NGOs and Grassroots Organizing

What are NGOs?

Nongovernmental organization is a broad term used to identify not-for-profit organizations that are independent of the state. NGOs operate at many levels, including local, national, and international arenas. Sometimes, NGOs limited to one nation are differentiated from international nongovernmental organizations [Page 610](INGOs) that cross national boundaries, but the term NGO can refer to either national or international organizations. The term came into use when, at its founding, the United Nations sought to incorporate organizations that are not member states or government institutions by granting them consultative status. Many international NGOs, as well as some that operate on the national or local scale, remain involved with the United Nations, especially as participants in United Nations world conferences and other events.

The field of NGOs is extremely broad and diverse, including formal organizations, volunteer societies, transnational advocacy networks, mutual aid organizations, and many other types of organizations. Perhaps the best-known NGOs in the world include the International Red Cross and International Red Crescent. In 2006, another high-profile NGO, the Grameen Bank, and its founder, Muhammad Yunus, shared the Nobel Peace Prize for developing microcredit as an innovative solution to poverty in Bangladesh. In fact, NGOs are most widely associated with international development and humanitarian aid, and much of the extant literature on NGOs is grounded in development studies.

Despite the suggestion in the term nongovernmental that NGOs are independent from the state, many organizations work closely with states and state agencies and may receive funding through governments. Receipt of state funds can undermine the autonomy of NGOs, whose leaders may feel obligated to meet implicit or explicit goals or expectations set by state actors. More recently, some critics have observed a growing corporate influence over NGOs, which also can create conflicts of interest and undermine the ability of NGOs to represent the interests of common people. Still, in general, NGOs are controlled by individuals or groups that are not directly involved with the state, and they generate a significant portion of funds from private sources.

NGOs generally focus on a specific social issue or set of social issues that advance the goals of their members or hinders. Common focal points for NGOs include environmental protection and preservation; health; economic and/or political development; education; independent media; poverty; human rights; and the rights of women, children, and nondominant groups. A common theme across NGOs, particularly outside of industrialized countries, is democratization and development.

NGOs have also been central actors in integrating gender and women's issues into local, national, and international politics and policy. Around the globe, NGOs have often been at the forefront of feminist activism. While not all NGO endeavors are empancipa-tory or empowering for women, feminist NGOs generally strive to increase women's status. Some of the issues addressed by feminist NGOs include violence against women, such as rape, domestic violence, and honor killings; women's poverty; unemployment and underemployment among women; women's access to education; and women's political participation.

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