International NGOs Research Articles

The Complexity of the Intersectionality of Domestic and International Non-Governmental Peacebuilding Organisations in South Sudan

As peace operations and peacebuilding develop, recent discussions have centred on the growth of peacebuilding literature on inclusivity, bottom-up and local approaches. Given that a substantial number of peacebuilding is conducted by Non-governmental organisations, which occupy a middle level to governments and community levels, the paper unpacks the complexity of the interaction of the international and domestic middle-level organisations. The paper presents a case study of South Sudan’s experience, which proves difficult to operationalize the critical inclusivity debates in their operations. The article argues that although there is more participation of local organizations in peacebuilding, the internal and external organizations are still riddled with complex intersections that still maintain the liberal (international) order of peace constituted by a specific form of external governance.

Finding climate smart agriculture in civil-society initiatives

International civil society and non-government organisations (NGOs) play a role in implementing agricultural projects, which contribute to the mitigation, adaptation, and food security dimensions of climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Despite the growth of CSA, it remains unclear how CSA is designed, conceptualised, and embedded into agricultural development projects led and implemented by NGOs, creating a lack of clarity as to the direction of future of agricultural development interventions. This paper examines the extent to which development programmes from the NGO sector actively incorporate CSA principles to benefit smallholder farmers under the major pillars of CSA. Drawing from six projects’ documentation since 2009, we conducted a thematic analysis to reveal the alignment of projects with the pillars of CSA and discuss the extent to which CSA allows for localised adaptability given the diverse agricultural contexts in which civil society and NGOs work. We find that despite a lack of clarity in CSA definition and focus, the agricultural practices in the six projects make heterogenous contributions to the adoption of CSA principles. We illustrate the diversity of ways in which CSA is ‘done’ by a global NGO across six areas: greening and forests, practices and knowledge exchange, markets, policy and institutions, nutrition, carbon and climate, and gender. We discuss the need for balance in contextual adaptability across the three pillars of CSA with explicit consideration of trade-offs to reduce unintended outcomes from CSA initiatives. We conclude with reflections on the role of civil society and NGOs as boundary agents in the agricultural development sector.

Perception of the Media Discourse on Migration in Spain before and During Covid-19: Different Stakeholders’ Views and Good Practices

Owing to Covid-19, migration was not a main media topic in Spain in 2020. However, the spring of 2021 witnessed an upturn in media coverage of migration, which coincided with the regional election campaigns and the Ceuta migrant crisis. In this study, our main objectives were to i) analyze the opinions of various stakeholders, both individuals and civil society organizations, regarding media discourse on migration and forced migration before and during the pandemic, and ii) compile and propose good practices to improve these narratives and hence their potential effect on the integration of migrants. For this purpose, we conducted 25 interviews in 2019 with highly vulnerable, forcibly displaced people. We also administered an open-ended questionnaire to 16 representatives of national and international stakeholders, including policy-makers, non-governmental organizations, researchers, educators, businesses, and migrants, in the spring of 2021. The collected data displayed a wide range of perspectives from different stakeholders regarding the potential consequences of media discourse on migrants. In addition, we compiled the existing and novel proposals for good practices that may counteract biased communication and, consequently, give rise to the development of new measures for potential replication in other regions.

Роль общественных организаций, занимающихся защитой прав проституированных женщин в ФРГ, в политизации проблем сексуальной эксплуатации и насилия

Since the 1980s, the issue of prostitution in Germany developed from the level of measures to combat AIDS to the state (law on prostitution) and international policy level: within the EU it gradually gets the status of a “cause and consequence of gender inequality”, is included in the political agenda of achieving gender equality and, therefore, tackling the issue also shapes the image of the EU on the international arena. There, in Germany as a country considered as the economic locomotive of the EU, alongside the laws, which are unique for Europe nowadays, there is a pool of international NGOs seeking to influence German policy on this issue. This article provides a brief overview of public organizations in Germany that deal with the problems of prostitution at the political and social levels.

Rohingya refugees and its impact on informal economy: Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether refugees in Cox's Bazar area of Bangladesh can successfully integrate into the informal economic sector. This evaluation was carried out by comparing the actions of refugees in the labor market with those of the local population.
 Research methodology: This study used survey data from two population groupings. The sample size included 300 Rohingya refugees and 300 locals from Coxs' Bazar, where they are now living. ANOVA was employed to compare the category mean differences owing to the limited sample size. The calculations would include wealth, occupation, language, religion, and race as labor market barriers.
 Results: The data indicated significant disparities in both types of occupations and monthly incomes between local workers and refugee workers. Furthermore, the findings also suggest that Rohingya refugees encounter greater challenges when entering the job market than local workers.
 Limitations: Refugees in Bangladesh are unable to work. They must stay at local and international NGO (Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2014). No Bangladeshi labor legislation has protected them. Bangladeshi authorities can also imprison refugees on illicit travel. A good Rohingya refugee policy in Bangladesh is crucial to human rights.
 Contribution: The Rohingya Muslim population in Myanmar has been subjected to genocide, resulting in their expulsion and subsequent migration to neighboring countries. Bangladesh is the primary host nation for the Rohingya group from Myanmar, which has sought safety there as refugees for many years. Due to their lack of legal employment opportunities in Bangladesh, these refugees engage in informal economic operations and participate in various criminal activities inside the place where they reside.

Digital Communication and Social Organizations: An Evaluation of the Communication Strategies of the Most-Valued NGOs Worldwide

The communication of organizations with their audiences has undergone changes thanks to the Internet. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), as influential groups, are no exception, as much of their activism takes place through grassroots digital lobbying. The consolidation of Web 2.0 has not only provided social organizations with a new and powerful tool for disseminating information but also brought about significant changes in the relationship between nonprofit organizations and their diverse audiences. This has facilitated and improved interaction between them. The purpose of this article is to analyze the level of interactivity implemented on the websites of leading NGOs worldwide and their presence on social networks, with the aim of assessing whether these influential groups are moving towards more dialogic systems in relation to their audience. The results reveal that NGOs have a high degree of interactivity in the tools used to present and disseminate information on their websites. However, not all maintain the same level of interactivity in the resources available for interaction with Internet users, as very few have high interactivity regarding bidirectional resources. It was concluded that international non-governmental organizations still suffer from certain shortcomings in the strategic management of digital communication on their web platforms, while, on the other hand, a strong presence can be noted on the most-popular social networks.

The Fight for Global Health Justice: The Advocacy of International Humanitarian and Development NGOs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The increasing health inequity and injustice of the COVID-19 pandemic rendered visible the inadequacy of global health governance, and exposed the self-interested decision-making of states and pharmaceutical companies. This research explores the advocacy activities of humanitarian and development international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) in responding to this inequality and investigates how they framed alternatives for global health justice. It reviews 47 organizational documents and 43 media articles of five INGOs (ActionAid, Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam, Save the Children, and World Vision) and points to the importance of understanding advocacy frames in analyzing how these organizations prioritize agendas and advocacy strategies. The dominance of the ‘human rights’ frame, sometimes in combination with ‘scientific evidence’ and ‘security’ frames, reflects the identities, mandates, and histories of campaigning and collaboration of these INGOs. This paper contends that the advocacy of humanitarian and development INGOs highlights both deontological and teleological ethics, promoting the voices of people in lower-income countries, clarifying duty bearers and their accountabilities, and addressing structural barriers from a human rights perspective in a global health agenda setting.

Rethinking (local) integration: domains of integration and their durability in Kismayo and Garowe, Somalia

Amidst the ever-expanding debates in various academic and policy fields around migrant and refugee integration and local integration, we bring these two concepts in conversation with one another. Until very recently, theories of integration have had a state-centric focus in the Global North. This article expands and complicates this literature to focus on displaced Somalis within Somalia and its borderlands living in the cities of Kismayo and Garowe using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods in five displacement settlements. Toward this end, we use the often- engaged term “domains of integration” to frame integration. In our conceptualization, however, we incorporate the concept of “local integration” as a durable solution. In brief, we see the domains of integration as a productive concept in the Somali context. However, in Somalia, where clans are interwoven into the state, which lacks resources and power, clan affiliation represents social connections domains, yet also influences the state's role in the foundational domain of rights and citizenship and makers and means (employment, housing, education, health). International donors and NGOs, as well as international capitalist urban expansion also have a large role in these processes. As such, we argue that the ten domains of integration (discussed in detail below) intersect and blur to an even greater extent than in European and North American contexts, particularly around crucial issues such as housing, land, and property; a key factor in people's decisions to remain or leave.

Stakeholders Engagement And Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations In Ethiopi

Purpose of the study: The objective of the study was to examine the influence of stakeholders’ engagement on the performance of NGOs in Ethiopia. Methodology: The study utilized a mixed-methods approach (descriptive survey and correlational research designs) to collect quantitative data using a survey questionnaire. The study’s unit of analysis was the local NGOs, while the units of observation were the CEOs and board chairpersons of the sampled organizations. The systematic sampling technique and SPSS aided in data analysis. Suitable responses for analysis were received from 475 out of 654 questionnaires distributed. Among these, there were 276 responses from CEOs and 199 from board chairpersons. Main Findings: Stakeholders’ engagement influenced performance. However, there is a moderate level of stakeholders’ engagement among NGOs in Ethiopia. Research limitations/implications: The findings were cross-sectional and can be generalized to local NGOs in Ethiopia. Therefore, future studies should consider a wider scope in terms of period and include other international NGOs in Ethiopia and those outside Ethiopia. Evaluation was also done based on internal stakeholders; hence, future studies should also consider views from external stakeholders. Conclusions: The study reveals that stakeholders’ engagement significantly positively influences the performance of local NGOs in Ethiopia. It has also been established that there is a moderate level of stakeholders’ engagement among NGOs in Ethiopia. These findings provide insights for enhancing stakeholders’ engagement among the local NGOs in Ethiopia and offer recommendations for future research. Novelty/originality of the study: This study offers useful insights into existing knowledge by investigating the relationship between stakeholders’ engagement and the performance of NGOs in Ethiopia. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for NGOs, policymakers, academicians, and other stakeholders, enabling them to develop effective strategies for stakeholder engagement that can enhance the performance and impact of NGOs.

STRUCTURAL MODERNIZATION OF THE GLOBAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Nowadays, both diversified channels of medical care for patients in remote mode, as well as extensive telemedical networks and systems of exchange of specialized medical information between all participants in the process of public reproduction of medical services at the national and supranational levels are actively being formed. As a result, we are all witnessing the development in global coordinates of a multi-level integrated system of a digital ecosystem of health care, which is based on digital technologies, forms qualitatively new channels of value creation for consumers of medical services and ensures deep convergent interaction of all key subjects of the medical care system citizens - from doctors, patients, health care institutions and states to health insurance companies, intergovernmental and non-governmental international organizations, business communities, etc. In view of this, there is every reason to claim that the qualitatively new business models of the digital health care system implemented in a fragmented manner in the conditions of digitalization will already in the next decade accumulate a powerful institutional and technological resource for "undermining" traditional business models of medical care with their departure from the narrowed format of the primary link of medical services to deep penetration into all links of the value chain formed in health care, and therefore - the formation of sustainable cash flows for producers of medical services. The purpose of the article is to reveal conceptual approaches to the systematic implementation in global coordinates of the key priority of digital health – the formation of values for patients in an ethical, safe, reliable, fair and sustainable way, while fully complying with such principles of providing medical services as: its transparency, safety and accessibility to broad segments of the population, scalability of medical care and its regularity, digital compatibility of structural components of the digital ecosystem, and strict confidentiality of medical information.

Transformational Leadership, Soft HR Approach, and Millennial Workforce Engagement in International NGOs in Nairobi, Kenya

Engagement of the Millennial Workforce is a significant focus within the workplace. Their shared values and attitudes, influenced by similar social and economic circumstances, are of ongoing scholarly interest. Extant research indicates concerning levels of disengagement among Millennials in the workforce, with many open to new job opportunities due to intolerance for conflicts and ambiguity, despite demonstrating the ability to delve deep into issues. The current study aimed to investigate the issue of Millennial Workforce engagement within Kenya’s international non-governmental organization (INGO) sector as a leadership issue by examining the interaction between transformational leadership, soft HR management, and Millennial Workforce engagement. The study was anchored on McGregor’s Theory Y. The research was a cross-sectional survey involving a purposive sample of 384 Millennials drawn from 32 selected INGOs with physical presence in Nairobi. Data was collected using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, researcher-developed Soft HR scale, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The data was subjected to mediator analysis following a four-step process using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The analysis demonstrated partial mediation, thus confirming the role of a soft HR approach as an intermediary in the connection between leadership and engagement. Creating a workplace environment that values Millennial’s input and participation is essential for driving their engagement. By providing forums for expression, listening to and acting on feedback, and involving them in decision-making processes, organizations can cultivate a culture of inclusivity, trust, and collaboration that keeps them highly engaged.

Understanding the factors affecting global political priority for controlling sexually transmitted infections: a qualitative policy analysis

IntroductionSexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant public health challenge, but there is a perceived lack of political priority in addressing STIs as a global health issue. Our study aimed...

Is it better to bring digital health tools together? Where Burkina Faso is going with a minimal digital ecosystem (MDE)

Abstract Digital health technologies are proliferating in low-income countries. However, they are not always optimally integrated and focused on health system priorities. To improve the performance of primary health care and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage, Burkina Faso aims to bring together eight digital health tools in two health districts as a pilot project, an initiative known as the ‘Minimal Digital Ecosystem’. A co-creation approach is used to develop and implement these tools, involving the Ministry of Health, international nongovernmental organizations that promote the tools, donors and researchers. Despite the many challenges in developing and deploying it, the minimal digital ecosystem (MDE) is a promising experiment that deserves special attention to reap its full benefits.

The ethics of knowledge sharing: a feminist examination of intellectual property rights and open-source materials in gender transformative methodologies.

Debates on intellectual property rights and open source frequently stem from the business sector and higher education, where goals are typically oriented toward profit, academic status, credit, and/or reputation. What happens if we reconsider the ethics of intellectual property rights and open source when our driving motivation is advancing women's health and rights? How does this prioritization complicate our assumptions of copyright and open access? How can we embark on a journey that validates the complex realities of multiple stakeholders who have good intent, but do not always consider the unintended impacts and the broader power dynamics at play? This paper explores the tensions and nuances of sharing methodologies that aim to transform harmful gender norms in an ecosystem that does not always consider the complex challenges behind intellectual property and open-source material. As a thought-collective dedicated to using a feminist approach to unpack and promote the principles of ethical, effective, and sustainable scale, we hope to underscore how the current research and debates on intellectual property rights and open-source material have good aims but may also fall short in encompassing the realities of gendered social norms change in and with communities around the world. We conclude with key recommendations for donors, researchers, International Development Corporations, International Non-Governmental Organizations, and those interested in using or adapting dynamic, gender transformative materials created by others.

Inclusion of children with disabilities in Ethiopian mainstream schools

Inclusive education (IE) programmes aim to include children with disabilities in mainstream schools by providing quality education in a barrier-free environment. While IE is now integral to the global development agenda, many questions remain around how best to implement IE programmes given the varying contexts and challenges presenting across developing countries. “One Class for All” is an IE programme financed by Light for the World, an international non-governmental organization (NGO), and implemented by 14 Ethiopian partner organisations. The authors of this article used a descriptive implementation evaluation design combining qualitative and quantitative elements to assess the extent, quality and satisfaction of IE programmes delivered by a sample of Light for the World implementing partners. Data included routine implementation monitoring data, survey of all implementing partners, key informant interviews and structured observations of schools and participants at sampled schools in Ethiopia. The evaluation mainly indicated a need for more structured development plans for each school and a more structured teacher training programme. This evaluation contributes to the limited literature on implementing an inclusive education programme in an African country.

Decolonial perspectives on intercultural research in a study of educational inclusion in rural Cambodia

This paper presents a critique of intercultural research in the context of a study of Educational Inclusion in Rural Schools in Cambodia undertaken by four U.K. researchers in partnership with four Cambodian researchers. Interculturality is an endeavour to recognise and engage with different ways of being and knowing across cultural boundaries and to address barriers to reciprocal understanding. This endeavour is a complex one and there is little research on the reality of intercultural research, especially in a Cambodian context. We therefore explored this reality within our own research team to address a gap in the literature. Our research question is: What are participants’ perceptions of interculturality based on their experiences of a 5-year research study in educational inclusion? Using a decolonial framework and decolonial methodologies, this paper presents the findings of a qualitative study that draws on questionnaire, research diary and interview data. We critically examine affordances and challenges relating to knowledge exchange, cultural differences, language/translation effects and research orthodoxies. We found that whilst our decolonial approach proved mutually beneficial, fostering co-construction and enhancing power-sharing, the quest for epistemic justice is inevitably constrained by powerful, Western research orthodoxies and funding conditionalities necessitating ongoing, joint reflexivity. The significance of the paper lies in the examination of the lived experiences of these affordances and challenges using a decolonial framework. The paper will be of relevance to international development researchers, international research funding agencies, international NGOs and others working in low and lower middle-income countries (LMICs) in the Global South.

‘I am Pleased to Share my Thoughts and Opinions’- Including Marginalised People with Disabilities in Inclusive Qualitative Research in Bangladesh Through Creative, Relational Methodologies

The rhetoric of ‘nothing about us without us’, motivates much disability inclusive research, but meaningful participation of the most marginalised is still rare. There is a tendency to recruit only people with disabilities who are perceived as ‘easier to include’. We reflect critically on recent fieldwork in Bangladesh working with local and international NGOs on a disability inclusive employment project. We focus on inclusion of the most marginalised people with disabilities: those with complex communication, psychosocial, intellectual or multiple impairments, or those who face intersecting inequalities. During a two-stage process, we engaged with 4 small groups of people in 2 sites. The participants were involved in an adapted vocational training programme, and had either both visual and hearing impairments, or were economically disadvantaged young disabled women. We discuss how creative, inclusive, participatory methodologies were combined to explore participants’ experiences of pathways to work through learning a trade. We consider the ethical, methodological rationales for our research epistemologies; including development of local research teams’ and participants’ awareness, confidence and capacities; and what worked and didn’t to enable or constrain inclusion and knowledge generation. We synthesise insights and recommendations about engagement/recruitment, situated ethics, accommodating individual needs, challenging assumptions, building communication capacities and group agency, maintaining inclusive interaction, multi-modal communication, using visual, tactile, narrative and creative methodologies, sequencing and layering methods, generating emotional knowledge, and collective analysis. We discuss the dynamic situated, emotional, interactional, and relational enablers of inclusion, and how participatory methodologies are applicable in research contexts to move beyond working with the ‘usual suspects’ to effectively engage people who are most often excluded.

Assessing the Effects of Organizational Readiness on the Implementation of Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System in International NGOs: A Case of Compassion International-Uganda

Assessing the Effects of Organizational Readiness on the Implementation of Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation System in International NGOs: A Case of Compassion International-Uganda

Exploring Volunteer Pharmacists' Experiences in Responding to 2023 Türkiye Earthquakes: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study.

Pharmacists are vital in disaster response efforts, dispensing essential medications, managing pharmacy services, consulting, and educating survivors regarding their medications. Their contributions, however, are often underrepresented in scientific literature. This study aimed to explore the experiences of pharmacists who provided pharmacy services to meet the pharmaceutical needs of the survivors after 2 major earthquakes in Türkiye in 2023. This study adopted a phenomenological approach. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to invite pharmacists who provided pharmacy services to survivors. Interview transcripts were analyzed following an inductive, reflexive thematic analysis. In total, 15 pharmacists were interviewed. Four main overarching themes "response to the earthquake," "preparedness for the earthquake," "experiences during service delivery," and "mental and physical experiences" were developed. From participants' experiences, it is essential to expand the clinical responsibilities of pharmacists and train them in providing wound care, administering immunization, and prescribing. Pharmacists should be integrated as essential members of disaster health teams. International health organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and governments are encouraged to work collaboratively and develop disaster management plans including pharmacists in early responders. This might help mitigate the deficiencies and overcome challenges in health-care systems to provide effective patient-centered care by health professionals and respond effectively to disasters.

Political and Security reasons as factors of implementing EU green policies and directives in Kosovo to align with the EU acquis and transition towards a greener country

This article examines the political and security factors that affect the implementation of European Union (EU) green policies and directives in Kosovo. As the EU aims to promote sustainable development and combat climate change, understanding these factors is crucial, especially in politically sensitive regions. The study utilises an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from political science, security studies, environmental science and international law to analyse the challenges and opportunities in implementing these policies in Kosovo. It critically reviews existing literature, highlighting key findings from international scholars on the role of political and security considerations. The article identifies critical factors influencing the success of EU green initiatives in Kosovo and suggests areas for future research. Through exploring research questions on the challenges, impacts and the role of international organisations and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs), the article seeks to provide insights into enhancing collaboration between the EU and local stakeholders. Ultimately, the study aims to contribute to discussions on how green policies can promote stability, security and sustainable development in Kosovo, offering strategies to overcome implementation challenges. Keywords: EU Green Policies; Directives; Kosovo; Political and Security Challenges.