International non-

governmental
organization

An international non-governmental
organization (INGO) is an organization
which is independent of government
involvement and extends the concept
of a non-governmental organization
(NGO) to an international scope.

NGOs are independent of

governments and can be seen as two
types: advocacy NGOs, which aim to
influence governments with a specific
goal, and operational NGOs, which
provide services.[1] Examples of NGO
mandates are environmental
preservation, human rights promotions
or the advancement of women. NGOs
are typically not-for-profit, but
receive funding from companies or
membership fees.[2] Many large INGOs
have components of operational
projects and advocacy initiatives
working together within individual
countries.

The technical term "international

organizations" describes
intergovernmental organizations
(IGOs) and includes groups such as
the United Nations or the International
Labour Organization, which are
formed by treaties among sovereign
states.[3] In contrast, INGOs are
defined as "any internationally
operating organization which is not
established by inter-governmental
agreement".[4]

An INGO may be founded by private

philanthropy, such as the Carnegie,
Rockefeller, Gates and Ford
Foundations, or as an adjunct to
existing international organizations,
such as the Catholic or Lutheran
churches. A surge in INGOs for
economic development occurred
during World War II, some of which
would later become large
organizations like SOS Children's
Villages, Oxfam, Catholic Relief
Services, Care International and
Lutheran World Relief. The number of
INGOs grew from 6,000 in 1990 to
26,000 in 1999, and a 2013 report
estimated about 40,000.[5]

Except for incorporation under

national laws, no current formal legal
status exists for INGOs, which can lead
to complications in international
law.[5]
History
International non-governmental
organizations emerged alongside
humanitarian aid with the realization
that no single government could
single-handedly solve global crises.[6]
Governments began offering greater
support to private, international
organizations and NGOs in the 1980s
as a way of allowing more time and
resources to be spent on national
projects.[6] Often, a humanitarian aid
organization would clash with a
government's approach to the
unfolding domestic conflict. In such
cases, INGOs have sought out
autonomy to extend help regardless
of political or ethnic affiliation.[6]

In 1910, the Union of International

Associations (UIA) were the first to
suggest that a "super-national" status
be given to international organizations
with diplomatic intentions without
governmental influence.[5] The
International Law Association (ILA)
modified this, adding that this "super-
national" organizational status may be
adopted for associations formed for
no profit.[5]
Activities
The main focus of INGOs is to provide
relief and developmental aid to
developing countries. Health-related
projects such as HIV/AIDS awareness,
prevention and treatment, clean
water, and malaria prevention—and
education-related projects such as
schools for girls and providing books—
help to provide the social services
that the country's government does
not provide. International non-
governmental organizations are some
of the first responders to natural
disasters, like hurricanes and floods, or
crises that need emergency relief.
Other organizations, like the
International Justice Mission, are
working to make judicial systems
more effective and legitimate. Still
others, such as those promoting
micro-finance and education, directly
impact citizens and communities by
developing skills and human capital
while encouraging citizen
empowerment and community
involvement.

NGOs, in general, account for over

15% of total international
development aid, which is linked to
economic development.[7] As of 2007,
aid (partly contributed to by INGOs)
over the past thirty years is estimated
to have increased the annual growth
rate of the bottom billion by one
percent.[8]

Criticisms
Given they are usually supported by
donations, a popular concern about
INGOs is where the money goes and
whether it is spent efficiently.[9] High
administrative costs can be an
indication of inefficiency, enrichment
of employees at the expense of
beneficiaries, embezzlement or
misdirection of funds to corrupt local
officials or dictatorship.[10] Numerous
attempts have been made to remedy
the accountability of INGOs
surrounding where and for what their
money is being used.[11] Websites like
Charity Navigator and GiveWell
attempt to provide transparency as to
how much goes to administrative
costs, what activities money is spent
on, whether more donations would be
helpful, and how cost-effective the
activities are compared to other
charities or potential activities.

Moreover, multiple organizations often

exist to solve the same problem.
Rather than collaborating to address a
given situation, organizations
frequently interact as competitors,
which creates bottlenecks of
treatment and supplies.[12] Conflicts
typically require organizations to
quickly provide aid to regions with
conflict. As such, ensuring immediate
and future care quality is
paramount.[6] To this point, INGOs
must prepare regions for when they
leave by providing the tools and
guidance necessary to support their
citizens.[13] More research must be
done on the impacts of INGO support
from the perspective of the recipient
country or region, as much of
currently published research has been
completed from the lens of a
Westernized donor or INGO.[14]
Another criticism is that many of the
people benefiting from INGOs have
no way to influence those activities
and hold the organizations
accountable.[15] (for example by
threatening to withhold donations).
Some charitable organizations solicit
the participation of local communities
to avoid problems related to
intercultural competence, and avoid
unintended consequences due to lack
of buy-in or lack of knowledge about
local conditions.

In March 2015, the European Journal

of International Relations criticized the
impact of INGOs on government
decision-making, claiming they are
slowing integration of developing
countries into the global economy.[16]

Notable international NGOs

Multiple interdisciplinary projects

ActionAid
ACTED
ADRA
AIESEC
CAFOD
CARE
CRS
Cuso International
Danish Refugee Council
 Islamic Relief
Koyamada International Foundation
Mercy Corps
Narayan Seva Sansthan (https://ww
w.narayanseva.org/)
Oxfam
Save the Children
SOS Children's Villages
Tzu Chi Foundation
World Vision International
Plan International
Good Neighbors International

Health

Amref Health Africa

 Doctors Without Borders
GAVI
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria

Children and youth

Compassion International
International Federation of Catholic
Parochial Youth Movements
(FIMCAP)
Plan
Reggio Children Foundation
Save the Children International
SOS Children's Villages
World Association of Girl Guides and
Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
 World Organization of the Scout
Movement (WOSM)
World Vision International
AIESEC

Education

European Association of History

Educators
Junior Achievement
The Library Project
OpenmindProjects- INGO

Human rights

International Rescue Committee

Human Rights Watch
Amnesty International
 Commonwealth Human Rights
Initiative
Friends of Peoples Close to Nature
Humanists International
International Christian Concern
International Commission against
the Death Penalty
International Federation for Human
Rights
Survival International

Environmental

Greenpeace
International POPs Elimination
Network
 International Union for Conservation
of Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature

Multilateralism

Sister Cities International

World Federation of United Nations
Associations

Religion

International Federation of Catholic

Parochial Youth Movements
(FIMCAP)
Lutheran World Relief

Space and technology

COSPAR
 RIPE NCC
IMIRAD

See also
European Convention on the
Recognition of the Legal Personality
of International Non-Governmental
Organizations
Foundation (non-profit)
International Non-Governmental
Organisations Accountability
Charter
Nonprofit organization
Think tank
World Polity Theory
References
1. IGO-NGO Cooperation."
.https://guides.library.duke.edu/c.php?
g=289595&p=1930435 (accessed
February 19, 2020).
2. Goode, Walter, ed. (2007). Dictionary
of trade policy terms (https://archive.
org/details/dictionaryoftrad00good) .
Cambridge University Press.
ISBN 9780521885065.
3. Appel, Benjamin J. (January 2018).
"Intergovernmental Organizations and
Democratic Victory in International
Crises". The Journal of Politics. 80 (1):
274–287. doi:10.1086/694256 (http
s://doi.org/10.1086%2F694256) .
4. Ahmed, Shamima; Potter, David M.
(2006). NGOs in international politics.
Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian Press.
ISBN 9781565493469.
OCLC 732955747 (https://www.world
cat.org/oclc/732955747) .
5. Ben-Ari, Rephael Harel (2013). The
Legal Status of International Non-
Governmental Organizations: Analysis
of Past and Present Initiatives (1912-
2012). Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
ISBN 9789004254367.
6. Buse, Kent; Tanaka, Sonja (2011-08-
01). "Global Public-Private Health
Partnerships: lessons learned from
ten years of experience and
evaluation" (https://www.sciencedirec
t.com/science/article/pii/S002065392
0330513) . International Dental
Journal. Live.Learn.Laugh. A Unique
Global Public-Private Partnership to
Improve Oral Health. 61: 2–10.
doi:10.1111/j.1875-595X.2011.00034.x
(https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1875-595
X.2011.00034.x) . ISSN 0020-6539 (ht
tps://www.worldcat.org/issn/0020-65
39) . PMC 9374971 (https://www.ncbi.
nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC937497
1) . PMID 21770935 (https://pubmed.n
cbi.nlm.nih.gov/21770935) .
7. "World Bank and NGOs." October 3,
2007.http://library.duke.edu/research/
subject/guides/ngo_guide/igo_ngo_c
oop/ngo_wb.html (accessed
November 10, 2010).
8. Collier, Paul. 2007. The Bottom Billion:
Why the Poorest Countries are Failing
and What Can Be Done About It.
Oxford and New York: Oxford
University Press. (p.100).
9. Lorenz, Nicolaus (2007-07-01).
"Effectiveness of global health
partnerships: will the past repeat
itself?" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go
v/pmc/articles/PMC2636373/pdf/06-
033597.pdf/) . Bulletin of the World
Health Organization. 85 (7): 567–
568. doi:10.2471/BLT.06.033597 (http
s://doi.org/10.2471%2FBLT.06.03359
7) . PMC 2636373 (https://www.ncbi.n
lm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC263637
3) . PMID 17768507 (https://pubmed.n
cbi.nlm.nih.gov/17768507) .
10. Collingwood, Vivien; Logister, Louis
(April 2005). "State of the Art:
Addressing the INGO 'Legitimacy
Deficit' ". Political Studies Review. 3
(2): 175–192. doi:10.1111/j.1478-
9299.2005.00022.x (https://doi.org/10.
1111%2Fj.1478-9299.2005.00022.x) .
11. Crack, Angela M. (2013-04-01).
"INGO Accountability Deficits: The
Imperatives for Further Reform".
Globalizations. 10 (2): 293–308.
doi:10.1080/14747731.2013.786253 (htt
ps://doi.org/10.1080%2F14747731.201
3.786253) . ISSN 1474-7731 (https://w
ww.worldcat.org/issn/1474-7731) .
12. Hunt, Matthew; Miao, Jingru (April
2017). "Moral Entanglement and the
Ethics of Closing Humanitarian
Medical Aid Projects" (https://www.ca
mbridge.org/core/journals/prehospital
-and-disaster-medicine/article/moral
-entanglement-and-the-ethics-of-c
losing-humanitarian-medical-aid-pro
jects/676EA28341612D85FDDDCC29B
9D75016) . Prehospital and Disaster
Medicine. 32 (S1): S47–S48.
doi:10.1017/S1049023X17001376 (http
s://doi.org/10.1017%2FS1049023X1700
1376) . ISSN 1049-023X (https://www.
worldcat.org/issn/1049-023X) .
13. Fourie, Carina (2018-05-15). "The
trouble with inequalities in global
health partnerships" (http://www.med
anthrotheory.org/article/view/4856) .
Medicine Anthropology Theory. 5 (2).
doi:10.17157/mat.5.2.525 (https://doi.o
rg/10.17157%2Fmat.5.2.525) .
ISSN 2405-691X (https://www.worldc
at.org/issn/2405-691X) .
14. Jammihal, Ravindra; Ralte, Harry; Roy,
Nobhojit (February 2009).
"Humanitarian Medical Aid to
Developing Nations: A Recipient
Country's Perspective" (https://www.
cambridge.org/core/journals/prehospi
tal-and-disaster-medicine/listing?q=
Recipient+Country%27s+Perspective
&searchWithinIds=5827EB647E0D212
0933D43CC884BF7EA&fts=yes) .
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 24
(S1).
15. Ebrahim, A.: 2003, 'Accountability in
Practice: Mechanisms for NGOs',
World Development 31(5), 813-829.
16. Pinheiro, Diogo; Chwieroth, Jeffrey
M.; Hicks, Alexander (2014-05-21).
"Do international non-governmental
organizations inhibit globalization?
The case of capital account
liberalization in developing countries"
(http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/63669/) .
European Journal of International
Relations. 21 (1): 146–170.
doi:10.1177/1354066114523656 (http
s://doi.org/10.1177%2F1354066114523
656) . ISSN 1354-0661 (https://www.
worldcat.org/issn/1354-0661) .

Further reading
Atack Iain 1998. "Four Criteria of
Development NGO Legitimacy," in
World Development 27(5),
pp. 855–864.
Collier, Paul 2007. "Aid to the
Rescue?," in The Bottom Billion:
Why the Poorest Countries are
Failing and What Can Be Done
About It, pp. 99–123. Oxford and
New York: Oxford University Press.
Haugen, Gary; Boutros, Victor
(2010). "And Justice for All:
Enforcing Human Rights for the
World's Poor". Foreign Affairs. 89
(3): 51–62.
Singer, Peter 2009. "How Can You
Tell Which Charities Do It Best?," in
 The Life You Can Save, pp. 82–125.
New York: Random House.

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