NGOs and their benefits to society

Nicholas Na

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Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are important to people as 55.1% of the world population have expressed their trust in NGOs. Non-Governmental organisations are split into different types, international, religious, environmental and civil society organisations. They both play different roles in society, they can play an operational role or an advocacy role which are both essential roles to benefit the population. This essay will highlight two key reasons why NGOs are important.

Firstly, NGOs are paramount as they can raise awareness among the public regarding key issues affecting various groups. Through NGOs, the public can advocate for specific ideas like raising awareness of business activities' negative social and economic impacts and other social issues. They do this through seminars, symposiums and many other on the ground activities. Moreover, with the rise in technology, they can leverage more platforms to ensure that their voices are heard, as they can utilise social media to reach out to people around the world. A key issue is the inhumane act of animal testing for cosmetics, where an NGO named PETA India had raised awareness and advocated against animal testing. From its conscientious efforts, it resulted in the imposition of a ban on animal testing by the Government. Apart from the use of awareness creation, NGOs can also be involved in legislative processes through partnerships with governments. One notable example is in Minnesota, United States, where an NGO named "The Advocates" has partnerships with several Central European governments and they play a role in evaluating draft domestic violence laws, ensuring that the governments pass laws that would reduce injustice for people. Hence, this showcases the power that NGOs have to raise awareness and amend laws.

Secondly, while some NGOs have pushed through to enact change, some NGOs are also crucial as they can provide aid directly to marginalised groups. One NGO that has done so is Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), or Doctors without Borders. It has helped provide medical aid to the needy, notably in Afghanistan, where it has the highest maternal mortality rate. Furthermore, with the rise of the Taliban and their attacks, there has been a rise in violent cases, and MSF has been providing medical care for the victims. In 2020, there were as much as 130,500 outpatient consultations in Afghanistan by the MSF. Hence, this highlights how vital NGOs are to victims and those in need as they provide aid.

However, NGOs may not be so important due to the lack of accountability within some NGOs. One key issue would be how NGOs may mishandle the funds donated by private individuals. One example is Yele Haiti where more than a third of the funds donated were used for private parties involving Wyclef Jean which shows a problem of how marginalised groups do not end up getting their aid. Furthermore, it would be equivalent to making use of the public’s faith to aid these marginalised groups.

In conclusion, while some NGOs and their limitations diminishes its importance, most NGOs are crucial as they play roles to resolve and raise awareness over issues, enact changes within governments, and aid marginalised groups. Since issues within the world cannot be resolved simply by governments, NGOs play a pivotal role to work hand in hand with the government to ensure the livelihoods of many.

References

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