Non-governmental Development Organizations Research Articles

The difficulties and path of China’s NGOs participating in marine plastic waste governance

The problem of marine plastic waste is one of the most urgent issues in global ocean governance and has received much attention from the international community. In the marine plastic waste governance system, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are indispensable actors with various advantages, playing a crucial role in mobilizing, supplementing, and implementing marine plastic waste governance. In China, NGOs have achieved rapid development over the past two decades and have participated in China’s marine plastic waste governance using political, social, and institutional approaches. However, compared with Western countries and large international NGOs, China’s NGOs still face many difficulties in participation, such as a shortage of funds and personnel, insufficient internal coordination and cooperation, limited participation channels, and a low level of internationalization. Therefore, the Chinese government and China’s NGOs should work together to take various measures to eliminate these difficulties to promote greater development of NGOs and better realize their contributions to marine plastic waste governance.

Training third sector workers to communicate effectively through interpreters: the MELINCO project training course

ABSTRACT Non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs) are responsible for ensuring basic human rights for socially marginalised people. In situations of migration, people’s opportunity to regularise their migratory status and to secure their fundamental rights to key public services is entirely dependent on communication with the local administration. To support these processes for those who are not fluent in the language(s) of the destination country, NGDO workers must learn how to provide effective interpreter-mediated communication services. In 2019–20, the ‘Linguistic mediation for development cooperation’ (MELINCO) project brought together a multidisciplinary team to explore and respond to the communication needs of third sector organisations serving migrant populations. It included a self-study project involving the development and delivery of a training for NGDO staff, which was aimed at helping them select, prepare, and work with interpreters. The training was delivered online and was based on a needs assessment that involved data collection with NGDO representatives and interpreters. It received highly positive evaluations by participants in terms of course design, contents, and methodology, but our analysis also yielded directions for improvement in terms of extending opportunities for debate, design of practical applications, as well as facilitating participation in virtual learning environments.

The development of non-governmental organizations in tourism since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey

Cumhuriyet öncesi dönemden Türkiye Cumhuriyeti'nin kuruluşunun 100. yılına kadar birçok konuda toplumsal ilişkileri düzenlemek için çeşitli faaliyetlerde bulunan Sivil Toplum Kuruluşları (STK), turizme ilişkin hususlarda da aracı rol oynamıştır. Bu çalışmanın amacı Cumhuriyet döneminde turizm alanında faaliyet gösteren STK’ların gelişimini irdelemektedir. Bu amaçla öncelikle STK’ların gelişimi incelenmiş ardından turizm alanında faaliyet gösteren STK’lar araştırılmıştır. Çalışmada ikincil verilerden yararlanılmıştır. Cumhuriyetin 100. yılında halen faaliyetlerini devam ettiren STK’ların internet sitelerine ulaşılmaya çalışılmıştır. İnternet sitesi ve iletişim bilgileri olmayan STK’lar çalışmaya dâhil edilmemiştir. Bu çalışmanın özgünlük değeri, Türkiye gibi birçok turizm çeşidine ev sahipliği yapan bir destinasyonda, aktif olarak faaliyet gösteren STK’lar ve bu STK’ların ilgilendikleri alanlarını ortaya çıkararak, turizmde STK’ların önemine vurgu yapmaktır. Yapılan çalışma sonucunda turizm alanında aktif faaliyet gösteren toplam 166 STK’ya ulaşılmıştır. Bu STK’ların kendi aralarında faaliyet alanlarına göre turizm ve sağlık turizmi, yiyecek-içecek, rehberlik, rekreasyon, ulaşım olmak üzere beş kategoride ele alındığı görülmüştür. Turizm alanında faaliyetlerde bulunan STK’ların tek bir liste altında toplanmasının, alan yazına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Slum Area Improvement Program Based on Social Categories in Binjai City

This research aims to identify the socio-economic characteristics of the community in the Binjai Kota District, especially in the Kartini Region. It involves categorizing areas based on social and economic categories within slum areas and formulating appropriate handling strategies. The research methodology used is the SWOT Model with a descriptive and qualitative approach. Purposive sampling is employed for sample selection and informant determination. Overall, the socio-economic category of the community in the slum area tends to show low levels, as manifested in the majority having elementary school education, the dominance of laborers and farmers in the job sector, and low income levels, including land ownership with limited legality. However, there are some socio-economic categories that indicate better conditions, such as the productive age of household heads, housing density in accordance with standards, sanitation and clean water availability, and building ownership. Considering these findings, the slum area improvement program based on social categories proposed in this research should focus on strategies involving the implementation of development missions, community skill enhancement, sanitation preservation, building maintenance, and the development of non-governmental organizations. It should also encompass community empowerment, job diversification, cooperation for land ownership legality, drainage improvement, community awareness enhancement, and holistic assistance. This involves the government in the implementation of environmental cleanliness programs, collaboration between the government, regional authorities, and the community, as well as the maintenance of public facilities, improvement of community institutions, involvement of regional government within budget constraints, and collaboration between the government and the community in area arrangement.

Some Aspects of Research on the Problems of Ensuring Environmental Safety of the Aral Region During the Years of Independence of Uzbekistan

Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to comprehensively examine the challenges associated with ensuring environmental safety in the Aral region during the years of Uzbekistan's independence. The focus is on understanding the multifaceted issues arising from the Aral Sea crisis, including its historical context, socio-economic implications, and ecological impact on communities.
 
 Methods: The research methodology involves a detailed analysis of the historical background of the Aral Sea crisis, investigating the root causes related to extensive irrigation projects and natural factors. The study assesses the effectiveness of environmental conservation and rehabilitation efforts by examining policies and initiatives implemented by the Uzbek government and international organizations. Additionally, it explores the contributions of local communities, scientific institutions, and non-governmental organizations in sustainable development and environmental protection initiatives.
 
 Results: The findings of the study reveal the severity of the environmental degradation in the Aral region, emphasizing the adverse effects on the health and livelihoods of local communities. The analysis of government and international initiatives provides insights into the ongoing challenges and successes in addressing the Aral Sea crisis. The role of local communities, scientific institutions, and non-governmental organizations in sustainable development and environmental protection is highlighted, showcasing the complexities surrounding these efforts.
 
 Conclusion: In conclusion, this study underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the multifaceted challenges of environmental safety in the Aral region. It acknowledges the historical and ongoing efforts by the Uzbek government, international organizations, and local stakeholders. The study offers recommendations for future strategies to mitigate the environmental crisis, emphasizing sustainable development as a key component in ensuring the long-term well-being of the Aral region.

The Role of Social Media in Nonprofit Organizations’ Fundraising

This study aims to explore the effect of social media use on fundraising by nonprofit organizations (NPOs). To do so, we analyze the accounts of 83 Spanish nongovernmental development organizations on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram over a 5-week period. Our results show that social media can be a useful tool for NPO fundraising. Specifically, although mere presence on social media has no effect on the donations raised by the organization, the size of the NPO’s network (followers), its social media activity (posts), content (posts explicitly requesting donations), and follower engagement do influence fundraising. This study helps to highlight the usefulness of social media as a fundraising tool and to show the differences among platforms, format, and content of posts. In particular, NPOs who intend to increase fundraising should actively participate in social media—especially Twitter and YouTube—not overuse stories and increase posts that solicit donations.

Engagement of nonprofit organizations' followers on Instagram

AbstractThis study analyzes the variables associated with followers' reactions to the Instagram posts of nonprofit organizations (NPOs). We analyzed all the 980 posts published by 58 Spanish nongovernmental development organizations on their Instagram feeds for 5 weeks. The results show that follower engagement, in terms of likes and comments, is associated with organizational characteristics of the NPOs (government grants, internationalization, religiosity), their use of social media (experience on other social media platforms, Instagram activity), and the content of the posts (engagement hierarchy classification, visual content, originality of content, use of interactive tools). For NPOs, these results indicate the importance of being aware of their own characteristics and the need to promote other aspects that they can control (the use of social media and the content they incorporate in their posts) to achieve greater levels of engagement.

From hutong to horizon: a study of the transformation of labour NGOs in China

PurposeThis study examines the transformation of labour non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Mainland China since the enactment of the 2017 Overseas NGO Management Law, which aims to regulate foreign concerns functioning outside the direct control of the state. It focuses on the extent to which these organisations have responded to the rapidly changing political and social environment by altering their goals and strategies in support of migrant workers. It also considers the relevance of Western social movement theories (SMTs) to China's grassroots labour movement in the 2020s. Design/methodology/approachThe research is based on case studies of ten labour NGOs operating in Beijing, Tianjin and Yunnan. It draws upon fifteen semi-structured interviews with the founders, leaders and activists affiliated with those organisations, as well as records and documented information of each of those organisations.FindingsWhile the power and influence of labour NGOs markedly diminished, most have been able to adapt their goals and the strategies remain sustainable amidst both China's changing political and social climates and the global pandemic. It suggests that conventional SMTs can still offer valuable insights into understanding the development of labour NGOs in China, although they might not fully interpret the specific conditions and challenges faced by these organisations.Originality/valueThis study stands out as one of very few to offer empirical evidence on the inner workings of China's labour NGOs over the last six years. It also contributes to our understanding of social movements in a non-Western context.

The Complex Relationship between the Board and Web Transparency in Nonprofit Organizations

This research analyzes the relationship between board composition and web transparency in nonprofit organizations (NPOs). The board is conceived as a governance mechanism that not only monitors management but also gives voice to all stakeholders and considers accountability—and, more specifically, web transparency—as a key instrument for the NPO’s legitimization. To conduct this study, we manually built a database from the CVs of 793 directors of 67 Spanish non-governmental development organizations and we use fuzzy set comparative qualitative analysis (fsQCA). Our results indicate that board composition (size, independence, gender diversity, and presence of directors with financial or NPOs’ expertise) influences transparency and that, depending on the organizational size and legal form, there are different board configurations that lead to high transparency. Generally, NPOs should include experts in nonprofit sector and more female members on their boards to increase transparency.

What determines the revenue of development NGOs in South Korea?: exploring differences between revenue and age groups

ABSTRACT In this study, we aimed to test the effects of various factors on the revenue of development non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by empirically analyzing their diversification strategies (i.e. revenue sources, beneficiary countries, and fields types), institutional practices (i.e. accountability and professionality), and their organizational capacity. We conducted panel regression analyses with random effects on development NGOs in South Korea using data collected between 2016 and 2019. In all statistical tests, organizational capacity consistently exerted a significantly positive effect on the revenue of NGOs, corroborating our theoretical predictions based on resource dependence theory. In addition, institutional practices, particularly accountability programs, were useful for those NGOs that did not already generate high revenue, while diversification had differential effects. In particular, it was helpful for relatively new NGOs to diversify their revenue sources and/or fields types but not necessarily for older and/or high-revenue NGOs.

International cooperation for development in times of crisis: The experience of a non-governmental development organization in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in southeast India

The international cooperation for development system traces its origins from the end of World War II. Currently, it does not revolve exclusively around developed states as principal actors. On the contrary, it possesses a pluralistic and decentralized characteristic, different of what used to dominate between the 50s and the 60s. In this context, this article aims to recognize and highlight the role played by non-governmental development organizations in international cooperation. It was developed from a qualitative approach using bibliographic-documentary review procedures. The case study method was utilized as its research method, basing on the experience of an organization that operates in two impoverished areas of southern India, the Vicente Ferrer Foundation.

NGOs and the Effectiveness of Interventions

Abstract Programs implemented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are often more effective than comparable efforts by other actors, yet relatively little is known about how implementer identity drives final outcomes. By combining a stratified field experiment in India with a tripledifferences estimation strategy, we show that a local development NGO's prior engagement with target communities increases the effectiveness of a technology-promotion program implemented in these areas by at least 30 percent. This “NGO reputation effect” has implications for the generalizability and scalability of evidence from experimental research conducted with local implementation partners.

Working with local governments to increase access to WASH services: a case of WaterAid's participatory approaches in Nigeria

Abstract Attempts to implement participatory processes are often complicated by realities which make objectives of participation unattainable. Hence, if participation is to mean more than good intentions, it is vital to understand the strategies deployed by international nongovernmental organisations (INGOs) in participatory development. This study employed a qualitative case-study approach to evaluate the participatory processes employed in two WASH projects implemented by WaterAid Nigeria attempting work with Local Government Areas: the Sustainable Total Sanitation project and the HSBC Water programme. WaterAid Nigeria's participatory development approach recognises the responsibility of the various tiers of government for its citizens' wellbeing, especially the need for partnership with the Local Government Area (LGA) towards the delivery of WASH services. The state, as the ‘duty bearer’, is responsible for the provision of WASH services. Thus, both projects centred on government capacity building and community empowerment through the establishment and capacity development of WASH units in LGAs, insistence on counterpart funding and the establishment of water, sanitation and hygiene committees (WASHCOMs). Despite these attempts, findings highlighted the persistence of inefficiencies within the LGA WASH system that rendered partnerships ineffective. At the community level, WASHCOMs were not sustainable. Despite the challenges of implementing partnerships between INGOs and LGAs, such partnership remains a way to improve the provision of WASH services in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries. To better work within the participatory model, WASH INGOs should explore how to better use existing LGA arrangements for service delivery. Additionally, the LGA, as a duty bearer, could foster genuine, non-discriminatory spaces for the participation of communities by taking political, socio-economic and cultural differences into account.

IMPACT OF THE NGO-PROGRAMS ON THE INCOMES OF TRIBAL POPULATION- A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED NGOs IN GUJARAT

The Scheduled Tribes (ST) population is amongst the poorest of poor communities in India. It suffers from a variety of deprivations like malnutrition, illiteracy, unemployment, low income etc. The western belt of the state of Gujarat has a considerable tribal population. The tribals of Gujarat also suffer from abject poverty as is the case in the rest of the country. Various government programs and huge budgetary allocations over the years have not been able to make any significant improvement in the levels of livings of the tribals. Under such circumstances, it would be interesting to study the role of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the economic development of these socially backward communities. The NGOs are believed to be more focused, flexible and innovative in their approach. Their better understanding of the local people, local needs, local resources and local limitations allow them to function more efficiently than the government machinery. In this context, the current research strives to study the impact of three selected NGOs on the annual incomes of the beneficiary tribal people. In order to determine the effectiveness of the programs of the NGOs, the annual incomes of 100 beneficiaries of each NGO were compared with the annual incomes of 100 non-beneficiary tribal households from the same region. The χ2 test of independence showed that there was a significant relationship between the tribals’ association with the programs of the NGO and their annual income. The annual income of the beneficiary tribals was found to be significantly higher than that of the non-beneficiary group.

Does size really matter? The prevalence of NGOs and challenges to development in Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT For decades, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have helped to fill the development gap in Ghana, often through donor-funded projects targeting the most impoverished households in Northern Ghana. However, after years of sustained concentration of development aid and NGO operations, entrenched poverty remains pervasive in Northern Ghana, with significant implications for rural livelihoods. The authors examine the apparent paradox of concentrated donor-funded interventions and poverty in Northern Ghana by exploring impediments to successful implementation of development projects. In their study, they adopted a qualitative approach and relied on primary data generated from semi-structured interviews with frontline NGO workers. The results of the study established that a lack of adequate coordination and regulation of ‘the NGO industry’, project duplication, and misuse of resources impeded development initiatives in Northern Ghana. Also, they found that NGOs were complementary to, but not a substitute for, the State in the provision of social services. The authors contend that the broad NGO presence and activities in Northern Ghana do not matter, since the concentration of development initiatives has not yielded tangible results. They call for proper intra-NGO coordination, coordination between NGOs and government agencies, and between NGOs and implementing communities in order for the full potential of donor-funded programmes to be achieved.

When do Lithuanian NGDOs Succeed in Influencing Foreign Policy?

The literature indicates an ever-growing involvement of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in foreign policy and hence an increasing potential for them to exert influence over it. Approaching foreign aid policy as a suitable empirical indicator of a country’s foreign policy, this paper examines the case of Lithuanian development NGOs’ (NGDOs’) influence over bilateral foreign aid policy. Based on the mechanistic approach to social science, this paper demonstrates that NGDO influence is observed when an NGDO has resources to assist decision-makers in policy implementation; when it behaves strategically; and when decision-makers’ access to these resources is threatened. Although other NGDO’s resources are insufficient to result in the NGDO being able to exercise influence, they help to strengthen the long-term collaborative relationship with decision-makers, which is necessary for the micro-phenomenon of NGDO influence to occur. The paper concludes that the potential influence of Lithuanian NGDOs is limited, constrained by the scant demand for NGDOs’ resources and the unconducive institutional setting. But the paper identifies low issue salience and a focused concentration of valuable resources within Lithuanian NGDOs as factors which increase the likelihood of NGDO influence.

Role of NGOs in Skill Development and Promotion of Micro-Entrepreneurship among Women:A Study of Allahabad District

Entrepreneurship is a catalytic agent for promoting economic independence among women. Skill development forms an important prerequisite towards entrepreneurship development. This case-based study makes an attempt to identify the role played by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in promoting micro-entrepreneurship among women through skill development. It identifies the type and the nature of skills imparted by NGOs to women and the types of economically viable activities started by these women after skill development. The paper also aims at identifying the role played by the NGOs in sustainability of these businesses. It is an exploratory, qualitative research, where multiple-case study method was used. The primary data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews of four prominent NGOs in Allahabad district that are actively involved in imparting skill development training to women. The study reveals that these NGOs are involved in skill development of women mostly belonging to rural areas that extended even beyond Uttar Pradesh. The skills imparted were related to agro-based activities and handicrafts. Many of these trainees took up micro-entrepreneurship as individuals or as groups. These NGOs not only provide training for skill development, they are also instrumental in ensuring sustainability of ventures started by these women by the way of providing consultancy on various essential aspects of running business, guiding them in receiving financial assistance, and assisting them in marketing of products. Thus, the main emphasis of NGOs is to make women economically independent through micro-entrepreneurship which is promoted by means of skill development and ensuring sustainability of their enterprises.

Innovation Orientation in the Non-profit Sector: Analysis of Its Impact on the Performance of Spanish Non-governmental Development Organizations.

Since 2015, the approval of the 2030 Agenda and of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has led to a notable reshaping and expansion of the architecture of the international cooperation system. The SDGs mark a new path for the planning processes of the different actors working for development, expanding their goals, proposing an update of the roles they must play, and defining new frameworks for relationships and spaces for action. Non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs), whose traditional mission focused on reducing the poverty gap, defending human rights, or promoting environmental protection, must be able to respond satisfactorily to these new challenges, pass beyond their classic positions, and adapt to an increasingly complex and turbulent global context. Achieving high impact in the SDGs requires development organizations to be more agile and innovative. With the intention of bringing visibility to the importance that innovation can play in the success and results achieved by development cooperation organizations, the main objective of this study was to validate, through a sample of Spanish NGDOs, a causal model that represents the positive contribution which innovation orientation generates in the result of the activity of these entities. This research concludes by confirming that innovation orientation favors the attainment of a higher degree of success in the projects and actions carried out by non-profit entities which promote the SDGs, which has a direct and positive impact on the performance they achieve.

Business model of NonGovernamental Organizations for the development of the education sector in Mozambique: a construtivist approach

This research aims to determine the business model of non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs) of the education sector in Mozambique. The work adopts a constructivist methodological approach in two stages: (i) inductive, centered on the construction of a proposal of social business model Canvas from the observation of 15 NGDOs operating in the education sector in the country, based on a theoretical framework solidly supported in the literature; (ii) deductive, testing the proposed model using a panel technique that allowed the refinement and reconstruction of the proposal initially formulated. The paper contributes to the literature on social business models by making a pioneering validation of knowledge built in this area and in a field of application not yet explored. The contribution to international relations lies at the level of the data collected and information produced on international cooperation in Mozambique.

An Approach to Exploring Non-Governmental Development Organizations Interest Groups on Facebook

This paper presents an approach for analyzing the stakeholders from various organizations based on their Facebook activity. On a practical level, the proposed approach has been applied in two of the Non-Governmental Development Organizations (NGDOs) with the largest number of delegations in the province of Cadiz: Red Cross Cadiz, and Caritas Asidonia Jerez. The purposes of the research are to describe the management of marketing activities on Facebook; to identify the network stakeholders, their roles in the communication, and the community generating factors; and to position organizations according to their leadership, activity, and popularity in the network. This study used a mixed-methods research design, combining personal interviews and Social Network Analysis (SNA). The SNA provided insights into the various ways the analyzed NGDOs are active on Facebook, the roles they play in communication, and how communities are generated. Moreover, the SNA made it possible to visualize the interactions between organizations and their stakeholders within the Facebook environment using the Gephi software package. Two factors that generate communities were detected in the results: the organization’s nature and its geographical location. Moreover, two solutions were proposed to determine the organizations’ positioning according to their roles in communication. Consequently, two maps were created, a two-dimensional map with the activity and popularity of the parameters, which shows that just because an NGDO is active does not mean it is popular (in terms of receiving “likes”), and a second three-dimensional graph to which a leadership parameter was added. In this last map, four groups of important actors can be seen, with one group formed by the organizations with the best ratings on the three dimensions, and the other three with a low level of leadership in common but who were different in terms of the popularity and activity dimensions.