NGO - Non-governmental organizations

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) 

They have played a major role in pushing for sustainable development at the international level. Campaigning groups have been key drivers of inter-governmental negotiations, ranging from the regulation of hazardous wastes to a global ban on land mines and the elimination of slavery.

NGO activities include, but are not limited to, environmental, social, advocacy and human rights work. They can work to promote social or political change on a broad scale or very locally. NGOs play a critical part in developing society, improving communities, and promoting citizen participation.

NGO characteristics
NGOs are defined here as non-membership development-oriented organizations. They provide services either directly to the rural poor or to grass-roots membership organizations, and with the local branches of international NGOs that enjoy varying degrees of autonomy. They are therefore distinct from (but, as discussed below, often linked with) formal and informal membership organizations such as farmers' associations. 

But even within this definition, there exists wide diversity of origins and philosophy. Some NGOs were set up by left-leaning professionals or academics in opposition to the politics of government or its support for or indifference to the prevailing patterns of corruption, patronage, or authoritarianism. Some are based on religious principles, others on a broadly humanitarian ethos, and yet others were set up as quasi-consultancy concerns in response to recent donor-funding initiatives. 

Some NGOs reject existing social and political structures and see themselves as engines for radical change; others focus on more gradual change through development of human resources (usually through group formation) to meet their own needs or to make claims on government services; yet others focus more simply on the provision of services (e.g., advice, input supply) largely within existing structure

The Role of NGOs in Modern Societies.
Increasingly, the existence of NGOs is proving to be a necessity rather than a luxury in societies throughout the modern world. I believe that the history of the 20th century persuasively demonstrated the inability-of the welfare state and free enterprise to create just and sustainable societies. Prompted by the inadequacies of the state and the market, citizens across the globe have developed organizations of civil society – NGOs – to help address a wide variety of social needs.

Role of NGOs in increasingly interdependent world
As globalization proceeds and the world becomes increasingly interdependent, the decisions of global civil society groups have increasing significance in our daily lives. They give expression to citizen concerns, hold governments and multi-national corporations accountable, promote community, address unmet needs, and improve the quality of life. the impact of global civil society abound -

1. The international ban on the use of landmines was ushered in by a dedicated group of international NGOs
2. Much of the progress made on combating the spread of HIV/AIDS can be attributed to civil society.
3. And, if we are to save our planet from global warming, I am certain NGOs will help lead the way.

Generations of NGOs
Many of the large international NGOs such as CARE, Save the Children, and Catholic relief Services began as charitable relief organizations, to deliver welfare services to the poor throughout the world. Relief efforts remain an essential and appropriate response to emergency situations that demand immediate and effective response. But as a development strategy, relief and welfare approaches offer just a temporary alleviation of the symptoms.

Characteristics	Generation
	First	Second	Third
Defining Features	Relief and Welfare	Small-scale, self-reliant local development	Sustainable systems development
Problem Definition	Shortages of goods and services	Local inertia	Institutional and policy constraints
Time Frame	Immediate	Project life	Indefinite long-term
Spatial Scope	Individual or family	Neighborhood or village	Region or nation
Chief Actors	NGO	NGO + beneficiary organizations	All public and private institutions that define the relevant system
Development Education	Starving Children	Community self-help initiatives	Failures in interdependent systems
Management Orientation	Logistics Management	Project management	Strategic management

NGO Roles in the Project Cycle

Stage in Project Cycle	Potential NGO Involvement
Project Identification	provide advice/information on local conditions participate in environmental and social assessments organize consultations with beneficiaries/affected parties transmit expressed needs/priorities of local communities to project staff act as a source, model or sponsor of project ideas implement pilot projects
Project Design	consultant to the government, to local communities assist in promoting a participatory approach to project design channel information to local populations
Financing	co-financier (in money or in kind) of a project component source of funds for activities complementary to the proposed donor-financed project
Implementation	Project contractor or manager (for delivery of services, training, construction, etc.) promote community participation in project activities financial intermediary role supplier of technical knowledge to local beneficiaries advisor to local communities on how to take advantage of project-financed goods or services implementer of complementary activities beneficiary of an NGO funding mechanism established by the project
Monitoring and Evaluation	NGO contracted to monitor project progress or evaluate project results Facilitate participatory monitoring and evaluation Independent/unsolicited monitoring and evaluation