Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an organization that is not part of a government and was not founded by states. NGOs are therefore typically independent of governments. Although the definition can technically include for-profit corporations, the term is generally restricted to social, cultural, legal, and environmental advocacy groups having goals that are noncommercial, primarily. NGOs are usually non-profit organizations that gain at least a portion of their funding from private sources. Current usage of the term is generally associated with the United Nations and authentic NGOs are those that are so designated by the UN.

History

Though voluntary associations of citizens have existed throughout history, NGOs along the lines seen today, especially on the international level, have developed in the past two centuries. One of the first such organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, was founded in 1863.

Related Topics:
Association - History - International Committee of the Red Cross - 1863

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The phrase non-governmental organization came into use with the establishment of the United Nations in 1945 with provisions in Article 71 of Chapter 10 of the United Nations Charter http://www.un.org/aboutun/charter/chapt10.htm for a consultative role for organizations that neither are governments nor member states – see Consultative Status. The definition of international NGO (INGO) is first given in resolution 288 (X) of ECOSOC on February 27, 1950: it is defined as 'any international organisation that is not founded by an international treaty'. The vital role of NGOs and other "major groups" in sustainable development was recognized in Chapter 27http://habitat.igc.org/agenda21/a21-27.htm of Agenda 21, leading to revised arrangements for consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/res/1996/eres1996-31.htm

Related Topics:
United Nations - Consultative Status - Sustainable development - Agenda 21

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Globalization during the 20th century gave rise to the importance of NGOs. Many problems could not be solved within a nation. International treaties and international organizations such as the World Trade Organization were perceived as being too centered on the interests of capitalist enterprises. In an attempt to counterbalance this trend, NGOs have developed to emphasize humanitarian issues, developmental aid and sustainable development. A prominent example of this is the World Social Forum which is a rival convention to the World Economic Forum held annually in January in Davos, Switzerland. The fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in January 2005 was attended by representatives from more than 1,000 NGOs. http://www.globalpolicy.org/ngos/role/conf.htm

Related Topics:
Globalization - International treaties - World Trade Organization - Trend - Humanitarian issues - Developmental aid - Sustainable development - World Social Forum - World Economic Forum - Porto Alegre

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