Role of NGOs in International Affairs and Human Rights Promotion - Essay Example

Role of NGOs in international affairs and human rights promotion Name Institution affiliation Date Role of NGOs in international affairs and human rights promotion Introduction The last few decades have seen an unexpected rise in the capacity that non-governmental organizations are playing in international affairs and promoting human rights. The importance of these roles played by the NGOs can be seen by how they attend united nation meetings in high numbers despite the high cost of travel and accommodation associated with such meetings. Every senior United Nations official keeps on emphasizing on the huge role that is played by NGOs in the process of delivering sustainable development. Notwithstanding the recent evidence of disruptive, sometimes violent, NGO protests at international summits such as Seattle and Gotenburg, papers examining the contribution of NGOs to international affairs abound in academic journals of various disciplines as do reports from think tanks examining ways to enhance the participation of NGOs in international regimes. But what is the real significance of increased NGO presence on the international sphere? Is their rise evidence for the relative decline in the influence of the state?] How are their activities different, if at all, from the past? And are expectations of what NGOs should deliver in the achievement of sustainable development, with all the implications this has for assessing how well resources devoted to NGOs are being used, realistic? This essay pursues to address these vital questions. Conclusions are not easy to glean given the disparate theoretical literature and the difficulties inherent in rapidly developing global perform in this area[Mic06]. The beginning segment of this paper inspects what is meant by the term “NGO”, their past development and the types of doings assumed by them in the compass of worldwide environmental law. The second assesses the roles and responsibilities played by NGOs in promoting international affairs and primarily human rights issues as well as the challenges for NGOs posed by the concept of sustainable development. The third and concluding subdivisions focus on the nature and way of upcoming growths[Mar99]. Definition of NGOs The term non-governmental organization encompasses, quite accurately, every kind of organization that is not a State. This comprehensive meaning is wide-ranging enough to catch the activities of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) as well as the complete jurisdiction of “civil society” – that slice of cooperative lifetime that happens in a place above the separate yet below the state. Most writers now define the term NGO to exclude IGOs and civil society. NGOs are typically defined as “private organization’s not established by a government or by intergovernmental agreement which are capable of playing a role in international affairs by virtue of their activities” or as a “private international organization that serves as a mechanism for co-operation among private national groups in international affairs...”These somewhat formalistic definitions belie the fact that the term NGO is now fairly widely accepted as being synonymous with “pressure group” or “interest group” – groups that engage in the political realm but without any ambitions on their part to usurp the role of the state as the formal maker and enforcer of laws[Mar04]. Evaluation of contributions made by the NGOs in international affairs Non-governmental organizations are widely viewed as institutions that represent the rights of citizens as humans as well as contributing to the concerns of global governance. The relationship between NGOs and international affairs is viewed from a positive perspective, with the hope that its contributions will help in overcoming human rights violations and other malpractices that are currently being witnessed in today’s world. International affairs such as global governance are facing challenges and only NGOs can step in and save them from these challenges. Aspects such as participatory, transparency and accountability in global governance as well as international affairs can only be done through the efforts of non-governmental organizations[Jut03]. In this aspect, it can be argued that there are about five major ways through non-governmental organizations may be used to promote human rights and improve international affairs such as global governance. The first way is by making the public learn through giving out information and helping them understands more about important issues affecting the globe. This is one way of ensuring that the NGOs play the very role that governmental organizations could not play, that of making sure that citizens are aware of issues that affect them hence help them to find the solutions. Secondly, non-governmental organizations create enabling environments and situations for informed citizens to engage in and contest policies. For example Non-governmental organizations can create an essay competition whereby the participators will be asked to explain and find a solution for a social issue such as environmental degradation or poverty. The third way is whereby NGOs give voice to marginalized tribes, communities or groups of persons who have been neglected by the state or the international community. For example in the United States the black community in the 1970’s was helped by non-governmental organizations in order to launch movements that were meant to unite them against the racial and political abuse that they were subjected to. Fourth, NGOs make sure that they act as policy checkers whereby they scrutinize whatever action the government or state takes as they push for better access of government operations through asking or requesting for the related documents and monitoring the effects of policies that have been launched by the government. The NGOs also are mandated with ensuring that all rights of citizens are properly followed as the government goes through its operations. The fifth role that non-governmental organizations play in the global stage is the concept of playing as a watchdog whereby it checks the accountability of all members’ states to make sure that international affairs are taken care of[She10]. The role of non-governmental organizations on the global world stage is seen as having changed over the decades. Right now, NGOs play a bigger role in ensuring that international affairs such as global governance and poverty are taken care while at the same time ensuring the human rights are observed. Non-governmental organizations play a great role in promotion of international affairs and human rights. This role is played well by ensuring that the NGOs set an agenda that is focused on changing policies, priorities and ideas in the global front. Non-governmental organizations are increasingly seen as forming an important part of the global institutions whose mandate is to oversee how governments run their operations so as not to negatively affect human rights and other global affairs[Hil04]. The role played by NGOs on the global front can be explained through modeling the behaviors and impacts of NGOs after more traditionally, instrumentally motivated interest teams. Experst explain the boomerang effect or the spiral model as the model that can be used to explain the concept of NGOs participation in international affairs. NGOs roles are modeled putting into consideration enforcement of global norms such as areas pertaining global human rights activism, environmental degradation and global governance. Scholars turn their attention to examine the reason why some NGOs prefer to concentrate more on certain issues and not others, studying the reason why the NGOs do so and to what effect. The most common view that was established in all the studies was that NGOs are able to affect the way policies are designed by states and governments, while at the same time strengthening their advocacy roles to the point that even great powers cannot ignore them. An example on NGOs power to mobilize can be seen by the way world powers are forced to stop dumping electronic wastes African continent so as to avoid environmental degradation[Wil97]. The role NGOs play in the formation of national and international policies regarding matters of public importance cannot be ignored. It is understood that even though NGOs do not have the legal mandate to form policies touching in international affairs, they exercise an enormous amount of informal power that they use to influence governments to take up action and make these policies. The NGOs shape how international affairs such as human rights issues are addressed and how the public can be enlightened to be aware of their benefits. On environmental and climate issues, nationwide and global policy makers are often warned to the necessity for exploit by NGOs when an issue mingling within the scientific community achieves sufficient public attention as a result of NGO campaigns. NGOs play a vital role in this “problematic definition” procedure. They help interpret complex technical subjects into “problems” the community can comprehend making “request” for action by the state or worldwide community along the way to deliver solutions through either formulating policies or through funds. To this end, NGOs rouse their association systems to demand action but perhaps more prominently, they teach the public about the “being” of a problem by getting media coverage. Although an undeveloped component of the policy-making process, the generation of communal pressure is widely regarded by NGOs themselves, and a significant number of researchers studying their influence, as probably the most significant role that NGOs playing global businesses[Mic061]. Over the years non-governmental organizations have increased their participation in international affairs and studies and they have also increased in their numbers. Non-governmental organizations have also increased their authority and dictating international matters, a significant improvement from their past. Amnesty international, a human rights group is used as an example to show how non-governmental organizations can have a role to play in the international issues affecting the society such as poverty, human rights and environmental degradation. Different NGOs play different roles in the international arena and their results are influenced by which field they are dealing with. Experts discuss the influence non-governmental organizations have in international environment negotiations. The explanation is that NGOs have a role to play and they are said to have perfectly played this role by passing information that alters the behavior of players in the environmental sectors. The results analyzed in the article show that non-governmental organizations have influence on how different international issues are understood. According to experts, the study helps to better understand the variation of NGO influence in global environmental politics (Ann Marie Clarka, 2011). Analyzing non-governmental organizations shows that the role of NGOs in global governance and international affairs is great. The world over faces a lot of challenges in trying to curb issues such as terrorism, pandemics and pollution and this is the main places where NGOs come in. non-governmental organizations in partnership with governments have a big role to play in ensuring that people understand global governance and the challenges facing it. The article also discusses the roles played by non-governmental organizations in helping to understand the field of international studies, altering the world political and economic landscapes. The article discusses the concept of NGOs and uses the private sector as a contradicting party. The role played by non-governmental organizations as they participate in global value creation and governance as well as identifying their effectiveness and feasibility. Regarding the environmental degradation affair, the author of this article states that the NGOs in today’s world are squarely placed in the field of environmental action, as it is the field where there are many functions and practices that can be associated with the non-governmental organizations. This article discusses the contribution of NGOs in helping people understand about international affairs such as environmental protection. Governments are urged to recognize and fund NGOs in order to increase their research on issues such as environmental and natural resources. The article reviews the current literature that shows concern with the way non-governmental organizations are handling their functions. The article also looks into other trends such as the growing numbers, functions that are changing and the intensifying networks that different NGOs come up with. The author gives attention on the role played by NGOs in helping people understand international affairs and understanding the flow of ideas, knowledge, funding and people. The article also talks about the micro politics of NGOs and how they are important in addressing international studies[She10]. Ann Marie Clarka, (1998) starts with discussing the process of globalization and its effects for the last two decades. The non-governmental organizations now operate in a very changed environment because of the reduction in state capacity, changes in world economies and the end of wars. NGOs are now facing what is called the globalization of the NGO sector. The author goes on suggest how NGOs should respond to the challenges mentioned while also explaining how NGOs can cooperate and build networks. Ann Marie Clarka, (2011) states that studies and analyses how non-governmental organizations play the role of overseer in making sure those human rights and more so women’s rights are observed. The author goes on to explain that non-governmental organizations endeavor to influence the interests of a country by framing challenges, problems, solutions and justifications for political action. NGOs play a great role in ensuring that the government addresses these problems and issues in the correct manner. The success of the NGOs in the mobilization process ultimately depends on two main factors; the political influence the NGO has that comprises of allies, institutions and different changes in the current political alignments and struggles. How the NGO mobilizes its structures also plays a great role in the process. [Hal10] Addresses the issue of women rights issues in the Muslim world and the role NGOs are supposed to play in ensuring that the rights are observed. The author concludes the non-governmental organizations have roles to play when it comes to advocating for the rights of women in Muslim countries. Women all over the world need similar rights and freedoms and NGOs should be at the fore front of advocating for these rights. NGOs help people in the understanding of human rights issues by advocating for those rights relentlessly. [Hil04] Critically evaluates and analyses the significance of the role played by non-government organizations in the field of international studies and more importantly world politics. International studies and relations officials have debated the significance of the role played by these NGOs, arguing that they play a very small role overall. The authors of the article also point out the fact that the non-governmental organizations should be the ones providing the guidance on how such issues as human rights and rights of minority groups should be handled. The article’s empirical studies also point out to the fact that NGOs only focus on single areas hence not being able to study large areas, a fact that limits their findings. References Mic06: , (Michele M. Betsill, 2006), Mar99: , (Lindenberg & Dobel, 1999), Mar04: , (Karns & Mingst, 2004), Jut03: , (Joachim, 2003), She10: , (Jasanoff, 2010), Hil04: , (Hildy Teegen, 2004), Wil97: , (Fisher, 1997), Mic061: , (Betsill & Corell, 2006), Hal10: , (Afshah, 2010), Hil04: , (Hildy Teegen, 2004), Read More

NGOs are typically defined as “private organization’s not established by a government or by intergovernmental agreement which are capable of playing a role in international affairs by virtue of their activities” or as a “private international organization that serves as a mechanism for co-operation among private national groups in international affairs.”These somewhat formalistic definitions belie the fact that the term NGO is now fairly widely accepted as being synonymous with “pressure group” or “interest group” – groups that engage in the political realm but without any ambitions on their part to usurp the role of the state as the formal maker and enforcer of laws[Mar04].

Evaluation of contributions made by the NGOs in international affairs Non-governmental organizations are widely viewed as institutions that represent the rights of citizens as humans as well as contributing to the concerns of global governance. The relationship between NGOs and international affairs is viewed from a positive perspective, with the hope that its contributions will help in overcoming human rights violations and other malpractices that are currently being witnessed in today’s world.

International affairs such as global governance are facing challenges and only NGOs can step in and save them from these challenges. Aspects such as participatory, transparency and accountability in global governance as well as international affairs can only be done through the efforts of non-governmental organizations[Jut03]. In this aspect, it can be argued that there are about five major ways through non-governmental organizations may be used to promote human rights and improve international affairs such as global governance.

The first way is by making the public learn through giving out information and helping them understands more about important issues affecting the globe. This is one way of ensuring that the NGOs play the very role that governmental organizations could not play, that of making sure that citizens are aware of issues that affect them hence help them to find the solutions. Secondly, non-governmental organizations create enabling environments and situations for informed citizens to engage in and contest policies.

For example Non-governmental organizations can create an essay competition whereby the participators will be asked to explain and find a solution for a social issue such as environmental degradation or poverty. The third way is whereby NGOs give voice to marginalized tribes, communities or groups of persons who have been neglected by the state or the international community. For example in the United States the black community in the 1970’s was helped by non-governmental organizations in order to launch movements that were meant to unite them against the racial and political abuse that they were subjected to.

Fourth, NGOs make sure that they act as policy checkers whereby they scrutinize whatever action the government or state takes as they push for better access of government operations through asking or requesting for the related documents and monitoring the effects of policies that have been launched by the government. The NGOs also are mandated with ensuring that all rights of citizens are properly followed as the government goes through its operations. The fifth role that non-governmental organizations play in the global stage is the concept of playing as a watchdog whereby it checks the accountability of all members’ states to make sure that international affairs are taken care of[She10].

The role of non-governmental organizations on the global world stage is seen as having changed over the decades. Right now, NGOs play a bigger role in ensuring that international affairs such as global governance and poverty are taken care while at the same time ensuring the human rights are observed. Non-governmental organizations play a great role in promotion of international affairs and human rights. This role is played well by ensuring that the NGOs set an agenda that is focused on changing policies, priorities and ideas in the global front.

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