NGOs are non-profit, voluntary citizen groups that operate independently of governments to serve social or political purposes. They perform humanitarian functions like providing resources to those in need. NGOs can operate at the community, national, or international level on issues like human rights, the environment, or health. While NGOs provide important services, they also face challenges in relying on outside funding and can be seen as competitive by other organizations.

1. NGOS

2. Brainstorm in pairs
 What is an NGO?
 What does an NGO do?
 How does this relate to Power, Sovereignty and International Relations?
 What existing knowledge do you have of NGOs?

3. We might find it difficult to define an
NGO
 What difficulties could there be in defining one?
 What different types of NGO exist?
 What do they have in common?

4. Definition of the term NGO
 A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-
profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a
local, national or international level. Task-oriented and
driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform
a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring
citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor
policies and encourage political participation through
provision of information. Some are organized around
specific issues, such as human rights, environment or
health. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as
early warning mechanisms and help monitor and
implement international agreements. Their relationship
with offices and agencies of the United Nations system
differs depending on their goals, their venue and the
mandate of a particular institution.

5. Simply…
 A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary
citizens' group which is organized on a local, national or international level.
Or
 A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a citizen-based association that
operates independently of government, usually to deliver resources or
serve some social or political purpose.

6. What areas can they operate in?
 Charitable
Needs of the poor -distribution of food, clothing or medicine; provision of housing, transport,
schools etc.
 Service
Provision of health, family planning or education services in which the programme is
designed by the NGO and people are expected to participate in its implementation and in
receiving the service.
 Participatory
Characterized by self-help projects where local people are involved particularly in the
implementation of a project by contributing cash, tools, land, materials, labour etc.
 Empowering nation
The aim is to help poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and
economic factors affecting their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own
potential power to control their lives.

7. What levels can they operate?
 Community-based Organizations-
These can include sports clubs, women's organizations, and neighborhood
organizations, religious or educational organizations.
 Citywide Organizations
Includes organization such as chambers of commerce and industry, coalitions of
business, ethnic or educational groups and associations of community organizations.
 National NGOs-
Includes organizations such as the Red Cross, YMCAs/YWCAs, professional
organizations etc. Some of these have state and city branches and assist local NGOs.
 International NGOs-
Redda Barna and Save the Children organizations, OXFAM, CARE, Ford and Rockefeller
Foundations to religiously motivated groups.

8. Advantages
 Innovative approaches and, if necessary, to take risks.
 Flexible in adapting to local situations and responding to local needs
 Good rapport with people and can render micro-assistance to very poor
people
 Ability to communicate at all levels, from the neighborhood to the top
levels of government.
 Recruit both experts and highly motivated staff

9. Disadvantages
 The degree of participation in program me/project design.
 Restricted/constrained ways of approach to a problem or area.
 Dependence on outside financial resources
 Reduces cooperation between agencies, seen as threatening or
competitive.

10. Room To Read
 Founded: 2002
 Primary Work: Building literacy and gender equality
 Located: 10 countries in the south of Africa and Asia
 Website: http://www.roomtoread.org External link
 Interesting fact: The program employs local authors to write children’s
books in the mother tongue
 Room to Read’s efforts are focused into two main areas: building literacy and
the habit of reading among primary school children, and empowering girls to
complete secondary school and succeed beyond that.

11.  One of the elements that makes this organization unique, however, is the way it goes
about its global outreach. Following a model similar to Amnesty International, Room to
Read has become one of the most prominent international education programs with a
university following; the organization boasts 50 chapters in 16 countries, with over
11,000 volunteers. Their documentary, Girl Rising, has become well known throughout
the United States (watch a trailer External link ).
 Along with creating a global movement, the more concrete aspects of the Room to
Read model include: programs to support girls both financially and emotionally, both in
school and after graduation; building new schools and providing training or
supplementary materials to teachers; establishing and stocking libraries;and publishing
books in the local language. Room to Read was ranked third in educational NGOs by
The Global Journal for 2013, and received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
Among its other accomplishments, the organization has founded over 15,000 libraries
and impacted the lives of 7.8 million children.

12. Now over to you…
 Create a Powtoon profile of your chosen NGO
 You must provide examples and case studies that can be used by others as
evidence in the exam
 You must make explicit links to the concepts of power, sovereignty and the
nation state
 You must make it clear which level of analysis applies