Difference between revisions of "What is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)?"
From NGO Handbook
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| − | A '''non-governmental organization (NGO)''' is generally considered to be any non-state, nonprofit, voluntary organization. As a ''non-state entitity'', an NGO is generally independent from government influence—it is not a part of or controlled by government or an intergovernmental agency. As such, an NGO is either not established by a government, or intergovernmental agreement, or, if established in such a manner, is now independent of such influence. As a ''nonprofit organization'', an NGO is not operated for the primary purpose of carrying on a trade or business, although profits may be generated for the mission of the organization. A more accurate term may be ''nonprofit distributing'', in that any surplus that is generated is to be used solely to help the organization fulfill its mission and objectives | + | A '''non-governmental organization (NGO)''' is generally considered to be any non-state, nonprofit, voluntary organization. As a ''non-state entitity'', an NGO is generally independent from government influence—it is not a part of or controlled by government or an intergovernmental agency. As such, an NGO is either not established by a government, or intergovernmental agreement, or, if established in such a manner, is now independent of such influence. As a ''nonprofit organization'', an NGO is not operated for the primary purpose of carrying on a trade or business, although profits may be generated for the mission of the organization. A more accurate term may be ''nonprofit distributing'', in that any surplus that is generated is to be used solely to help the organization fulfill its mission and objectives, with no part of the net earnings of the NGO to be distributed to the benefit of the directors, officers, members, or employees of the NGO, or any private persons, other than reasonable compensation for services rendered. As a ''voluntary'' organization, an NGO is not required to exist by law, but is formed by private initiative, resulting from voluntary actions of individuals. |
| − | In effect, NGOs are organizations that are not part of the government sector nor part of the business sector. For such reasons, they are sometimes referred to being part of the "third sector" in society. | + | In effect, NGOs are organizations that are not part of the government sector nor part of the business sector. For such reasons, they are sometimes referred to being part of the "third sector" in society. |
The term NGO originally had a more specific meaning. <membersonly>The term originated in the UN Charter, with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) defining the term as "any international organization which is not established by inter-governmental agreement" (US ESCOR, ESC Res 288B, 10th Session, Suppl o. 1. 1950). Ripinsky and van den Bossche (2007) also note that the term was originally intended only to refer to those organizations with consultative status with ECOSOC. However, this original meaning whereby the term NGOs meant international non-State organizations affiliated with the United Nations expanded over time to include NGOs that did not have UN consultative status and were not necessarily international in organization or focus. | The term NGO originally had a more specific meaning. <membersonly>The term originated in the UN Charter, with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) defining the term as "any international organization which is not established by inter-governmental agreement" (US ESCOR, ESC Res 288B, 10th Session, Suppl o. 1. 1950). Ripinsky and van den Bossche (2007) also note that the term was originally intended only to refer to those organizations with consultative status with ECOSOC. However, this original meaning whereby the term NGOs meant international non-State organizations affiliated with the United Nations expanded over time to include NGOs that did not have UN consultative status and were not necessarily international in organization or focus. | ||
| − | + | Today, the term NGO reflects this wider usage. Schmidt and Take (1997) define NGOs as “non-state, non-profit orientated groups who pursue purposes of public interest,” excluding the private sector. One of the most widely used definitions is given by Operational Directive 14.70 of the World Bank (1989): “private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development” (World Bank 2001). More broadly, the term is applicable to any non-profit organization (NPO) that is not affiliated with government.<ref>This, however, does not imply that an NGO cannot receive funding from governmental sources. </ref> According to the World Bank, NGOs are “value-based organizations which depend, in whole or in part, on charitable donations and voluntary service,” and in which “principles of altruism and voluntarism remain key defining characteristics.” The World Bank differentiates two main categories of NGOs with which it interacts: | |
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| − | “non-state, non-profit orientated groups who pursue purposes of public | ||
Operational NGOs, the primary purpose of which is the design and implementation of development-related projects, and | Operational NGOs, the primary purpose of which is the design and implementation of development-related projects, and | ||
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Operational NGOs are further classified as: a) national organizations, which operate in individual developing countries; b) international organizations, which are typically headquartered in developed countries and carry out operations in developing countries; and c) community-based organizations (CBOs), which serve a specific population in a narrow geographical area. CBOs, also referred to as grassroots organizations or peoples’ organizations, differ from other NGOs in both nature and purpose: while national and international organizations are seen as “intermediary” NGOs that are formed to serve others, CBOs are usually “membership” organizations whose purpose is to advance the interests of their members. Examples include women’s groups, credit circles, youth clubs, cooperatives and farmers’ associations. | Operational NGOs are further classified as: a) national organizations, which operate in individual developing countries; b) international organizations, which are typically headquartered in developed countries and carry out operations in developing countries; and c) community-based organizations (CBOs), which serve a specific population in a narrow geographical area. CBOs, also referred to as grassroots organizations or peoples’ organizations, differ from other NGOs in both nature and purpose: while national and international organizations are seen as “intermediary” NGOs that are formed to serve others, CBOs are usually “membership” organizations whose purpose is to advance the interests of their members. Examples include women’s groups, credit circles, youth clubs, cooperatives and farmers’ associations. | ||
| − | + | Other terms that are used for NGOs include charities, third sector organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), private voluntary organizations (used especially in the United States) and voluntary development organizations (a term favored by many African NGOs). NGOs are sometimes considered as one type of civil society organization (CSO) and sometimes as a synonym of CSOs. Since the term NGO is defined in terms of a negative—what it is not, namely governmental—these other terms are sometimes preferred. Civil society organizations, for example, are increasily understood to encompass "non-State, non-profit, voluntary organizations formed by people within the social sphere of civil society (Ripinsky and van den Bossche 2007). Likewise, the term NGOs is "commonly used to describe non-State, non-profit, voluntary organizations," albeit with a formal structure and generally registered with authorities&mash;a feature not required within the definition of CSOs(Ripinsky and van den Bossche 2007) | |
| − | Note: NGOs are not legal entities under international law the way states are. | + | NGOs (and CSOs) include a wide diversity of organizations, from large international organizations registered in several or many nations to faith-based associations such as churches, to philantropic organizations, to research institutes, to small, one-person organizations incorporated within one nation. Obviously, NGOs and CSOs do not include commercial m edia, for-profit entities, and intergovernmental or governmental entitites. Although in some nations the term NGO is considered to also include political partiies, Ripinsky and van den Bossche (207) maintain that NGOs (and CSOs) "cannot be constituted as political parties: they do not seek political power as political parties do." |
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| + | Note: NGOs are not legal entities under international law the way states are. A possible exception, depending on the definition, is the International Committee of the Red Cross, which is considered a legal entity under international law because it is based on the Geneva Convention.<ref>See, for instance, http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/genevaconventions. </ref> The Red Cross does not consider itself an NGO because of this status. | ||
==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
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| + | * Rapinsky, S., and P. van den Bossche. 2007. ''NGO Involvement in International Organizations: A Legal Analysis''. London: British Institute of International and Comparative Law. | ||
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| + | * Schmidt, Hilmar and Ingo Take. 1997. M''ore Democratic and Better? The Contribution of NGOs to the Democratization of International Politics and the Solution of Global Problems''. Working Paper No. 7, World Society Research Group, Technical University Darmstadt Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt. | ||
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| + | * World Bank Operational Directive 14.70, August 28, 1989. | ||
Revision as of 17:02, 19 January 2010
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is generally considered to be any non-state, nonprofit, voluntary organization. As a non-state entitity, an NGO is generally independent from government influence—it is not a part of or controlled by government or an intergovernmental agency. As such, an NGO is either not established by a government, or intergovernmental agreement, or, if established in such a manner, is now independent of such influence. As a nonprofit organization, an NGO is not operated for the primary purpose of carrying on a trade or business, although profits may be generated for the mission of the organization. A more accurate term may be nonprofit distributing, in that any surplus that is generated is to be used solely to help the organization fulfill its mission and objectives, with no part of the net earnings of the NGO to be distributed to the benefit of the directors, officers, members, or employees of the NGO, or any private persons, other than reasonable compensation for services rendered. As a voluntary organization, an NGO is not required to exist by law, but is formed by private initiative, resulting from voluntary actions of individuals.
In effect, NGOs are organizations that are not part of the government sector nor part of the business sector. For such reasons, they are sometimes referred to being part of the "third sector" in society.
The term NGO originally had a more specific meaning.
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