A critique of the role of NGOs as partners in governance

Abstract

In the current age, with the diminishing role of the state, there is a growing significance of its partnership with non-state actors, including private enterprises, local authorities and non-government organisations (NGOs). In particular, there is greater recognition in the developing world of the state’s partnership with NGOs in delivering goods and services, especially in line with the new framework of shared governance prescribed by international agencies and donors. Despite the overwhelmingly favourable views on such partnership disseminated worldwide by its advocates, many critics draw attention to its adverse consequences such as the use of NGOs as profit-making ventures, avoidance of government’s social responsibilities by transferring them to NGOs, and ineffectiveness of government’s public accountability. Questions can also be raised regarding the reliability and legitimacy of NGOs as partners. As most studies on NGO partnership tend to overlook these concerns, this article offers a critique of the state’s partnership with NGOs in the case of Bangladesh where there are some of the world’s largest and most widely recognised NGOs. These concerns related to the partnership of NGOs in governance can also be observed in other developing nations.

Keywords:

• partnerships
• governance
• NGOs
• limitations
• alternatives
• Bangladesh

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Although Grameen Bank is registered as a specialised bank through the Grameen Bank Ordinance of 1983, it is treated as an NGO in discussion as its microfinance model possesses most NGO features (World Bank, 2006). As pointed out, “the activities of Grameen Bank resemble those of several other NGOs”, and the Household Income and Expenditure Survey “includes Grameen Bank in the list of specific ‘NGOs’” (Gauri, 2003, p. 2).

2. According to on survey on 300 NGOs in Bangladesh, by 2003 about 90 per cent of all NGO branch offices provided microcredit services, 56 per cent provided health care, 52 per cent sanitation and 45 per cent education (World Bank, 2006).