How can NGOs be effective in achieving the MDGs?

1. How can NGOs be effective in achieving the MDGs? Matthew Clarke (Deakin University) Simon Feeny (RMIT University)

2. Acknowledgements • This is part of a larger research project: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: The Role of Foreign Aid, Trade and NGOs with a focus on the Asia-Pacific (LP0562486) • We wish to thank the Australian Research Council and World Vision Australia for financially supporting this research

3. Introduction • Evolution of NGOs over the past five decades • Impact on MDGs in both • Programming • Advocacy • Efforts to increase effectiveness are highlighted • Conclusion

4. What is an NGO? • The term ‘non-governmental organisation’ (NGO) is an imprecise term • It describes all agencies that sit outside the government sector • This does not assist us seeking to understand how non-governmental organisations can assist with the achievement the MDGs.

5. A more specific definition • Four general characterises include: • 1) independence; • 2) not-for-profit; • 3) voluntary; and • 4) ‘not for the immediate benefit’ of its members (or altruism) • Our interest in NGOs that display these characteristics are those organisations more specifically that seek to improve the circumstances of the poor in developing countries

6. Local or International? • NGOs can be local or international • INGOs are based in developed countries and often work in a variety of different developing countries. • CBOs are normally based and work in their own communities within developing countries. • INGOs and CBOs often partner together • However, this demarcation is becoming increasingly fuzzy

7. The number of NGOs • The number of NGOs seeking to improve the circumstances of the poor in developing countries is difficult to measure: • INGOs – 13,600 • CBOs – 1.5 million in India alone (one CBO for every 666 people!)

8. Evolution of NGOs • Korten’s (1990) four typologies of NGO assistance: • 1) relief and welfare; • 2) community development; • 3) sustainable systems development; and • 4) people’s movements • A fifth classification of “domestic change agents” is added by de Senillosa (1998) • NGOs move between these classifications depending on circumstances, funding and programming needs

9. Relief and Welfare • Impact is unlikely to be sustained through simple provision of services (such as feeding programs for malnourished children or provision of education) when NGOs cease funding but may be needed in the short-term to assist the poorest of the poor build their own capacity.

10. Community Development • Impact at the local level across all MDGs may be sustained, but unlikely that MDGs will be impacted on at the national level.

11. Sustainable Systems-development • Impact on national and regional policy may result in increased funds, but implementation at local level will differ between communities based on local capacity.

12. People’s Movement • Impact on national policy may change, but implementation at local level will differ between communities based on local capacity.

13. Domestic Change Agents • Impact on international awareness of MDGs may illicit some change at the international level, such as increased aid flows, but impact at local level will depend on local capacity.

14. MDGs and NGOs • Over eighty five percent of NGOs are involved in activities that are aimed at promoting or achieving the MDGs • To achieve the MDGs, development interventions must occur at different levels of society • community level (micro) • regional or province level (meso) • national level (macro) • international level (supramacro)

15. Continuum of Development Interventions Micro Meso Macro Supramacro

16. Programming and Advocacy • Interventions may include both programming and advocacy activities. • NGOs have greatest capacity to impact on achievement of MDGs • programming at micro- and meso-levels • advocacy at macro- and supramacro-levels.

17. Programming and MDGs • Implementing development interventions is most effective when NGOs are able to work closely with the targeted community. • The further a NGO (or any implementing agency for that matter) moves away from those it is seeking to serve, the less effective the intervention will be. • NGOs are therefore more effective in implementing programming interventions at the micro- and meso- levels. MicroMeso Macro Supramacro

18. Programming and MDGs cont’d • Within the micro- and meso-levels, NGOs are working directly with targeted communities. • As NGOs move away from direct beneficiaries and begin to work at the macro-level (or beyond) they lose that intimacy with the communities and face the same difficulties faced by government organisations • blindness of bureaucracy • deceit of distant. • Changing circumstances occur unseen and greater numbers of those in need fail to be reached.

19. Advocacy and MDGs • Advocacy programs are more effective when taken at the macro- or supramacro-levels • It is most effective when it directly addresses those responsible for the policy environment • For development issues this is generally at the national level or international level MicroMeso Macro Supramacro

20. Advocacy and MDGs cont’d • Advocacy requires gaining access to those in decision-making positions but also raising public awareness and public support in order to shift the balance of power. • internal (private) pressure • external (public) pressure • The costs of gaining strength by working together for NGOs is the loss of direct connection with the communities for whom they are advocating.

21. Actual MDG Impact • MDG 1 – Poverty and Hunger • Programming – microfinance, feeding programs • Advocacy – international campaigns on aid, trade, debt • MDG 2 – Universal Primary Education • Programming – schools, curriculum development, buildings • Advocacy – international campaigns for UPE

22. Actual MDG Impact cont’d • MDG 3 – Gender Equality and Empowerment • Programming – financial assistance, awareness raising • Advocacy – national campaigns for greater access • MDG 4 – Child Mortality • MDG 5 – Maternal Health • Programming – direct medical care, training, medicines • Advocacy – national campaigns for immunizations, funding

23. Actual MDG Impact cont’d • MDG 6 – HIV/AIDS, Malaria, etc • Programming – care, prevention, medicine • Advocacy – national and int. campaigns for ARV treatment • MDG 7 – Environmental Sustainability • Programming – education, local capacity building • Advocacy – national and int. campaigns for funding and policy coordination

24. Actual MDG Impact cont’d • MDG 8 – International Partnership • Programming – limited • Advocacy – international campaigns on aid, debt, trade

25. Increasing NGO Impact • Determining success in the achievement of the MDGs is difficult • These difficulties are multiplied when seeking to directly attribute outcomes to NGO interventions. • Whilst evaluation of development interventions can be accurate at the micro-level, attribution becomes difficult at the meso- and impossible at the macro and supramacro-levels due to the increasing number of other agencies and events beyond the control of the specific intervention

26. Increasing NGO Impact • NGOs can increase their impact by scaling up their activities • Quantitative • Functional • Political • Organisational

27. Conclusion • Development interventions led by NGOs are unlikely to directly lead to increased economic growth at the national level • However, NGOs can positively impact upon the MDGs by targeting interventions explicitly to achieve various targets • Programming (micro and meso) • Advocacy (macro and supramacro)