Memorandum submitted by Small International
NGOs Group
1. INTRODUCTION
Small International Non-Governmental Organisations
(small international NGOs) seek to be judged on the quality of
their work and not on the size of their organisations. Their aims
are to work better and smarter, to increase the impact of their
work and to be significant partners for development good. To those
ends, they seek to have their work, values and roles acknowledged
and to receive the support of the UK Government's Department for
International Development (DFID).
This paper therefore looks at DFID and its relationship
with small international NGOs from two perspectives:
— It makes the case for the continued
involvement and relevance of small NGOs.
— It critically evaluates DFID's development
policy and practice.
Small international NGOs appreciate the role
played by DFID in highlighting global poverty and raising awareness
of global inequalities and recognise the creation of DFID as a
declaration of intent. It was seen as an indication that the current
government was serious about international development as exemplified
by:
— The increased allocation of the State's
budget towards international development.
— Its commitment to the internationally
endorsed 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
— The steps taken by DFID and the Treasury
to address the debt issue.
DFID's realisation that development takes place
in a political context is encouraging and, by definition, is an
acknowledgement of relations of power. All this was a challenge
to existing unequal power relations between the North and South.
However, the current policy and practice by
DFID are a matter for concern, not only to small international
NGOs; but increasingly to the global poor to whom they listen
and with whom they work in partnership, but do not claim to represent.
2. STATEMENT
DFID has achieved a great deal, but it fails
to recognise the value of the contribution of small international
NGOs to international development and their diversity of views
and practices. This demonstrates DFID's reluctance to accept development
alternatives that do not fit its predetermined model. There are
also major inconsistencies between DFID's declared commitment
to addressing global poverty, and its policy and practices.
3. THE CASE
FOR SMALL
INTERNATIONAL NGOS
Small International NGOs are often formed in
response to specific issues and have developed not in size but
in terms of their targeted impact. Their major advantage is that
they can be more responsive and innovative in addressing people's
specific needs.
3.1 Diverse Approaches
Similarities exist in the nature of poverty
throughout the world. This masks the considerable differences
in local contexts. Potential solutions will need to be different
in their application. However, the nature of government is to
seek simple, universally applicable, systematic models of development.
Based on the experiences of small international NGOs, this runs
contrary to what poor people need and want. Small international
NGO's have the ability to bring a diverse range of methodologies,
approaches and solutions to poverty.
Case Study 1:
Several of Action Village India's (AVI) partners
have complained that they cannot rely on large western NGOs or
governments to support work which meets local felt needs and which
is proving to be effective. The main problem is the relatively
rapid shift in large western NGOs' funding priorities, such as
from women's projects, to HIV/AIDS, and now on to advocacy. Small
agencies, like AVI, which work with NGOs they know well, are more
committed to long-term support for the programmes they initiate.
3.2 Empowerment of Marginalised Communities
Smaller international NGOs play a positive role
in the empowerment of grassroots communities. They facilitate
local ownership, successful project implementation and sustainable
improvements in the quality of people's lives.
Case Study 2:
In 2001, the African Refugee Community Health
and Research Organisation (ARCHRO), in collaboration with the
Catechist Centre in Gulu, northern Uganda, set up a project for
women whose lives had been destroyed by 15 years of war. The women
are former abductees, who spent most of their youth in captivity
following abductions by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel
group fighting the government of Uganda.
The two organisations worked together to set
up income-generating tailoring and pottery projects for former
female rebel soldiers. It started with 34 former abductees, now
it has 98 women who were rescued/escaped from the LRA rebels.
In 2002, the management of the project was handed over to the
women who constituted themselves into a co-operative. Since then,
the project has continued to expand without any further support
from the two organisations, or any other organisations. The tailoring
project is now the main supplier of cassocks to the Catholic Church
in Uganda, following the Uganda government's ban on import of
used clothing. Its annual turnover in the last financial year
was Ushs 3.5 million (£1,166.60). The initial investment
was under £10,000.
The primary benefits of the project are improved
quality of life of former rebel abductees through skills training,
project management and income that supports their basic necessities;
in other words, self-reliance and independence of women.
3.3 Specialist knowledge
Small international NGOs have specialist knowledge
and expertise, which can be used to influence governmental thinking
and policy in a very direct way. Their expertise could be mobilised
in country and when information is needed on the country in question.
The example below is a case where DFID support enabled a small
NGO to have a major impact.
Case Study 3:
The Britain Nepal Medical Trust (BNMT) is a
small international NGO that has a long-standing agreement with
the Government of Nepal to assist in health improvement of poor
and disadvantaged people. It has an income of around £600,000
per year, of which 95% comes from funds tied to specific programmes
from a small number of international and UK donors. DFID is one
such donor.
With DFID support, BNMT has influenced local
governmental health services to take on the major responsibility
for TB control for a population of around 22 million. In 2002
BNMT applied for grants of £1 million under the Civil Society
Challenge Fund to maintain capacity building of local health services,
both governmental and non-governmental, to improve access for
and responses to poor people, for infectious diseases, reproductive
health, and essential drug supplies. A complementary application
sought funds to assist community empowerment and local advocacy
for improved access and innovations. The concept notes were accepted
by DFID, but both full proposals were rejected in March 2003.
BNMT appealed to DFID in Nepal for support.
Consequently, they were invited to submit proposals to support
the National Tuberculosis Programme via WHO for three years. The
submission was successful and a grant of around £800,000
has been awarded.
DFID in Nepal has sought also to support the
`Peace Process' between the Government and the Maoists through
rehabilitating basic health services, facilities and drug supplies.
Local recognition by DFID of BNMT's capabilities has supported
the Trust's financial viability and continuity of strategic objectives.
3.4 Innovation and Responsiveness
In many cases, small international NGOs develop
the type of relationship that contributes to effective longer-term
development. Many small international NGOs are innovative and
responsive and have a flexible and direct approach to development
work.
The effective manner in which many small international
NGOs pursue partnerships enables closer contact between partner
organisations and the top management of small international NGOs.
Case Study 4:
KwaNgwanase Farmers Union—Established
in 1994 to address the problems facing low resource farmers in
the marginal farming conditions of Eastern Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa the KwaNgwanase Farmers Union (KFU) is a local grassroots
organisation. The KFU serves as an implementer of an agricultural
programme that offers a support service to farmers but also attempts
to influence the nature of state agricultural support services
from the perspective of farmers. In its efforts to "end poverty
and fight the demotivation that perpetuates it", the KFU
is attempting to: raise awareness and stimulate the use of traditional
seed; organise its membership so as to meet their needs; develop
agriculture (crop and animal production) through the application
of appropriate methods of farming; promote better community health
though the consumption of traditional foodstuffs; market locally
produced crops and conserve the natural resources of the area.
The KFU manages a seedling nursery, employs local farmers as part-time
agricultural facilitators and is engaged in a process of dialogue
with the Ministry of Agriculture.
However, what the KFU is especially proud of
is its diversified approach to solving farmers' problems. In the
words of its Chairman, Johannes Ngubane: "In the whole district
under the Tembe Tribal Authority, we were the first to have a
farmer's co-operative and a seedling nursery. We were the first
to tell people to return to their roots and remember their culture.
We did research on collecting wild spinach and fruits and we collected
and multiplied our seeds so new generations can have access to
seeds and information. We are proud of ourselves as a committee
which can manage all these activities and remain accountable to
our members."
Without the support of Find Your Feet, which
has been funding the KFU directly since 1997 as its sole donor,
this would not have been possible.
3.5 Involvement of the UK Public
Small international NGOs representing specific
communities can link defined constituencies in the UK with grass-roots
organisations in the developing world. Many small NGOs represent
or seek to represent and involve certain constituencies in the
UK in international development. They can work with these constituencies
to educate them about international development issues. In a recent
DFID survey it was noted that only 5% of respondents had heard
of the MDGs and only 1% could say what they were. In contrast
to this, the same survey noted that 70% of people were concerned
about poverty in developing countries. DFID's message is clearly
not being heard. People will listen to an organisation they trust
and with whom they have developed an affiliation in some way.
This is the optimal way of encouraging knowledge of the issues
involved in international development.
Case Study 5:
UK Jewish Aid & International Development
(UKJAID) has an income of around £200,000 per annum. It seeks
to mobilise Jewish resources for international development. It
has a defined constituency.
One example of its work is the link it has forged
between a synagogue class in Brighton and a small village school
in Nepal. The children correspond and the synagogue has adopted
the project.
UKJAID has accessed funding from the Development
Awareness Fund and is working with other faith-based NGOs such
as Muslim Aid, Islamic Relief and Christian Aid to get the message
out to the respective constituencies.
Support for this sort of linking projects would
allow the DFID message to become reality for many different constituencies.
This is an example of a faith-based organisation, but there are
many other types of organisations representing certain constituencies
which, with specific access to project funding rather than just
development awareness funding could bring home the DFID message
to a greater proportion of the UK public.
3.6 Appropriate Advocacy
Small international NGOs that focus on specific
issues can often be more effective than larger organisations.
Through concentrated efforts in partnership with local communities
or tribal groups, small international NGOs can have a great impact
on the development of policies that advocate for change, while
respecting the rights of local communities.
Case Study 6:
In Andhra Pradesh, India, in partnership with
a local NGO, the International Network for Development has helped
initiate schooling in the local tribal language. Previously, education
had taken place in the state language, meaning that often children
had no help in developing a command of the official language,
as teachers had no knowledge of the tribal mother tongue and the
children were taught as first language speakers. There was a fatal
mismatch.
Relationships have been developed with the linguistic
departments at the universities in Hyderabad and with the Tribal
Welfare and Education Departments of the State Government. The
Indian Secretary for Education has agreed that this project should
be implemented and all support from Government and universities
should be given. This project is now in the initial stages of
developing a multilingual education programme, which will have
a great impact on education in India.
The DFID Social Challenge Fund decided that
the project did not focus enough on empowerment of the poor and
suggested it was more on the service provision side.
4. DFID POLICY
AND PRACTICE
4.1 The consultative capacity of small NGOs
Small international NGOs have a wealth of knowledge
that could support and strengthen DFID's strategic goals; but
it is not being tapped presently. Consulting small international
NGOs could provide DFID with a cost-effective forum for generating
knowledge and could greatly complement the current knowledge generated
by consultants and Universities contracted by DFID.
Case Study 7:
The Caledonia Centre for Social Development
has much experience in management of land rights, social land,
common property and land ownership information. They could be
of great value to DFID, which currently prefers to use organisations
such as the Natural Resources Institute, Oxfam and Wye College.
4.2 Lack of Consultation and Information
It is acknowledged that requests for meetings
with DFID advisers by small international NGOs, both in country
and in the UK, are usually granted. Such consultation between
DFID and individual NGOs on specific issues is usually satisfactory,
but is restricted to dealing, for example, with a specific desk
officer on a particular programme, and generally not on policy
issues. In other words consultation, when it does occur, is ad
hoc and appears, when policy is involved, to be after the
fact. In general, DFID fails systematically to include small international
NGOs in consultation processes and therefore does not benefit
from their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.
Whilst it is recognised that small international
NGOs are a large and diverse body and that it would be inefficient
and unrealistic to expect consultation with individual organisations,
DFID makes little effort to address this problem and does not
consult systematically outside the five large NGOs. Small international
NGOs could be organised to facilitate dialogue along thematic
or sectoral lines and BOND might well prove to be an effective
conduit for such dialogue.
There is also a marked lack of visibility and
access to important information held by DFID that is of interest
to small international NGOs—such as data on applications
for grants, the results of the evaluation processes and the outcomes
of supported programmes. Making such information available on
the web site would be invaluable to small international NGOs,
improve the standard of applications and inform consultation with
DFID.
Nevertheless, there are good examples of collaboration,
particularly where these are formed around the achievement of
specific targets, including the MDGs. The following case study
highlights one such collaboration.
Case Study 8:
In 2002, DFID set up a working group on gender
and education that brought together DFID advisers and representatives
of NGOs—both large players such as Oxfam, and smaller specialist
organisations such as the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED).
Meeting bi-monthly, the group focused on joint approaches towards
achieving the 2005 MDG of Gender Equity in Education. It provided
a unique opportunity for DFID to consult with NGOs and learn from
best practice on girls' education, a point made by the DFID representatives
involved. From the perspective of smaller NGOs, it opened up important
opportunities to contribute expertise to high-level debate and
policy formulation. In the case of CAMFED, it led to its involvement
in the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI), enabling
it to bring a practical grassroots perspective to international
level.
This working group provides a model for how
DFID and smaller NGOs can successfully come together, and may
be something that can be more widely replicated to achieve broad
and valuable collaboration between DFID and civil society.
4.3 The role of contractors
There is an important role for the private sector
in development. However, DFID's move towards privatisation has
impacted adversely on small international NGOs in two specific
ways. Firstly, the use of private sector contractors to vet proposals
has led to growing dissatisfaction. These contractors often fail
to understand the objectives of the sector and appear to lack
the experience to comprehend the processual nature of the work.
Secondly, the increasing conditionality of donor aid linked to
privatisation has led to social outcomes that do not represent
the interests of the poor, either in the scope of their activities
or in the manner in which they are implemented.
Case Study 9:
The Development Alternatives—Pricewaterhouse
Coopers Consortium (DA-PWC) has been contracted by UK DFID to
manage and administer its Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme
(PACS) in India. The selection criteria used for identifying organisations
to receive funding are unsystematic and subjective, leading to
some weak NGOs being selected. The large amount of funding available
has attracted NGOs whose credibility and work is questionable.
DA-PWC are behaving like a large international funder and are
out of touch with the grassroots realities of the organisations
and work that they are funding. There is a lack of understanding
within DA-PWC of NGO culture and perspectives; most staff have
an urban background and lack experience in grassroots field realities.
To date DA-PWC has not consulted with the Indian Government or
NGOs, although this is now starting to happen.
Programmes are being funded without a proper
needs assessment being conducted; base-line surveys are poorly
carried out. This has led to poor programmes and much duplication
of work since other NGOs are already working in the areas being
funded. Large funding has been provided to umbrella organisations;
projects of organisations already known to them have been funded
to the exclusion of many small organisations that have a greater
need for the funds. These umbrella organisations appear to want
control over the whole PACS programme.
4.4 Privatisation and Water Development
Access to clean water was officially recognised
as a human right by the United Nations Committee on Economic,
Cultural and Social Rights on 4 December 2002, when it declared:
"Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right
to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human
dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realisation of all other
human rights." Also, the World Bank announced in January
2003, at a preparatory meeting in Tokyo for the Third World Forum
taking place in Kyoto that it: "foresees a significant increase
in the need for financing water resources infrastructure in the
developing world".
In much of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the water
sector is starved of investment from cash-strapped governments
and is generally in a bad state of disrepair. Water privatisation
is largely donor sponsored and the release of aid funds is often
conditional on the privatisation of water. Water privatisation
in SSA has always required a foreign investor, therefore the international
dimension of privatisation requires extra vigilance, particularly
since water provision is a "natural monopoly".
Small international NGO's would question the
efficacy of the market for those who lack both endowments and
entitlements. The emphasis on market provisioning is a bias against
process-led development practices that empower the poor and runs
contrary to rights-based development.
Case Study 10:
Since its formation in 1985, Christian Engineers
in Development (CED) regularly received support from the ODA/DFID
Joint Funding Scheme (JFS) for that part of its work involving
the provision of water supplies, primarily to villages in Sub-Saharan
Africa. However, since 2000-01, such support has been declined
(quoting Para. 3.7 of the CSCF Guidelines for Applicants dated
6 May 2002) because such service provision is declared inconsistent
with DFID's human rights approach to development.
4.5 Rights-Based Development
DFID has subscribed to a "rights-based
approach" to addressing global poverty. The rights-based
approach presupposes that development actors, including donors
and borrowers, respect, protect and fulfil human rights through
all their development practices. Small international NGOs support
this commitment to human rights but have two concerns. Firstly,
there is considerable evidence that DFID is inconsistent in its
application of this approach. The rights-based objectives of the
CSCF are not reflected in much of DFID's work abroad. There is
no consensus amongst DFID personnel on the precise nature of a
rights-based approach in practice, and there are considerable
differences in opinion and interpretation on its relevance amongst
DFID country offices. DFID emphasises that principles contained
in its public policy documents relating to human rights and indigenous
people are not binding on its staff and have no operational status[14].
Instead, they are meant to publicise DFID's overall approach to
development and, as such, are aspirational strategic documents
that shape overall priorities for UK official overseas development
assistance. At the same time, the rights-based and sustainable
livelihood guidelines are supposed to inform staff decisions and
practice in project design and implementation. Secondly, DFID's
understanding of rights can be too narrow to meet the diverse
needs of the poor.
Small international NGOs agree that a complete
emphasis on service delivery is insufficient to address social
injustice; poverty is multi-dimensional in nature and requires
a multi-faceted solution: service delivery, capacity building,
awareness raising and advocacy are all important—each has
its time and place. There is, therefore, a growing realisation
inside DFID that rights-based and livelihood approaches can complement
each other. For example, "The CSCF above all else is for
improving the lives of poor people" (Para. 3.11 of the CSCF
Guidelines for Applicants dated 6 May 2002) while "initiatives
which consist primarily of service delivery . . . will not be
eligible" (Para. 3.7). Yet access to clean water and a sustainable
livelihood are fundamental and indispensable human rights. Rights
are indivisible—civil, economic, social, political and cultural
rights in combination. For DFID truly to claim that it has adopted
a rights-based approach to development, it should at least have
a binding human rights policy with an accountability mechanism.
For consistency, the UK Government should be advocating the rights
based approach within international development fora, in its multilateral
lending programmes and in the policies and programmes of multilateral
institutions. DFID should adopt a binding policy on indigenous
peoples.
Case Study 11:
The future of agricultural development in Andhra
Pradesh, India is one of modernisation, hence Vision 2020: a world
in which farmers become knowledge workers and information technology
and biotechnology are the norm. Public infrastructure will be
provided to attract private investment: growth rather than poverty
alleviation becomes paramount. Supported by DFID grants to the
State Government of Andhra Pradesh, the vision is one of the industrialisation
of agriculture, now the lifeblood of the economy and characterised
by small farms. Land consolidation will lead to landlessness and
farmers will lose their livelihoods. Local knowledge will become
obsolete and biotechnology in the form of genetically modified
crops will displace the tremendous range of crops and varieties
currently under cultivation. Cultural and biological diversity
will be lost.
Small farmers, comprising 77% of the state's
farmers who have landholdings of less than two hectares of land
will become invisible, having been written out of the script.
4.6 Scale and Cost Efficiencies
Development programmes are not necessarily better
because they are larger; the quality of an initiative is much
more important than its size. Smallness can be by choice because
it can more easily be associated with flexibility and a lack of
bureaucracy. Small international NGOs are therefore concerned
that DFID has withdrawn from funding smaller stand-alone projects
but acknowledge the need for linkages.
DFID's policy is to support civil society—trade
unions, faith groups and community organisations. This is to be
applauded but the allocation of funds should not be based on percentages
and the type of organisations, but on the quality of the projects
proposed.
Case Study 12:
Village Service Trust (VST) works with dalit
women in south India for economic, social and political empowerment.
It also has a health programme focusing on poverty related, communicable
diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Its main methodologies
are to promote people's associations of, for example: poor, dalit
women; sex workers; people living with HIV/AIDS and transsexuals
and to work through local volunteers and peer educators. VST has
worked in the same geographic area for over 20 years.
Village Service Trust has one UK member of staff
and three in India (two local, one expatriate) and an annual turnover
of £250k. Since its establishment in 1979, VST has made it
a policy to remain small. By having responsibility for both fundraising
and programmes, VST's UK staff member is extremely frugal with
UK spending and excellently placed to undertake all kinds of fundraising.
Communication with India is clear and efficient as UK information
comes from one source. An uncomplicated decision-making procedure
means VST can respond quickly to partners' needs, resulting in
support that is more appropriate. This is feedback received from
VST's partners in India, who have experience of a wide range of
European funders.
4.7 Conclusions
Although small international NGOs are part of
the wider civil society, they differentiate themselves from other
groups within civil society because they have:
— A proven track record in development.
— Specific and relevant skills.
— Long commitment to the Southern organisations
with which we work.
The case studies above show some of the positive
aspects of their diversity.
The challenge is seen to be to ensure that that
diversity is harnessed to help work to relieve poverty wherever
there is need. To that end, there is seen to be an opportunity
for DFID to:
— Empower local people more effectively.
— Use more detailed, culturally specific
knowledge to impact on local governments' policies.
— Improve innovation and a responsiveness
to local issues.
— Involve the UK public more directly.
— Make a difference at a grass-roots
level.
Small international NGOs believe that there
is a consensus on the need for development intervention, but they
perceive some disagreement on the modes of intervention. It is
the view of the small international NGOs consulted in writing
this paper that the role of civil society is increasingly one
of disengagement from ordinary political processes into the extra-political
as governments ignore their citizens.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
The primary areas in need of improvement are
those of visibility of DFID information and consultation between
DFID and small international NGOs on matters relating to policy
development. It is therefore recommended that:
— DFID be invited to release data of
value to small international NGOs, probably via their web site.
— A reciprocal consultation mechanism
be established between DFID and small international NGOs by which
both sides can listen and learn, probably using BOND.
— Recognition be given to the small
international NGO sector for its past, present and future contribution
to development.
— DFID's vision be broadened to acknowledge
that there are diverse paths to be followed in addressing global
poverty and that, in the end, development is primarily about people,
not policies.
In light of the conclusions and recommendations
presented above we would like request that the International Development
Committee undertake a formal review of DFID's policy and practice
in relation to small NGOs.
September 2003
14 For a fuller discussion of this issue see: Forest
Peoples Programme Briefing Paper (April 2003), A Failure of
Accountability, Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and Development
Agency Standards: a reference tool and comparative review. Back
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