This paper attempts to address issues concerning challenges facing NGOs particularly regarding programming in fragile states. Over the past decades NGOs have become major players in the arena of development focusing on relief and welfare and poverty reduction. However, the development of the NGO sector has been transformed by shifts in development approaches and changing roles and strategies of NGOs. This is associated with shifts in the development paradigm away from the provision of relief and service delivery through direct implementation and management towards bottom-up power structures, capacity building and organisational development in partnership with local public institutions and civil society organisations, including local NGOs. The scope of NGOs has widened from relief and disaster response to service delivery, and most recently to advocacy and policy analysis. As the NGO sector has expanded in terms of funding and function, there has been a growing interest in organisational development, accountability, capacity building and sustainability. Further, due to the shift in local contexts including political, economical, social and technological, the role and scope of NGOs is changing.
There has been rapid growth and changes in the NGO sector both in the Northern industrialised countries and the Southern aid recipient countries. Generally, NGOs play two main roles in international development, service delivery and policy advocacy. As service delivery agents, NGOs provide services such as relief and welfare, technical skills, capacity building, physical infrastructure and financial services. The other role of NGOs is policy advocacy, seeking social change by lobbying and influencing policies and practices. However, due to political, economical and organisational changes globally, there have been significant changes in the arena of international development. The role of Northern NGOs has changed due to the emergence of local institutions on the one hand, and weak public services on the other, in the South. Thus, the role of Northern NGOs has changed from operations to advocacy, networking, capacity building and promoting accountability of Southern governmental and non-governmental institutions. In weaker states, NGOs are involved in delivering public services, which often does not help to strengthen the capacity of the state. Hence, it is important that NGOs step back from the role of surrogate social services providers. This would not solve the problems of governance, accountability and transparency of government and other local institutions. It is necessary that NGOs make clear to the government about what their role is and why they have to step back from this role. The role of the government is to fulfil the needs of its populace. The role of NGOs is to enhance the capacity of government institutions and other local organisations so that the government can ensure that basic services are delivered to citizens. This involves building technical and organisational capacity, enhancing good governance in service provision and institutionalization of public services in partnerships with government institutions and local NGOs.
There are more specific challenges for NGOs in fragile states. Fragile states are those countries where the governments are either unable or unwilling to provide basic services to their citizens. Fragile states are characterised by very weak policies, institutions and governance and the state structures lack capacity and political will to deliver public safety and security, good governance and poverty reduction to their citizens. These states can be considered as failed states or at risk of being failed with respect to authority and legitimacy. In most of the fragile contexts, the government is found either very restrictive or too open for NGOs. If the government is restrictive then it may apply pressure to NGOs that advocate policies that are at odds with the government’s policies or actions. On the other hand, if the government is not doing anything then there is a danger of the NGO sector being totally unregulated, which could create chaos between the role of the state and the NGOs. The role of NGOs is to establish and strengthen good governance, democratise development, innovation and the institutionalisation and capacity building of local organisations, so that state institutions become capable of delivering public services more efficiently and effectively.
In fragile states, the government is weak and suffering from a lack of well developed institutional framework, powerlessness to maintain rule of law, poor system of governance and pressure facing from civil society and international communities. When the state is weak, other groups or institutions, e.g., political parties, civil society organisations and international pressure groups, can rule against the government authority and functions. The government cannot implement their policies and in this situation, the role of NGOs can be considered from two perspectives. Firstly, NGOs takeover the role of the state and provide services to citizens. The role of NGOs is to work on behalf of the state by filling the needs of the people that the state cannot provide. However, the approach of NGOs in this way may damage the capacity and legitimacy of the state to be able to formulate policies and deliver services. Secondly, NGOs may operate within the framework of the state in partnership and help the state to develop mechanisms for better service delivery and meet the goals set by the state. Here the role of NGOs is to work for the state to develop an institutional framework, build the capacity of public institutions and civil servants, and enhance the state governance systems so that public institutions run smoothly. However, the roles and boundaries of the state, NGOs and the private sector are contested. Hence, the main challenge for NGOs is to get a balance in their role in supporting the state’s development delivery services.
NGOs working in fragile contexts have to deal with a culture where corruption is often widespread and nepotism is prevalent and people are distrustful of one another and pessimistic about their future. One of the main problems in fragile contexts is weak governance systems with a lack of transparency and accountability and limited public sector institutional capacity. Weak policies, institutions and governance systems contribute to a high level of corruption. A deeply rooted culture of corruption is one of the most important constraints for economic growth and poverty reduction. NGOs working in partnership with local institutions and engaging the state and non-state actors in development in fragile states face many challenges. The lack of transparency and accountability, nepotism and corruption in both public and civil society organisations often lead to poor relationships and broken trust among development partners, which ultimately affects the viability of local institutions. This also affects the overall aim of building the capacity of local institutions, both state and non-state actors.
Other challenges in the fragile contexts are caused by weak foundations necessary for growth and development, creating enormous costs and security risks internationally and a lack of adequate governance and policies. Further, the lack of detailed analysis of social, economical and political contexts and the roles and incentives of different development sectors, namely public, private and the third sector; lack of adequate resources including financial and competent human resources; and lack of awareness about the role and power of the civil society are other challenges. Similarly, due to an unstable political situation and turbulent environment, people are often less hopeful about their future and mistrust is prevalent. People’s focus lies in obtaining short-term benefits.
Another challenge facing NGOs is the role of policy advocacy. Advocacy plays a significant role to exert pressure on government institutions to maintain rule of law and deliver effective services to its populace. However, there may be potential risk of expulsion or government persecution. It is very important that NGOs working in fragile states understand the political environment and potential consequences of advocacy work. Although public service delivery may be almost collapsed in fragile states, NGOs should not bypass the public sector. NGOs alone are not in a position to cover the whole range of services nationwide and their development programmes are time-bound and cannot remain permanently.
A balance between short-term relief and long-term sustainable development is required; leading to an exit strategy (localisation); adapted to local regulatory systems – political and legal. The strategies to overcome these challenges may include moving from a project-based service delivery approach to institutional development and capacity building, through sustained engagement of civil society; a shift amongst NGOs from being agents of foreign aid to vehicles of cooperation between development agents; focusing on long-term partnership relationships between developmental actors instead of one-off project implementation. Further, provision of technical assistance followed by substantial local capacity building; advocacy towards state and non-state actors for accountability and good governance; building social capital with improved interpersonal trust within a society; and focusing on the development of the state’s capacity with improved policy formulation and implementation, instead of bypassing public institutions, are the other priorities in dealing with the challenges facing NGOs in fragile contexts.
