The Role of NGOs

In this Session
Learn how NGOs participate in the
intergovernmental arena, including the
negotiation of MEAs. Consider the value of
NGO roles.
 Defining NGOs

 NGOs at the UN and in MEAs

 Defining Objectives: different NGO roles in

negotiations
 Defining Non-Governmental
Organisations
How do you describe an NGO? One survey found 48 different
terms and acronyms. Here is a sample:
BINGOs Big International NGOs IPOs Indigenous Peoples Organizations
BONGOs Business Organized NGOs GROs Grassroots Organizations
CBOs Community Based Organizations GSCOs Global Social Change
CSOs Civil Society Organizations Organizations
ENGOs Environmental NGOs NPOs Nonprofit Organizations
GONGOs Government Organized NGOs VOs Voluntary Organizations

In short, there is no agreed terminology for describing the NGO sector.

In some ways, it is easier to describe what NGOs are not, rather than what they are.
It is generally agreed that NGOs are not:
 part of government, or
 organized primarily for private profit.
Defining NGOs: What the UN Says
 From the UN Department of Public
Information: NGO refers to a non-profit
citizens’ voluntary entity organized nationally or
internationally. Thus, professional associations,
foundations, trade unions, religious
organisations, women’s and youth groups,
cooperative associations, development and
human rights associations, environmental
protection groups, research institutes dealing
with international affairs and associations of
parliamentarians are considered NGOs.
 Defining NGOs: What the UN Says
 From the Report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on
United Nations–Civil Society Relations: Non-governmental
organization (NGO). All organizations of relevance to the United
Nations that are not central Governments and were not created
by intergovernmental decision, including associations of
businesses, parliamentarians and local authorities. There is
considerable confusion surrounding this term in United Nations
circles. Elsewhere, NGO has become shorthand for public-
benefit NGOs — a type of civil society organization that is
formally constituted to provide a benefit to the general public or
the world at large through the provision of advocacy or services.
They include organizations devoted to environment,
development, human rights and peace and their international
networks. They may or may not be membership-based. The
Charter of the United Nations provides for consultations with
NGOs.
 NGOs, civil society, or major
groups?
The Panel described civil society in the following way:
 … the associations of citizens (outside their families,
friends and businesses) entered into voluntarily to
advance their interests, ideas and ideologies. The term
does not include profit-making activity (the private
sector) or governing (the public sector). Of particular
relevance to the United Nations are mass organizations
(such as organizations of peasants, women or retired
people), trade unions, professional associations, social
movements, indigenous people’s organizations,
religious and spiritual organizations, academe and
public benefit non-governmental organizations.
 NGOs, civil society, or major
groups?
“Major Groups” is a term  women
that was introduced in  children and youth
Agenda 21, agreed by  indigenous people
governments at the Rio  NGOs
Earth Summit. It  Local authorities
describes nine sectors of  Workers and trade unions
society identified as  business and industry
having a significant role  the scientific and
in sustainable technical community
development:  farmers
 Stakeholders: Yet another term!
Stakeholders:
Those who have an interest in a particular
decision, either as individuals or representatives
of a group. This includes people who influence
a decision, or can influence it, as well as those
affected by it.
 NGOs at the UN
“Ten years ago there was little talk of civil society in the
corridors of power, but now the walls reverberate with at
least the rhetoric of partnership, participation, and the
role of citizens’ groups in promoting sustainable
development”
 The number of NGOs who are active at the UN
has grown rapidly, especially since the 1990s.
 NGOs at the UN

NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC

3000
NGOs in Consultative Status

2613
2500
2379
2234
2151
2000 2050
1938

1500 1505
1184
1000 1041
886
784
744
500
180
0 40
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
 NGOs in Intergovernmental
Processes
4 important functions:
 Setting agendas

 Negotiating outcomes

 Conferring legitimacy

 Implementing solutions
 Role of NGOs in MEAs
 Enhancing the knowledge base
 Advocacy and lobbying
 Membership in national delegations
 Contribution to compliance review and enforcement as
well as dispute settlement procedures
 Ensuring transparency
 Supporting international secretariats
 Broader functions of NGOs in international
environmental governance
UNEP’s approach to CS
Service-delivery – organizations that develop, monitor and
implement projects/programmes or services; these CSOs are often
based at the grassroots level or work closely with community-based
organizations (CBOs).
Representation – organizations that aggregate citizen voices; these
include CSO umbrella and network organizations and indigenous
peoples’ groups.
Advocacy and policy inputs – organizations that provide expertise
and lobby on particular issues; these include think-tanks, research-
oriented institutions and “watchdog” institutions.
Capacity building – organizations that provide support to other
CSOs, including funding, training and raising awareness; these
institutions include foundations and major NGOs.
Social functions – organizations that foster collective social activities,
including religious groups.
 Considering the role of NGOs
The following quotes suggest some different opinions of the role of NGOs. What do
you think?

[A] NGOs are [C] …civil society is not just a

resting place for social
tugboats in movements on their way to the
international state. It is meaningful and
sometimes crucial as a site of
channels. political action in its own right.

[B] social
movements take [D] the rise of the global
an unlikely idea, idiots … any group with a
make it seem fax machine and a modem
feasible, and then has the potential to distort
put it into public debate .
practice.
 In Summary
 Terminology around NGOs varies. They are defined by the UN
as ‘non-profit citizens’ voluntary entities organized nationally or
internationally.’
 A range of other terms are used almost interchangeably,
particularly ‘stakeholders’, ‘civil society’ and ‘major groups’.
 NGOs have been involved in the UN since its inception; the rate
of involvement has grown exponentially. Different agencies of
the UN have their own accreditation arrangements (see Module
Seven).
 NGOs bring knowledge and information, new issues and expert
advice to intergovernmental negotiations and can play different
roles, including:
 In Summary
 Setting agendas
 Negotiating outcomes (by proposing alternative
language and solutions)
 Conferring legitimacy
 Implementing solutions
 Sometimes, a choice has to be made about
working ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ official processes.
Both have pro’s and con’s, and the decision
needs to be taken carefully.