NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOs)

A. INTRODUCTION

A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a not-for-profit organization that is independent

from states and international governmental organizations. NGOs are usually funded by
donations but some avoid formal funding altogether and are run primarily by volunteers.
NGOs are highly diverse groups of organizations engaged in a wide range of activities, and
take different forms in different parts of the world. Some may have charitable status, while
others may be registered for tax exemption based on recognition of social purposes. Others
may be fronts for political, religious, or other interests.

NGOs are difficult to define, and the term 'NGO' is not always used consistently. In some
countries the term NGO is applied to an organization that in another country would be called
an NPO (nonprofit organization), and vice versa. There are many different classifications of
NGO in use. The most common focus is on "orientation" and "level of operation". An NGO's
orientation refers относиться to the type of activities it takes on она осуществляет. These
activities might include human rights, environmental, improving health, or development
work. An NGO's level of operation indicates the scale at which an organization works, such
as local, regional, national, or international.

The term "non-governmental organization" was first coined Придумал in 1945, when the
United Nations (UN) was created. The UN, itself an intergovernmental organization, made it
possible for certain approved specialized international non-state agencies — i.e., non-
governmental organizations — to be awarded observer status at its assemblies and some of its
meetings. Later the term became used more widely. Today, according to the UN, any kind of
private organization that is independent from government control can be termed an "NGO",
provided it is not-for-profit i.e., it is not hindered Препятствует by short-term financial
objectives Цели. Accordingly, соответственно, it is able to devote посвящать itself to
issues which occur происходить across longer time horizons, such as climate change,
malaria prevention, or a global ban on landmines наземные мины. Public surveys reveal
обнаруживать that NGOs often enjoy пользуются a high degree of public trust, which can

[1]
make them a useful – but not always sufficient достаточный – proxy for the concerns of
society and stakeholders заинтересованные стороны.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-governmental_organization

An NGO can:
• Work in partnership with other NGOs to achieve shared aims достижение общих
целей.

• Empower уполномоченные groups to engage участвуют in campaigns.

• Work, where appropriate уместно, in partnership with Governments to achieve

common aims and objectives цели и задачи.

• Work, where appropriate, against Governments when those Governments are

promoting policies which are contrary to the NGO’s objectives;

• Deliver services efficiently and effectively outside the framework of Government

policies when this is necessary;

• Provide professionally researched advice to Governments on issues of concern;

• Advocate and campaign for change as a response to need;

• Guide and contribute significantly значительный вклад to legislative and policy-
making processes;

• Be vigilant бдительный ‘watchdogs’ – pointing out указывая на то where

Governments and corporations are failing in their obligations не выполняют свои
обязательства.

• Be open, transparent and accountable ответственный to its membership and to the

public;

• Increase the strength прочность of NGO participation in civil society by forming

networks and coalitions and promoting продвижение original initiatives and
solutions.
In summary, the role of many NGOs can be to check, monitor and criticize the
actions of Governments and private bodies, to supplement and complement
дополнить the role of Government and to help individuals and groups assert
утверждать their rights.

[2]
B. AREAS OF SUPPORT

Non-governmental organisations are the backbone позвоночник of the Greek civil society.
From the Greek branches Ветви of international NGOs and nation-wide NGOs to local
grassroots organisations низовые организации, civil society in Greece is a diverse sector.
NGOs may work in one or more areas, such as social welfare благосостояние, the
environment, human rights and democracy, and the rights of children. Sources of funding
vary as well также различаются, and may include membership fees Сборы and individual
donations, grants provided by public-benefit foundations Основы, social entrepreneurship
предпринимательские schemes, CSR and various различные European funds.
Volunteering is a building-block of civil society in Greece with nearly около 13% of Greek
citizens participating in the activities of NGOs as volunteers (European Parliament Special
Eurobarometer 75.2, June 2011).

NGOs provide support in the following areas:

 Democracy

Human rights including minorities Меньшинств rights (in particular Roma в частности,
цыгане, immigrants, migrants and asylum seekers)

 Good governance and transparency

 Participatory democracy
 Combat racism, xenophobia it is tied to racism and hate crime.
 Anti-discrimination on all grounds, including sexual orientation
 Social inequalities, poverty бедность and exclusion, including in rural сельский
areas.
 Gender equality равенство
 Gender-based violence насилие
 Anti-corruption
 Trafficking in human beings
 Active citizenship and human rights awareness raising
 Networking and coalition building among NGOs
 Protection of the environment and climate change.
 Awareness‐raising activities Мероприятия по повышению осведомленности
 Multicultural dialogue activities
 Mutual learning and dissemination
 Education and training activities
 Provision of welfare and basic services
 Participation in policy and decision making processes

Source http://www.ngonorway.org/countries/greece

[3]
C. NGOs IN GREECE

Some of the NGOs that operate in Greece are:

 Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde-Greece):

This independent non-governmental organisation provides humanitarian medical aid in

Greece and abroad. In Greece, the group runs a shelter укрытие for asylum-seekers and
refugees in downtown центр Athens, another shelter for women victims of sex trafficking
Торговли and a free walk-in medical centre. MdM- The group's offices and Shelter for
Asylum Seekers "Nafsika" are based at 12, Sapfous Street, GR-105 53 Athens.

 SOS Children's Village:

The Greek branch ветка of an international child welfare благосостояние organisation. The
non-profit group provides homes and a family environment to abandoned заброшенный,
orphaned осиротевший and destitute сильно нуждающийся children of all nationalities.
Two villages in Greece -- one in Vari and another in Plagiari, near Thessaloniki -- admit
children who have lost either one or both parents or whose parents cannot provide for them
any longer. A third village is under construction in Thrace, northern Greece. Single women
are hired as SOS mothers. The group's office is located at 6, Ermou Street, Syntagma Square,
central Athens. URL: http://archive.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/.

 ActionAid Hellas:

ActionAid is an international, non-governmental, non-profit, development organisation whose

aim is to fight poverty бедность world-wide во всем мире. ActionAid was formed in 1972,
while ActionAid Hellas was launched in 1998. For over 30 years, the NGO has been growing
and expanding to where it is today: helping over 13 million of the world's poorest and most
disadvantaged Обездоленных people in 42 countries world-wide. ActionAid's vision is a
world without poverty in which every person can exercise their right to a life of dignity
достоинство. More than 28,000 people in Greece actively support its work. The group's
Greek office is at 52, Falirou Street, Koukaki, GR-117 41 Athens.

 Arcturos:

In 1992, Aetos Florinas-based Arcturos was formed as a non-profit organisation and the
following year began programmes to protect the brown bear, eventually в конечном счете
attracting European Union and private-sector support, as well as funds from WWF Hellas.
Today, the group's work focuses on protecting and managing the area's natural environment
and wildlife. Besides its main activities which always concern captured bears and wolves,

[4]
Arcturos organises awareness campaigns, studies bears and large mammals млекопитающие,
and is leading Balkan initiatives to monitor and protect the region's bear population.

Source http://www.invgr.com/ngos_greece.htm

D. Criticism

Within В течение the last decade десятилетие, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in

Greece have become very active in a great variety of sectors. However, their increasingly-felt
presence has been coupled связанно with a growing mistrust недоверием. Media coverage
has questioned their projects' effectiveness. Greek NGOs have been accused обвиняемый of
self-interest, "hidden" agendas, bad management and corruption. Some studies have
confirmed that Greek public opinion holds similar views. All these misperceptions
ошибочные представления have influenced negatively NGO effectiveness.

http://excellence.minedu.gov.gr/thales/en/thalesprojects/377323

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Why are NGOs sometimes better placed than governments or other organisations to
work towards achieving their goals?

Because NGOs work as independent and non-profit structures. They can be to check and
criticize the actions of Government, to complement the role of Government and to do
useful impact for society and generally for world. NGOs provide support in different
areas.

2. What obstacles Препятствия do NGOs often face in сталкиваются при working towards
their objectives?

- There is not alwayss sufficient degree of public trust.

- criticism and accusing of self-interest, "hidden" agendas, bad management, and corruption

- it negatively influenced to NGO effectiveness.

[5]
Exercise

What are some of the most common criticisms of NGOs illustrated in the cartoons below
ниже?

a.

…mistrust (low degree of public trust), misunderstanding

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………

b.

[6]
 qa

……… self-interest, corruption,

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….....

c.

[7]
………"hidden" agendas, corruption,
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….....

d.

он не будет слушать. он всё также желает построить колодец: Я продолжаю

говорить ему, что эта теория перемен несовершенна

……criticism…,

low degree of public

trust……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………….....

e.

[8]
It is known problems but they don’t know any decisions…- bad management,
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………….....

f.

……………"hidden" agendas, corruption,

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………….....

[9]
[10]