NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Always angels??

Introductory Remarks Structure of our course so far tempts us to focus on NGOs working (from outside) in conflict situations. But: Many NGOs work for humanitarian, human- rights or ‘single-issue’ causes in ‘peacetime’, inc in our own countries Local NGOs also vital for outcomes Even wider range of ‘civil society’ actors, crucial i.a. for Security Sector Reform

IS THERE ANYTHING ALL NGOs HAVE IN COMMON? Not governmental (or institutional, like UN agencies) ‘Self-motivated’, free choice of action But not always ‘self-financed’ - agents of aid delivery, recipients of aid Can be quite ‘institutionalized’ and in weak states could be filling power gap

NGOS IN THE POWER NEXUS Work against, with or ‘for’ govts/insts Work against, with or ‘for’ business actors (how to classify things like the Gates Foundation??) Take resources from private citizens to private citizens

SKETCH OF ISSUES: MACRO More than ‘the ladle in the global soup kitchen’: Humanitarian vs. development or ‘caring’ vs. ‘solving’/’reforming’ goals Caring for human bodies or human rights ‘Neutrality’ in conflict, posn. on violence? If transmitting standards, which standards? Top-down, North-South vs. empowering and facilitating models Fire-fighting, or longer engagement?

SKETCH OF ISSUES: NGO GOVERNANCE General codes + norms; self-policing?? Answerability for impact/efficiency Fund-raising techniques, competition Status when delivering others’ funds Administrative expenses Staff qualifications, motivation Staff safety, ‘NGOs as targets’

LOOKING AHEAD NGOs’ fear of subjection/manipulation as govts do more complex conflict management but also like using agents Classic NGO funding/work methods (govt, private giving) overtaken by Soros, Gates, single-issue drives? Various factors weakening ‘Northern’ leadership + control

AFTER THE BREAK Will look in more detail at challenges for NGO impacts + principles in a rather chaotic conflict situation Not that this is the only setting for ambiguity: consider diversion of charity payments to terrorists (and Hamas humanitarian work); rights and wrongs of single issue campaigns eg on fur, whaling; misuse of ‘civil society’ organizational forms eg in Communist states

ROLES OF NGO X-AID Direct humanitarian delivery: food, drugs, medical assistance Running a large refugee camp on the state border Working with a local charity for aid distribution in an ethnic minority area Working under protection of a NATO team in unstable Province Y WHAT ISSUES CAN ARISE??

DIRECT AID DELIVERY Clues: - By what routes? To whom?

REFUGEE CAMP ON BORDER Clues: who and what is in the camp? What comings and goings?

LOCAL CHARITY + ETHNIC GROUP Clues: what will this do for the group’s and the charity’s post-conflict status?

WORKING WITH NATO Clues: Independence? Impact? Image? Pros + cons for safety?

ANY REMEDIES? Look within the range: Prohibition/avoidance Regulation (is the ‘contract’ relevant??) Self-regulation