Need to evaluate non-governmental organizations KHILENDRA BASNYAT
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) relate to the public through fund raising and through development education and campaigning. Although for most NGOs these activities are distinct, they are basically the two sides of the coin.
Within the development communities, NGOs are regarded as one of the best hopes for improved public information and better education on development issues. In many countries, they are the only purveyors of thoughtful development education.
Many NGOs that were successful in fund raising began to change their activities in the 1980s. It was because NGOs communities subsequently developed codes of ethics which dealt with diverse activities.
NGO movement for the Third World’s development was considered after the beginning of 1970s. However both positive and negative notions for the development role of NGOs have been in limelight in recent times.
NGOs can be effective tool for uplifting social and economic status especially for the underprivileged people. They are cost effective, mobile in nature and familiar with local conditions. They are based on openness and people’s participation. They can work even in difficult circumstances. They are non-profit organizations and are transparent.
NGOs are not always effective, especially because there is often a built-in conflict between their educational goals and their need to raise fund. They are institutionally weak, have weak infrastructures equipment and professional manpower. Their works are limited to foreign aid which has no effective mechanism to control.
In Nepal, NGOs aiming to deliver services and shoulder development responsibility was initiated after the political change in 1951. Establishment of Social Services National Coordination Council (SSNCC) in 1977 for coordinating NGOs functions has been an important effort for the created a favorable environment for the expansion of NGOs, consequently there are thousand of NGOs working here today.
NGOs are supposed to be more flexible and less bureaucratic. Therefore any action that intends to affect these twin attributes will possibly lead the NGOs to loose its very essence and credibility. Their premonition being hold by most of the NGOs regarding the SSNCC is that it is becoming more bureaucratic and more flexible. The growing bureaucracy and inflexibility is largely the outcome of the SSNCC not being able to establish close link with the different concerned agencies. Moreover, SSNCC has not been able to evaluate the performance of the NGOs, delaying development activities.
NGOs are set up for speeding up a variety of development work. However, taking a cursory look at the growing number of NGOs and the assistance received from donor countries agencies, the development activities launched here are far from satisfactory. Therefore it is essential to evaluate the functions of the NGOs and bring about reforms according to necessity. By doing so, there is a strong possibility of channeling the NGOs in various development activities in future.
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