Nongovernmental Organizations and Development
In: The annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Band 554, S. 193-210
ISSN: 0002-7162
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.