Donors, beneficiaries, or NGOs: whose needs come first? A dilemma in Afghanistan

Abstract

Aid effectiveness has been an important subject in discourses around Afghanistan's reconstruction and development. NGOs are important players in this discourse and there are contradictory views about their function, accountability and effectiveness. The present article gives an overview of the context in which NGOs have operated in Afghanistan since 1979, when the Soviets invaded the country. It then discusses the public perception of NGOs and the sources of this perception, and concludes that donors' lack of understanding of the local context and their policies have contributed to local NGOs' ineffectiveness.

Bailleurs de fonds, bénéficiaires ou ONG : quels sont ceux dont les besoins passent en premier ? Un dilemme en Afghanistan

L'efficacité de l'aide a constitué un sujet important dans les discours portant sur la reconstruction et le développement de l'Afghanistan. Les ONG sont des acteurs importants dans ce discours et il y a des points de vue contradictoires sur leur fonction, leur redevabilité et leur efficacité. Le présent article propose une vue d'ensemble du contexte dans lequel les ONG fonctionnent en Afghanistan depuis 1979, moment de l'invasion du pays par les troupes soviétiques. Il traite ensuite de la perception publique des ONG et des sources de cette perception, et conclut que la compréhension insuffisante du contexte local parmi les bailleurs de fonds, ainsi que les politiques qu'ils ont suivies, ont contribué à l'inefficacité des ONG.

Doadores, beneficiários ou ONGs: quais necessidades vêm primeiro? Um dilema no Afeganistão

A efetividade da ajuda tem sido uma questão importante nos discursos sobre a reconstrução e o desenvolvimento do Afeganistão. As ONGs têm um papel importante nesse discurso e há visões contraditórias sobre sua função, prestação de contas e efetividade. O presente artigo oferece uma visão geral do contexto em que as ONGs têm atuado no Afeganistão desde 1979, quando os soviéticos invadiram o país. O artigo, então, discute a percepção pública das ONGs e as origens desta percepção, concluindo que a falta de compreensão do contexto local pelos doadores e as suas políticas têm contribuído para a inefetividade das ONGs locais.

Donantes, beneficiarios u ONG: ¿las necesidades de quién ocupan el primer lugar? Un dilema en Afganistán

La eficacia de la ayuda humanitaria en la reconstrucción y el desarrollo de Afganistán ha sido un tema ampliamente debatido. Las ONG participan activamente en este debate y muestran puntos de vista encontrados respecto a su función, su proceso de rendición de cuentas y su eficacia. Este ensayo ofrece una visión global del contexto donde han trabajado las ONG en Afganistán desde la invasión soviética de 1979. También analiza cómo se perciben públicamente las ONG y a qué se deben tales percepciones, y concluye afirmando que las políticas de los donantes y la falta de comprensión del contexto local han contribuido a la ineficacia de las ONG.

Keywords:

• Aid
• Civil society - NGOs

Notes

There are 700 social organisations registered with the Ministry of Justice. They are regulated by the Law on Social Organizations, which was adopted in November 2002. Based on a ministerial decree, social organisations and political parties cannot receive foreign funding. However, according to the Ministry of Justice the prohibition is not in force. Practically the only difference between NGOs and social organisations is where they have obtained their legal registration status with no further consequences.

A checkout technology, used by merchandising businesses, that connects the barcode on the items to the inventory and displays the pre-determined price of the item.

Men who lead the prayer in the mosque and preach to the community.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Roya Rahmani

Roya Rahmani is a gender and development expert, based in Ottawa, Canada and Kabul, Afghanistan.