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The advantages & disadvantages of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting development are examined. NGOs commonly claim to have several advantages over government entities: (1) means of reaching & mobilizig the poor; (2) use of bottom-up processes that promote empowerment; (3) greater flexibility & innovation; (4) lower costs & greater efficiency; (5) promotion of sustainable development; & (6) vehicles for the organization of civil society. However, evaluation of the performance of NGOs reveals that they seldom live up to their claims, & their performance is characterized by vague objectives, management problems, lack of sustainability, low replicability, & service delivery to small numbers of people who typically are not among the poorest of the population. The virtues of NGOs include their adaptability & the capacity to promote self-reliance. Several parameters of NGO philosophy & performance are discussed, eg, empowerment & participation, relationships with government, & NGO projects compared with official technical assistance. Adapted from the source document.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are not normally good at the activities they claim as their merit, but they have virtues that are frequently not proclaimed. In particular, they rarely reach the poorest, they depend in many ways on government support, and they are often not participatory. On the other hand, they are adaptable and suited to promoting self-reliance. Participation has been used more as a slogan than a thought-out strategy. There are many exceptions to the principle that people should have a right to participate in the decisions that affect (importantly?) their lives and work. A more valid question is, Who should take what decisions at which level and in what sequence? There are many links between government and NGOs, not confined to finance. Finally, NGO projects are compared with governmental technical assistance, and the drawbacks of the latter are compared with the merits of the former.

THROUGHOUT THE PAST DECADE, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGOS) IN THE CARIBBEAN HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO REDEFINE THEIR ROLE VIS-A-VIS THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIVELY TO THE REGIONAL DEBATE ON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. THEIR ROLE HAS MOST OFTEN CENTERED ON BOTH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PRIORITIES, IN CONTRAST WITH THE POSITION OF MOST INTERNATIONAL NGOS, WHICH TEND TO STRESS THEIR OWN APOLITICA CHARACTER AND TO DEFINE THIRD WORLD REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC RATHER THAN POLITICAL NECESSITIES. THIS HAS MEANT A RETHINKING OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE, PROMOTING A DEBATE BETWEEN NGOS CONCERNING THE QUESTION OF HOW NGOS SHOULD INTERACT WITH THE STATE.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have exerted a profound influence on the scope and dictates of international law. NGOs have fostered treaties, promoted the creation of new international organizations (IOs), and lobbied in national capitals to gain consent to stronger international rules. A decade ago, Antonio Donini, writing about the United Nations, declared that "the Temple of States would be a rather dull place without nongovernmental organisations." His observation was apt and is suggestive of a more general thesis: had NGOs never existed, international law would have a less vital role in human progress.

Throughout the past decade, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the Caribbean have been attempting to redefine their role vis-à-vis the state and civil society in order to be able to contribute substantively to the regional debate on development strategies. Their role has most often centered on both political and economic priorities, in contrast with the position of most international NGOs, which tend to stress their own apolitical character and to define Third World requirements in terms of economic rather than political necessities. This has meant a rethinking of the relationship with the state, promoting a debate between NGOs concerning the question of how NGOs should interact with the state.

Citing the importance of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as additional checks on the legislative & executive branches as well as their public policy influence, NGOs are dubbed the "fifth estate." A brief history of NGOs includes examples demonstrating their capacity to exert increasing influence at the international level. In light of this political power, attention is given to the dichotomous strengths & weaknesses of NGOs. Although not without some problems, the fifth estate is said to have been a positive development in world affairs; a few lessons to bear in mind when dealing with NGOs are delineated. J. Zendejas