GLOBAL STATUS OF NGOs

Definition……

neither a part of a government conventional for-profit businesses.

INTRODUCTION

“A NGO is a permanent organization of individuals or groups of individuals qualified in relevant fields and operating independently from government influence. NGOs may derive funding from governments and may have governments and government officials as members provided that such funding or membership does not limit the organization's ability to express its views independently.”

NGO,s may be funded by governments, foundations or businesses. NGO,s are highly diverse group of organizations engaged with a wide range of activities, and take different forms in different parts of the world.

Number of NGO,s operating in the  -US is estimated at 1.5 million.[1

- Russia has 277,000 NGO,s. -India is estimated to have 3.3million NGO,s in 2009

BINGO (business-friendly international NGO or big international NGO); the Red Cross is one example of a BINGO.

ENGO (environmental NGO); the World Wildlife Fund is one example of an ENGO.

GONGO (government-operated NGO), by definition not an NGO but an organization created by a government to resemble an NGO to further some agenda.

INGO (international NGO); Oxfam is one example of an INGO.QUANGO (quasi-autonomous NGO), an NGO which may have some governmental members; the ISO is one example of a QUANGO.

RINGO (religious international NGO); the Catholic Relief Services is one example of a RINGO.

 NGO's types

1. NGOs orientation refers to the type of activities it takes on. It include human rights, environmental, or development work.

2. NGO's level of operation indicates the scale at which an organization works, such as local, regional, national or international.

• NGOs have been partners of the United Nations since 1947. In accordance with Article 71 of the UN Charter

• NGOs can have consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

• Their relationship with entities of the United Nations system differs depending on their location and mandate. 

NGOs in Intergovernmental Processes

4 important functions:

• Setting agendas

• Negotiating outcomes

• Conferring legitimacy

• Implementing solutions

ROLE OF NGOs IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Creating awareness among the public on current environmental issues and solutions

Facilitating the participation of various categories of stakeholders in the discussion on environmental issues.

Being involved in the protection of human rights to have a clean environment.

Protecting the natural resources and entrusting the equitable use of resources. Data generation on natural resources.

Organizing seminars, lectures and group discussion for promotion of environmental awareness.

Helping the villages’ administrative officials in preparation, application and execution of projects on environmental protection.

They are formed voluntarily;

They are independent of government;

They are not for private profit or gain; and

Their principal is to improve the circumstances and prospects of disadvantaged people.

They educate the public, the media and opinion leaders.

They work at grassroots levels with local government authorities, in order to express their strategy of "thinking globally.

Characteristics of NGO’s

NGOs come into being through the initiative of individuals or groups of persons. The national legal and fiscal framework applicable to them should therefore permit and encourage this initiative.

All NGOs enjoy the right to freedom of expression.

NGOs with legal personality should have the same capacities as are generally enjoyed by other legal persons and be subject to the same administrative, civil and criminal law obligations and sanctions generally applicable to them.

Any act or omission by a governmental organ affecting an NGO should be subject to administrative review and be open to challenge in an independent and impartial court with full jurisdiction.

PRINCIPLE FOR NGO’s

NGOs should be encouraged to participate in governmental and quasi-governmental mechanisms for dialogue, consultation and exchange, with the objective of searching for solutions to society's needs.

Such participation should not guarantee nor preclude government subsidies, contracts or donations to individual NGOs or groups thereof.

Consultation should not be seen by governments as a vehicle to co-opt NGOs into accepting their priorities nor by NGOs as an inducement to abandon or compromise their goals and principles.

Governmental bodies can work with NGOs to achieve public policy objectives, but should not attempt to take them over or make them work under their control.

NGOs should also be consulted during the drafting of primary and secondary legislation which affects their status, financing or spheres of operation.

RELATIONS WITH GOVERNMENTAL BODIES

List of environmental organizations

Governmental organizations Non-governmental organizations

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)(India)

Earth Charter Initiative

Ministry of Environment and Forests(India)

Greenpeace

Environmental Protection Agency(US)

Exnora International(India)

National Park Service(US) IUCN

Inter-Tribal Environmental Council(America)

WWF

Environmental NGO’s Internationally

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (IUCN)

Type : World’s First Global Environmental Organization.Founded In : 1948Focus Area : Nature Conservation, Biodiversity, Nature-based solutions.

IT'S ROLE: To promote mutually beneficial conservation arrangements. Promoting development as well as assisting people and nations

to better preserve their flora and fauna. Aims to mobilize communities working for biodiversity

conservation, sustainable development and poverty reduction. Efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Valuing and Conserving Nature. Effective and Equitable Governance of Nature’s Use. Deploying Nature-based Solutions to Global Challenges in

Climate, Food and Development.

Type : Non-governmental Environmental Organization.Founded In : 1969Focus Area : Global Warming, Deforestation, Overfishing,  Genetic Engineering and Anti-nuclear Issues.

IT'S ROLE Its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all

its diversity”. Defending our oceans by challenging wasteful and destructive fishing,

and creating a global network of marine reserves. Working for disarmament and peace by reducing dependence on finite

resources and calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Creating a toxin free future with safer alternatives to

hazardous chemicals in today's products and manufacturing. Campaigning for sustainable agriculture by encouraging socially and

ecologically responsible farming practices.

Also known as the world wildlife fund for nature), with over  million members internationally, is the world’s largest conservation organization

The WWF promotes biodiversity and sustainability, while working to limit pollution and consumption of natural resources.

WWF is a foundation, in 2010 deriving 57% of funding from individuals and bequests, 17% from government sources (such as the world bank, DFID, USAID) and 11% from corporations.

The WWF performs policy advocacy work, on-the-ground conservation efforts, and works to make industry more sustainable.

The World Wild Fund (WWF)

Type : International Non-governmental Organization.Founded In : 1961Focus Area : Environmentalism, Conservation, Ecology.

Exnora International

Started in 1989 in Chennai, Tamilnadu, India, by M. B. Nirmal, a social activist. 

Focuses on preserving nature and preventing environmental degradation.

The name Exnore is derived from excellent, novel and radical ideas in solving environmental problems by involving those who caused the problem.

The organization provides street cleaning services through about 17,000 street chapters

-40% of Chennai city and -75% of the suburbs, and -other parts of Tamil nadu.

Includes collection of garbage at homes, sorting at pickup, composting organic waste, and generating income for the "street beautifiers" through the sale of recyclables

Also work with the local corporations and municipalities to address civic problems including sewage leaks, water supply problems, and repairs to street lamps.

Environmental issues such as biodiversity, climate change, and solid, liquid and zero waste management. The teachers are taught how to turn a home into a green building and set up vertical gardens.

Activities

Centre for Science and Environment a not-for-profit public interest research and

advocacy organization based in New Delhi, India.

Established in 1980

CSE works as a think tank on environment-development issues in India, Poor planning, climate shifts devastating India's Sundarbans and advocates for policy changes and better implementation of the already existing policies.

uses knowledge-based activism to create awareness about problems and propose sustainable solutions.

director of the Centre is Sunita Narain.

CONCLUSION

The Fundamental objective of NGO is to act as catalyst in bringing about local, national and international initiative and community participation in overall improvement in quality of life and environment.

It would also help the Government to obtain relevant information for promoting and facilitate the implementation of major environmental programs.

The increase in the range of their activities reflects not only the increasing professionalism with which major groups are fulfilling their obligations and responsibilities.

A number of public interest groups have also strengthened their participation at grassroots and community levels, and have played a vital role, not only in awareness-raising and campaigning, but also in education, training and capacity-building.

Their activities show that they effectively use all media of communication, traditional as well as the new communication technologies, to disseminate information to the grassroots and to strengthen networking.

REFERENCES

Environmental Management – N.K.Uberoi Environmental Studies – Anil Kumar De and Arnab Kumar De NGO for Environment in India: Striving For a Greener and Better

Tomorrow! The Role of NGOs in Tackling Environmental Issues | Middle East Institute NGOs India : Online Database and Resources of Indian NGOs, NPOs,

VOs; Funding Resources and Database NGOs Encouraged to Play Big Role in Environmental Protection Environmental NGOs | Environmental Charities | Save the Environment Role of NGO’s in Environmental Conservation and Development | How to

Start an NGO| Mother Earth Consultancy Services (MECS) Picture courtesy: Google images Respective websites of the organizations