Introduction
Non Governmental Organizations, also known as NGOs, are voluntary organizations that are legally constituted and operated independently from government’s influence. Non Governmental Organizations may be partially sponsored by the government or fully sponsored by individuals and private organizations.
Those that are partially sponsored by the government usually pursue social interests that have political aspects. It should be noted however, that such Non Governmental Organizations, are not political organizations. Thus, they are very different from political parties.
On the other hand those Non Governmental Organizations that are fully sponsored by individuals or other private organizations do not have anything to do with the government apart from providing social welfare services to particular communities.
Non Governmental Organizations vary in their methods of operations with some acting as lobby groups and others engaging in activities such as conducting programs. Such programs include poverty alleviation in which the Non Governmental Organizations provide people with the necessary equipment and crucial practical skills so that the poor can find food, clean water and appropriate housing by themselves. Lobbyists on the other hand are human rights groups who deal with matters of rights violations.
It is crucial to state in this work that Non Governmental Organizations play a primary role in project management. This means that they are directly involved in the management of their programs to ensure openness and thorough implementations.
It is in this area of project management that the NGOs get involved in formulation of the structures of decision making and management in various sectors such as urban development. NGOs usually work directly with particularly vulnerable communities in making sure that they access the necessary goods and services for their welfare.
Development in a Globalizing World
Non Governmental Organizations are directly involved in shaping of socioeconomic structures in a community. They have continued to increase in popularity as means of improving the quality of life among the vulnerable population. This is the reason why Non Governmental Organizations have been considered as advocates for development in a globalizing world (Rugendyke 2007: 5).
This fact comes about because of comparative advantages the NGOs enjoy over other organizations that are mainly headed by the governments. These advantages include their flexibility and high level of innovations. They respond to need more quickly than bilateral and multilateral donors. They can implement projects at lower costs than other aid delivery organizations.
Non Governmental Organizations are more likely to work with local institutions and also emphasize processes of change and skills learnt instead of providing quantified and tangible goods like the official donors. They also take risks associated with working in physically remote areas, government-neglected sectors or other areas that are politically unpopular (Rugendyke 2007: 5-6).
Another factor that makes Non Governmental Organizations to increase in popularity as agents of development in the globalizing world is that they have better links with the neediest groups in financially handicapped populations throughout the world.
NGOs are not constrained by having to work through governments. They have the capability of working directly with the vulnerable populations using participatory approaches especially in identification and implementation of projects.
They have a longer experience of working with the local population thereby processing a more accurate knowledge and understanding of local needs and capabilities (Rugendyke 2007: 5-6). They can engage in lobbying and championing for greater global equity and social justice because they are independent from governments interferences.
The Intrinsic Advantages of NGOs
Non Governmental Organizations enjoy some intrinsic advantages that aid in their operations. These advantages also cushion them against unfair competition from the government organizations and other donor agencies.
This is because NGOs depend mainly on well wisher’s contributions who are individuals. Thus, they may sometimes be faced with financial challenges. It is these intrinsic advantages that help NGOs to remain afloat in taking care of the needs of the vulnerable populations.
One advantage is that NGOs are less constrained and enjoy the accessibility to modern means of relaying information (Turner 1988: 169-181). Despite political threats experienced in many countries, NGOs are free to say and publish anything they wish.
Since they are not involved in internal government’s affairs, NGO staffs are not subject to official or diplomatic secret acts. Usually, the NGO staffs have personal contacts with the news people, a fact further boosted by their high literacy levels. Thus, they can share information and experiences pretty easily.
Another advantage the NGOs enjoy is that they have the freedom of communication. For this reason, it is quite easier for them to identify and get into contact with individuals and groups who are involved with the same activities, or who share the same views. Thus, they can organize meetings with specific people they would like to reach. For this reason, it becomes less costly for NGOs to exchange information and services.
It has also been a growing trend of increase in trust of NGOs by the vulnerable populations such as the poor and the oppressed. This is because they are relatively independent from both the state and the market forces (Turner 1988: 169-181).
Bilateral and multilateral NGOs usually have greater influence if they are based in a nation that is dependent on their trade, aid, as well as political protection. NGOs can therefore act as mediators between parties that do not trust each other due to the atmosphere of hostility prevailing between them.
The above three intrinsic advantages of NGOs make it possible for them to be able to co-ordinate the roles of public agencies in project management. This is mostly achieved when the NGOs assume the role of managers, or as community developers.
The mediating aspect of NGOs also enables them to act in different sectors. This further enables them to be more responsive to the different demands and activities of a local community like job creation, education and healthcare provision (Turner 1988: 169-181).
Contributions of NGOs in Developing Countries through Reformation of Land Policies and Housing Development
The necessity of reforms comes in the wake of the period in which the journey toward the lawful acquisition of a plot of land is long and full of confusion. This is because the process involves access to land, registration of land and the acquisition of permission to develop the land which involves a lot of time. In short, the whole process is unduly cumbersome and it involves costly procedures which make the legal system very difficult to access.
In many developing countries, Non Governmental Organizations aid in the process of acquisition of lands. It should be noted however, that such land that is acquired by many NGOs in developing countries are mainly communal lands. This means that the acquired land is used for community purposes. It is in these lands that buildings that house community development agencies, NGO offices and other matters of concern to the NGO’s programs are built.
Voluntary organizations such as specific traditional authorities constitute important interest groups. These groups form a part of the official land management procedures. In the past, many African societies were caught in between the government and such interest groups. This is because the interest groups were more social oriented.
However, these groups have continued to shift their modes of approaches from a social to an economic, more market oriented approach (Farvacque & McAuslan 1992: VII). Hence major developments related to policy framework concerned with urban infrastructural development have been achieved through the use of voluntary agencies.
Non Governmental Organizations have been involved in helping vulnerable communities acquire land. The aid usually comes in form of subsidized cost, less registration procedures and legislative assistance that decrease the amount of resources the target group can use.
It is after this process of easier land acquisition that urban communities engage in development activities that include building of their own urban houses. Non Governmental Organizations have also partnered with governments in many urban housing projects that provide poor city dwellers with cheaper rental houses.
In many countries in the world, the private sector has been closely involved with the government in building cheaper houses in cities. In Singapore for example, the government has partnered with private sectors in designing and developing diverse kinds of houses in order to expand the range of models available.
In this situation the government has authorized the private sector to participate in designing and developing public housing so that urban dwellers may be able to access cheaper housing. As a result of this cooperation, the proportion of owned to rented public dwellings has grown steadily, expanding from 42 per cent in 1980 to 64 per cent 1985, and reaching 80 per cent in 1990 (Shigetomi 2002: 204).
In addition to the above involvements, NGOs have also played a major role in disaster management and reconstructions. A god example is the reconstruction projects of the December 2004 Tsunami in the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
The adverse effects of the earthquake led to the more than four hundred agencies flooding into the area with funding and promise of brighter future (Fengler and Kharas 2010: 44). This is a good example that shows the importance of NGO synergies in reconstruction and project management in an urban set up.
There are several proposed policies for NGOs that aid in provision of housing for the poorest income group. NGOs are usually encouraged to help the capacity building of the urban poor. They also aid in slum improvement projects. Another way that the NGOs would come in handy is by building cooperative housing. The NGOs in partnership with the government can act as guarantors against loan for housing for the poor.
The Role of NGOs for Low Income Groups
The society can be categorized into three sub sectors. The sub sectors include the state, the market and the voluntary sector. At this particular instance, the voluntary sector shall be discussed in a brief but comprehensive manner. The voluntary sector engulfs the civil societies including Non Governmental Organizations.
It is worth noting that NGOs are independent organizations that seek neither coercion nor profit to implement their programs. That is why they are also called non-profit organizations. The role of non profit organization depends heavily on politics and the system of governance prevailing in a particular country. Thus democratization improves the performance of Non Governmental Organizations.
Governments can enact some macro-policy reforms which can improve the activities of Non Governmental Organizations. These policies include alteration of interest rates and exchange rates, and removal of bureaucratic barriers. This will enhance the growth and development of non profit organizations such as co-operatives.
Many Non Governmental Organizations will also respond and co-work with the government if the particular government’s policy reflects that of alleviating the sufferings of a particular vulnerable population.
Non Governmental Organizations have also been involved in propagating conscientization ideologies to the poor so that their actions are not just to improve the living standards of the poor but also to help the poor to perceive their exploitation and to decipher the opportunities available for overcoming such exploitation through mass organization (Clark 1991: 36).
Non Governmental Organizations are known to supplement the government’s responsibilities in many sectors related to development and welfare. The roles they play are very crucial to a country’s development in infrastructure and real estate. It is therefore not coincidental that most NGOs target the poor who reside mainly in cities (Rahman Not Dated: 18).
This is because in most developing countries, most urban areas are characterized by lack of proper housing. The main suppliers of housing are private entrepreneurs. The typical housing facilities in such areas are usually costly due to the demand.
Many governments in such countries are thus unable to meet the huge housing demands thereby involving the Non Governmental Organizations which engage a participatory approach to deliver shelter and credits to these populations (Rahman Not Dated: 17).
It is through such initiatives that middle income units and low income units are built. Many NGOs are thus involved in providing credits to the poor so that they can purchase the housing units (Nenova 2010: 19).
Problems of NGOs in Housing the Urban Poor
Non governmental Organizations also have a share of their challenges just like other organizations. Many movements have been engaged in logistic and diplomatic battles when they want to implement certain projects. The problems involve resistance from the status quo. The status quo includes a section of the people within the community in question.
These people may challenge the implementation of NGOs’ programs because they may feel threatened especially if the program in question is one that involves their particular interest. Some government agencies may also prove to be firm stumbling blocks especially if the system of governance does not provide specific and firm legislation concerning particular interests.
In many instances, Non Governmental Organizations have found it quite challenging to persuade residents of a particular vulnerable community to cooperate with each other. This is especially evident in a multicultural society within an urban set up.
Even if such persuasion becomes successful, the particular project may be faced with a successive challenge emanating from the complex intertwining interests of the community. This is because many people will want to see the returns of a Non Governmental program within short periods.
Another challenge comes in during the implementation phase of a particular project. Many residents who are comfortable with the status quo often give the implementers a hard time in changing from one aspect of life to the other. For instance, many slum residents may resist the demolition of their houses even if they have been offered cheaper and better housing elsewhere.
Such problems were experienced in Korea during the 1980s, when Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ) was engaged in poverty alleviation and housing improvements in the slums (Ha 2002: 224).
However, the Non Governmental Organizations are looking into ways of dealing with such issues. Actually, at the moment, most of the Non Governmental Organizations that are more experienced have been able to tackle the problem using less violent means such as legislative measures
Conclusion
NGOs are voluntary organizations that are legally constituted and operated independently from government influence. They may be partially sponsored by the government or fully sponsored by individuals and private organizations. Those that are partially sponsored by the government usually pursue social interests that have political aspects. It should be noted however, that such Non Governmental Organizations, are not political organizations.
Non Governmental Organizations are directly involved in shaping of socioeconomic structures in a community. They have continued to increase in popularity as means of improving the quality of life among the vulnerable population.
This is the reason why Non Governmental Organizations have been considered as advocates for development in a globalizing world. In many countries in the world, the private sector has been closely involved with the government in building urban houses.
In Singapore for example, the government has partnered with private sectors in designing and developing diverse kinds of houses in order to expand the range of models available.
Non Governmental Organizations have also been involved in propagating conscientization ideologies to the poor so that their actions are not just to improve the living standards of the poor but also to help the poor to perceive their exploitation and to decipher the opportunities available for overcoming such exploitation through mass organization
Reference List
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