Question

Do you think that NGOs provide a net benefit to international society or not? Provide examples to support your argument.

Answer 1

On a national and international scale, groups such as Oxfam, Greenpeace, Amnesty International and thousands of others serve the public. Identified in various ways as "private voluntary organizations," "civil society organisations," and "citizen groups," they are commonly referred to as "NGOs," an acronym for "non-governmental organizations." Using this word, the United Nations structure distinguishes members of these entities from those of governments. While many NGOs hate the term, it has become common because the UN framework is the main focus of international rule-making and policy-making in the fields where most NGOs work.

Charitable organizations and community organizations have existed in many historical settings, apart from the state, but NGOs are predominantly a modern phenomenon. With the expansion of citizenship rights in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Europe and the Americas, people established increasing numbers of these organisations as resources for meeting community needs, protecting interests or promoting new policies. The French writer Alexis de Toqueville stressed the importance of what he called "cultural alliances" as organs of democracy, especially numerous and prominent at the time of his famous visit to the United States in 1831.

Although international NGO activity has steadily grown, the majority of NGOs operate within a single country and often operate within a purely local setting. Others, such as groups providing legal aid, primarily offer programs. Some are concerned with narrowly defined interests, such as chambers of commerce. And some are encouraging urban beautification or community development, such as neighborhood associations. But many significant NGOs are advocating for specific values, such as those fighting for human rights and social justice.

NGOs are often considered synonymous with non-profits, but it is important to distinguish between the two. Non-profits include a wide range of groups that focus on programs and seldom (if ever) participate in lobbying, including libraries, colleges, and hospitals. NGOs, on the other hand, always have an important mission of advocacy.