The Power of NGOs

Editor's Note: As part of this week’s survey of different forms and perspectives on international power, today's feature looks at the increasing significance of NGOs. In the first article Taha Kehar examines how NGOs influence international development. Within this broader discussion, she also focuses on how persistent concerns about accountability and transparency have undermined the effectiveness of NGOs in South Asia. In the second piece, Paul Collier discusses how even small NGOs can exercise positive forms of political power.

 While NGOs have played a fundamental role in prompting development efforts in South Asia, there is a need to use self-assessment mechanisms to gauge the impact of their activities. South Asia is a volatile region plagued by corruption, social inequality, terrorism and political instability. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, the NGO sector has played a fundamental role in prompting development efforts to infuse positive social change. Despite the largely favorable nature of these initiatives, a great deal of criticism has been leveled against the transparency and accountability of these organizations. This has significantly dented their credibility and resulted in their work being viewed with considerable skepticism.

However, the overall impact of NGOs in South Asia cannot be denied. In 2001, UNDP reported that there were 35,000 NGOs operating in Pakistan. The number has increased exponentially ever since. Nepal has also witnessed a significant increase in non-profit organization geared towards promoting social development.

It is intriguing to note that NGOs operating in South Asia have offset the ineffectiveness of the government in providing bare essentials, such as education and healthcare. Furthermore, the role of NGOs in preserving basic human rights cannot be overlooked. As a result, before NGOs can be deemed specious and irresponsible entities, it is important to analyze their role in improving living standards, preventing human rights violations and encouraging the state to prioritize the social and economic well-being of its people.

In an essay titled, “NGO Sector in Bangladesh – An Overview,” Sajjad Zohir asserts that NGOs engage in a whole spectrum of activities, including those that fall within the ambit of the government. Owing to their willingness to interact with various communities and understand their intrinsic needs, NGOs have been successful in delivering social services with far greater efficacy than the government. Organizations such as the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) have played a pivotal role in encouraging economic development through microcredit schemes and enterprise training in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and social forestry. BRAC has also attempted to mitigate the subnormal level of education in the region and propagate awareness about the benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) through a range of community-based programs. In addition, BRAC has introduced microfinance schemes in other South Asian countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has widened the scope for rural development projects.

While these initiatives have improved life chances and generated awareness about the key principles of human rights, they have also been at variance with social customs and traditions. Consequently, many local and international NGOs have tailored their development programs according to the needs of the communities and have eliminated strategies which could radically alter their traditional way of life. This renders their influence as less intrusive and more beneficial as it enriches rather than violates the cultural identity of local communities.

Most NGOs in South Asia uphold a strict stance on a range of social issues and have exerted pressure on government agencies to respond to these challenges in a pro-active manner. For example, in 2010, many local NGOs accused the Nepalese government of encouraging human trafficking through the lax enforcement of the human anti-trafficking laws. The issue raised grave concerns about the state’s effectiveness in preserving the rights of women and children. The Nepalese government was criticized by US State Department for its apathy and was asked to find more effective means of grappling with this social problem.

By persuading the state to impose stricter legal sanctions to mitigate threats to democracy and human rights, NGOs play a facilitative role in promoting good governance. In India, the role of an NGO can be compared to that of a watchdog organization. This is primarily because they have remained at the forefront of some of India’s flagship development projects such as The National Rural Health Mission and the Right to Education.

NGOs in India have also served to provide a platform to the most vulnerable sections of society. In order to achieve this objective they have attempted to influence the legislature to protect the rights of the underprivileged. The Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the draft Right to Food Act are a clear testament of some successful attempts by non-profit organizations to uphold human rights and enhance living standards. In a similar vein, NGOs have, on several occasions, brought the Indian government into a position of accountability by exposing its corrupt practices.

Although these altruistic efforts present the role of NGOs in South Asia as entirely favorable, the reality is far from optimistic.

Skeptics have argued that while NGOs operating in South Asia may propagate social welfare and curb the harmful influences of rogue states, very little is known about them. Their structure, source of funding and the impact of their activities remain questionable. Similar concerns have been raised in Nepal where there is no cohesive database on NGOs operating within the country.

More significantly, in countries like India, there is no yardstick to measure the level of accountability these organizations have towards people. Over the years, however, Indian NGOs have begun to use self-assessment mechanisms to gauge the impact of their activities. In addition, the government has introduced the RTI Act, which creates legal obligations for NGOs to be transparent. To enforce some measure of accountability on Indian NGOs, the RTI contains a list of provisions whereby organizations that receive funding from the government are considered "public authorities" and must disclose information only in accordance with the law.

In addition, NGOs based in South Asia are often criticized for not addressing a whole gamut of social issues that plague the region. As a consequence, some customary practices such as vani and karo-kari carry on without impunity even though they contravene the human rights of women.

Overall, the scope for NGOs in South Asia is extremely vast and many initiatives by such organization have spurred positive change. However, there is an urgent need for a supervising body or even strong legislative interference to enable them to have the desired impact in prompting social development and preserving the humanitarian cause.