What Do We Need NGOs from the North for? A perspective from the South

1. What Do We Need NGOs from the North for?A perspective from the South John Ulanga Executive Director Foundation for Civil Society, Tanzania

2. Contents • Introduction • Development Situation in the South • Do we need NGOs for Development • Do we need NGOs from the North • Conclusions

3. Introduction • We are living in one but divided world, North-South, West-East • Discussions on the relations between the North and the South • Governments • Private Sector • NGOs • Trade, Aid at the centre of these discussions • Paris Declaration marked a turning point on Aid discussions

4. Development Situation in the South • Defining Development • Positive change quantitatively and qualitatively • Definition may not be the same in the South as in the North • But development has to be about people • Includes quality of life, community participation, removal of all forms of oppression

5. Development Situation in the South • How is the South Fairing? • Diseases are rampant – TB, Malaria, HIV/AIDS • Maternal and Infant Mortalities still high • Life expectancy low • Adult literacy rates low and sometimes declining • Bad Governance – low community participation • On the other hand, the South is resource rich • Land • Natural Resources

6. Do We Need NGOs for Development? • Defining NGOs • Types/Categories of NGOs • North/South • International/Local • Development Organisations (NGDO) • Aid Organisations • Support • Action Level

7. Do We Need NGOs for Development? • Role of NGOs in Development • A result of failure of states to deliver basic social services • Policy Formulation • Pressure Groups • Delivering Services • Monitoring • Innovation • Partnering with the Government

8. Do We Need NGOs from the North? • The World is converging • Actions of one part of the world affect other parts • More innovative approaches are needed to address the current challenges • Working together is the only way to move forward • The South therefore needs Northern NGOs, but…

9. Do We Need NGOs from the North? • What don’t we need Northern NGOs for? • Duplication of Efforts • Underming local efforts, capacity and institutions • Competing for resources • Engaging in unequal partnership

10. Do We Need NGOs from the North? • What do we need Northern NGOs for? • Training, Information Sharing, International Coalition Building • Creating Equal Partnerships • Creating Links • Enhancing Accountability in ODA • Addressing Underlying Causes and not symptoms

11. Conclusions • The World still very much needs NGOs • The South still very much needs NGOs from the North • The nature and modality of relationship will have to change • The change will benefit both the North and the South • Genuine partnerships, greater levels of trust have to be created

12. Thank you for listening John Ulanga The Foundation for Civil Society julanga@thefoundation-tz.org www.thefoundation-tz.org