickly provide aid to regions with conflict. As such, ensuring immediate and future care quality is paramount. [10] To this point, INGOs must prepare regions for when they leave by providing the tools and guidance necessary to support their citizens. [20] More research must be done on the impacts of INGO support from the perspective of the recipient country or region, as much of currently published research has been completed from the lens of a Westernized donor or INGO. [21]

Another criticism is that many of the people benefiting from INGOs have no way to influence those activities and hold the organizations accountable. [22] (for example by threatening to withhold donations). Some charitable organizations solicit the participation of local communities to avoid problems related to intercultural competence, and avoid unintended consequences due to lack of buy-in or lack of knowledge about local conditions. Some INGOs have been accused of lack of partnership with local organizations since they have all the funding and they do not credit these local institutions and often do not give them equal respect. [23] Additionally, INGOs often require/expect their partners to follow a Western model which can be incompatible with local community needs. [24]

In March 2015, the European Journal of International Relations criticized the impact of INGOs on government decision-making, claiming they are slowing integration of developing countries into the global economy. [25]

Notable international NGOs

Multiple interdisciplinary projects

Research

Economics

Health

Children and youth

Education

Human rights

Environmental

Water, sanitation, and hygiene

Multilateralism

Religion

Space and technology

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-governmental organization</span> Organization, usually created to aid those in need

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control. NGOs often focus on humanitarian or social issues but can also include clubs and associations offering services to members. Some NGOs, like the World Economic Forum, may also act as lobby groups for corporations. Unlike international organizations (IOs), which directly interact with sovereign states and governments, NGOs are independent from them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarianism</span> Relief activities to aid and assist humanity; philanthropic philosophy of active humanism

Humanitarianism is an ideology centered on the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CARE International</span> International humanitarian agency

CARE is a major international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and long-term international development projects. Founded in 1945, CARE is nonsectarian, impartial, and non-governmental. It is one of the largest and oldest humanitarian aid organizations focused on fighting global poverty. In 2019, CARE reported working in 104 countries, supporting 1,349 poverty-fighting projects and humanitarian aid projects, and reaching over 92.3 million people directly and 433.3 million people indirectly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internally displaced person</span> Person forced to leave their home who remains within their country

An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarian aid</span> Material or logistical assistance for people in need

Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance, usually in the short-term, to people in need. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and victims of natural disasters, wars, and famines. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity.

ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization whose stated primary aim is to work against poverty and injustice worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarian crisis</span> Large threat to the health and safety of many people

A humanitarian crisis is defined as a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people. It may be an internal or external conflict and usually occurs throughout a large land area. Local, national and international responses are necessary in such events.

Humanitarian assistance is aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity during and after man-made crises and disasters. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including providing food, water, shelter, medical care, and protection. Humanitarian assistance is grounded in the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

A non-state actor (NSA) is an individual or organization that has significant political influence but is not allied to any particular country or state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medair</span> Natural disaster aid organization

Medair is an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) whose purpose is to relieve human suffering in some of the world's most remote and devastated places. Medair aims to assist people affected by natural disasters and conflict to recover with dignity through the delivery of quality humanitarian aid.

There are a number of meanings for the term humanitarian. Here, humanitarian pertains to the practice of saving lives and alleviating suffering. It is usually related to emergency response whether in the case of a natural disaster or a man-made disaster such as war or other armed conflict. Humanitarian principles govern the way humanitarian response is carried out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CONCORD</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">International health</span> Health care across national boundaries

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">International organization</span> Organization established by treaty between governments

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Association Najdeh (AN) is a NGO involved with development and educational projects in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. It operates more exactly in and around the refugee camps. It defends the Palestinian refugee women who are often victims of discriminations and also participates in different campaigns, in coalitions of local and international organizations, for the right to work in Lebanon and the right of return to Palestine.

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Accountable Now is a global platform, founded in 2008 by a group of independent non-profit organisations, which is intended to foster accountability and transparency of civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as stakeholder communication and performance. It supports CSOs to be transparent, responsive to stakeholders and focused on delivering impact.

In this article, NGOs in West Africa will be divided into three categories: African national NGOs, African international NGOs, and non-African international NGOs. NGOs stand for non-governmental organizations. These organizations are mostly non-profit and mostly work independently from the government, they have specific aims that range from human rights, finance, health, education and more. There are many non-governmental organizations in West Africa, and much activity between these countries, organizations and the rest of the world.

References

  1. ↑ "The Yearbook of International Organizations | Union of International Associations". uia.org. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  2. ↑ Impactpool. "The roles of INGOs during Emergency Response - What happens?". www.impactpool.org. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  3. ↑ "The Yearbook of International Organizations | Union of International Associations". uia.org. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  4. ↑ IGO-NGO Cooperation." .https://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?g=289595&p=1930435 (accessed February 19, 2020).
  5. ↑ Goode, Walter, ed. (2007). Dictionary of trade policy terms . Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521885065.
  6. ↑ "International NGOs". Commonwealth of Nations. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  7. ↑ "Domestic Restrictions on Non-Governmental Organizations and Potential Protections through Legal Personality: Time for a Change? | Chicago Journal of International Law". cjil.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  8. ↑ "Domestic Restrictions on Non-Governmental Organizations and Potential Protections through Legal Personality: Time for a Change? | Chicago Journal of International Law". cjil.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  9. ↑ Buse, Kent; Tanaka, Sonja (2011-08-01). "Global Public-Private Health Partnerships: lessons learned from ten years of experience and evaluation". International Dental Journal. Live.Learn.Laugh. A Unique Global Public-Private Partnership to Improve Oral Health. 61 (Suppl 2): 2–10. doi:10.1111/j.1875-595X.2011.00034.x. ISSN   0020-6539. PMC   9374971 . PMID   21770935.
  10. 1 2 Buse, Kent; Tanaka, Sonja (2011-08-01). "Global Public-Private Health Partnerships: lessons learned from ten years of experience and evaluation". International Dental Journal. Live.Learn.Laugh. A Unique Global Public-Private Partnership to Improve Oral Health. 61 (Suppl 2): 2–10. doi:10.1111/j.1875-595X.2011.00034.x. ISSN   0020-6539. PMC   9374971 . PMID   21770935.
  11. 1 2 Ben-Ari, Rephael Harel (2013). The Legal Status of International Non-Governmental Organizations: Analysis of Past and Present Initiatives (1912-2012). Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. ISBN   9789004254367.
  12. ↑ Commins, Stephen (2010), "INGOs", in Anheier, Helmut K.; Toepler, Stefan (eds.), International Encyclopedia of Civil Society, New York, NY: Springer US, pp. 858–864, doi:10.1007/978-0-387-93996-4_556, ISBN   978-0-387-93996-4 , retrieved 2024-11-20
  13. ↑ "International Justice Mission | End Modern Slavery for Good". IJM USA. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  14. ↑ "World Bank and NGOs." October 3, 2007.http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ngo_guide/igo_ngo_coop/ngo_wb.html [ dead link ] (accessed November 10, 2010).
  15. ↑ Collier, Paul. 2007. The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. (p.100).
  16. ↑ Lorenz, Nicolaus (2007-07-01). "Effectiveness of global health partnerships: will the past repeat itself?". Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 85 (7): 567–568. doi:10.2471/BLT.06.033597 (inactive 5 December 2024). PMC   2636373 . PMID   17768507.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of December 2024 (link)
  17. ↑ Collingwood, Vivien; Logister, Louis (April 2005). "State of the Art: Addressing the INGO 'Legitimacy Deficit'". Political Studies Review. 3 (2): 175–192. doi:10.1111/j.1478-9299.2005.00022.x.
  18. ↑ Crack, Angela M. (2013-04-01). "INGO Accountability Deficits: The Imperatives for Further Reform". Globalizations. 10 (2): 293–308. doi:10.1080/14747731.2013.786253. ISSN   1474-7731.
  19. ↑ Hunt, Matthew; Miao, Jingru (April 2017). "Moral Entanglement and the Ethics of Closing Humanitarian Medical Aid Projects". Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 32 (S1): S47–S48. doi: 10.1017/S1049023X17001376 . ISSN   1049-023X.
  20. ↑ Fourie, Carina (2018-05-15). "The trouble with inequalities in global health partnerships". Medicine Anthropology Theory. 5 (2). doi: 10.17157/mat.5.2.525 . ISSN   2405-691X.
  21. ↑ Jammihal, Ravindra; Ralte, Harry; Roy, Nobhojit (February 2009). "Humanitarian Medical Aid to Developing Nations: A Recipient Country's Perspective". Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 24 (S1).
  22. ↑ Ebrahim, A.: 2003, 'Accountability in Practice: Mechanisms for NGOs', World Development 31(5), 813-829.
  23. ↑ D’Arcy, Michelle (2019-05-22). "When international NGOs try to "help" local ones and fail". African Arguments. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  24. ↑ D’Arcy, Michelle (2019-05-22). "When international NGOs try to "help" local ones and fail". African Arguments. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  25. ↑ Lewis, David; Themudo, Nuno (2020). "Non-governmental organizations and development". Routledge.

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