Discuss about :
"Roles of, and Relations between, an International NGO
and a National/Local NGO in South Asia"
- How does a foreign partner differ from a donor?
- lWhat should foreign partner do and not do?
- lWhat kinds of relations and interactions can we expect
with foreign, or national, partners?
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| Country |
Date |
Participated Organization |
| India |
21st, Aug., 2004 |
VANI, OXFAM, SLARTC, AVARD, Action Aid India,
BGVS |
| Nepal |
31st, Aug., 2004 |
Local NGOs (Nepal NGO Federation, WACN,
SAGUN, CSD, SOUP), International NGOs（Action Aid Nepal,
The Lutheran World Federation, Save the Children Japan）,
an Academician and a Journalist |
| Bangladesh |
4th, Dec., 2004 |
Local NGOs （RDRS, UTTARAN, SARPV, Nari Pakkha,
Shishu Adhikar Forum, Ain O' Shalish Kendra, FIVDB, Aparajeyo-Bangladesh,
PAPRI, STEP, BDPC, SAP-B）, International NGOs （Manusher
Jonnya, Canada Fund, ActionAid, Freedom Foundation, AAN）,
Academicians （CDL, BIDS, Transparency International） and
Japanese ODA (EoJ, JBIC, JICA） |
| Japan |
11tn, Feb., 2005 |
BGVS (India), ActionAid (Nepal),
Aparajeyo-Bangladesh(Bangladesh), CSO Network(Japan),
ShaplaNeer |
| 12tn, Feb., 2005 |
| 14tn, Feb., 2005 |
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Desirable Partnership
OHASHI Masaaki (Chairperson,
Shaplaneer)
- In the era of globalization, the existence of NGO
is also globally recognized. Almost all governments
as well as international organizations including financial
institutions are emphasizing the importance of NGOs
for development and development cooperation. Under
this circumstance, an NGO often seems a mere ornament
to symbolize people's participation, and/or a low-cost
subcontractor of a development project in the good
name of government (GO)-NGO cooperation. This phenomenon
is very common between a Government and NGOs not only
in North, but also in South, and very importantly
also between a Northern Government and NGOs in South.
It is, therefore, very important to reconfirm the
intrinsic roles of NGOs and civil society in a global
point of view.
- In the context of the North South NGO relation,
it would be also important to review the division
of roles between Northern NGOs and Southern NGOs.
Traditionally, Northern NGOs extended their assistance
to the South by directly implementing projects or
by providing financial resources to local NGOs, while
Southern NGOs implement projects in their own countries
utilizing funds from Northern organizations. In short,
the North helps the South. Nowadays, it is very obvious
that many problems in the South originate in the North,
thus we need to work jointly to change the North and/or
the present international order through campaigns
and advocacy. But some Southern NGOs have expanded
their activities in other countries, and are initiating
several international advocacies and campaigns, such
as World Social Forum. So, the present division of
NGOs roles cannot be "to help" and "to
be helped". Under the present circumstance, how
should we describe the current division of NGOs' roles
between the North and the South?
- Although Japan is categorized as a part of the North,
we are definitely a part of Asia. So, our civil society
and NGOs might be different from those in Europe and
North America. From this point of view, we are eager
to discuss whether the Japanese NGOs really differ
from those of Euro-American NGOs or not. If they differ,
how really so? If the same, why so?
- As mentioned above, Shapla Neer is currently in
the gradual process of radical transformation from
a direct implementer of projects to a partner of local
NGOs in Bangladesh. In Nepal, as mentioned above,
Shapla Neer has been a partner of local NGOs from
the very beginning. But we are sometimes frustrated,
because we could not well differentiate ourselves
from that of a donor. Shapla Neer may be an annoying
small donor for our partners, as we usually ask local
partners for joint planning, monitoring, evaluation
and so on. As we want to be a good partner for local
partners and people in South Asia, we would very much
like to receive your suggestions.
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