INTERNATIONAL NGOs AND THE PERILS OF OUTSOURCING DEVELOPMENT

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Context:

International NGOs (INGOs) occasionally push donor-driven agendas that hurt local communities, aggravate gender imbalance, and fuel female foeticide.

Background

• British colonial policies; such as land reforms, increased infanticide among land-owning castes, their record blamed cultural backwardness for female infanticide, ignoring their own role.
• After independence, INGOs continued to push donor-driven agendas, their interventions, pushed by concerns of overpopulation, aggravated female foeticide.
• Between the 1950s and 1980s, INGOs like the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Population Council introduced sex determination technologies to India.
• By the 1960s, India was seen as a “test case” for population management. INGOs influenced policies to prioritise family planning over other health needs, and they provided funding to institutions like AIIMS, to influence research and policy directions.

Note: In 1951, the ratio was 943 girls for every 1,000 boys, close to the natural balance. By 1991, it had dropped to 927. The most sharp decline was seen after the introduction of sex-determination technologies in the late 1960s.

About International NGOs and the Outsourcing Development

1. International NGOs (INGOs) play an important role in global development, but their involvement continually comes with challenges and controversies.
2. INGOs aim to manage global issues such as poverty, health, education, and human rights by implementing projects and influencing policies.
3. Outsourcing development projects rather than depending on local governments and institutions is adopted due to INGOs expertise, resources, and efficiency.

Positive Impacts

INGOs can mobilize significant financial and technical resources from international donors, which can be crucial for development projects in resource-constrained settings. They bring specialized knowledge and innovative approaches to address complex development challenges.

Negative Impacts

1. INGOs sometimes operate based on the priorities set by their donors, which may not align with the needs of local communities. This leads to projects that are not sustainable or beneficial in the long term.
2. In some cases, INGO-led projects have displaced local communities and disrupted traditional ways of life. For example, conservation efforts in Tanzania and Kenya displaced Maasai communities.
3. Over-dependence on INGOs can create dependency, damaging the capacity of local governments and institutions to manage their own development.

Challenges

1. INGOs sometimes implement projects without fully understanding or considering local contexts and needs, leading to ineffective or harmful outcomes.
2. They are not accountable to the local populations they serve.
3. They can wield notable economic influence, which can skew local priorities and policies towards donor-driven agendas.
4. INGOs may interfere in local politics, damaging sovereignty and local governance.

Way Forward

1. INGOs should work for capacity-building initiatives that empower local communities and institutions to promote their own development.
2. They must respect and include local cultures & traditions in their projects to improve acceptance and effectiveness.
3. They should be accountable to the local populations they serve.
4. They must cooperate with local institutions to ensure sustainable development.
5. Governments should develop strategies to reduce dependency on INGOs by gradually transferring knowledge, skills, and resources to local entities.

Conclusion

INGOs can improve their utility in development projects by addressing the challenges and adopting a more inclusive and collaborative approach, which can lead towards more sustainable development outcomes.  

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Source: 

Indian Express

PRACTICE QUESTION Q.In what ways have donor-driven agendas influenced the effectiveness of International NGOs (INGOs) led development projects, and what are the potential consequences for local communities? (150 words)