Chapter 8: International Non-Governmental Organizations and their Role in a Regional Perspective

Introduction

International non-governmental organizations (INGOs) have become an integrated part of international politics where they play significant roles that fit their agenda. As a result, they have been active not only in the developed world but also in the third world countries, even including the totalitarian and authoritarian regimes. Their active role in political, economic, and socio-cultural matters was facilitated by the end of Cold War which created a fertile ground for a greater involvement of non-state actors of international politics, particularly the INGOs.

States, in fact, have not only lost power but also had to share some of their powers in terms of political, social and security areas with non-states actors. This has suggested the declining role of states vis-à-vis non-states actors. Such a dynamic shift among states, private sectors, and civil society has brought about a new set of issues, challenges, and opportunities for a tremendous amount of INGOs. Besides, they have risen to greater prominence in almost every space in the world. Many INGOs have started to promote their interests through international or regional organizations.

The Growing Importance of INGOs in The International Relations

The involvement of INGOs, very diverse in nature, and large in number, in world politics brings the need of significant alterations in the existing paradigms and analyses, as the study of international relations has historically focused only on inter-state relations, a small part of global transactions. Joseph S. Nye, Jr. and Robert O. Keohane, prominent scholars of international politics, join this view, noting that “students and practitioners of international politics have traditionally concentrated their attention on relationships between states. State, regarded as an actor with purposes and power, is the basic unit of action; its main agents are the diplomat and soldier”. By introducing the concept of complex interdependence, Nye and Keohane stress that “the environment of interstate politics, however, does not include only these powerful and well-known forces. A good deal of intersocietal intercourse, with significant political importance, takes place without governmental control”.

State-centric paradigm, thus, now fails to depict properly and definitely the outlook of world politics. For this reason, it is not adequate to consider the states alone as the main constituents of global governance which lacks a central authority with precise decision-making and implementation powers. In the absence of such an authority and in the presence of the complexity in the conduct of global governance, the INGOs become more relevant and influential. They now play numerous and sometimes determinative roles, relying on a wide range of strategies and methods for greater legitimacy and recognition on the international stage.

Due to the unwillingness and sometimes reluctance of governments to take proper action, the INGOs form “a vast number of connections across national borders and inserting themselves into a wide range of decision-making processes on issues from international security to human rights to the environment”. The INGOs have been successful in a number of endeavors and initiatives, particularly when they deal with a normative issue. However, their influence and success are not limited to such issues as human rights and environmental issues; they have also been successful in what could be regarded as issues of high politics, including the international security. Additionally, the INGOs have been active in not only developed and democratic countries but also in nondemocratic and repressive ones. This confirms that the INGOs, although originated in the West, have become a global component of international policy-making.

Definition and Classification

Customarily in the IR literature, the NGOs are considered part of what is called non-state segment of international players. The lack of formal association with the state is the underlying rationale for such a categorization. Oddly enough, this is an inadequate description since many other players may just fall into the same category of non-state actors. Despite the need for a working definition that matches all aspects of an NGO, a number of attempts have been made for a proper understanding of the concept. The absence of strong theoretical inquiries into their activities and framework of influence is also another shortcoming that needs to be overcome.

it was the UN that made the first mention of the term NGO, in a practical effort to distinguish the participation procedures for the specialized agencies and for the international private organizations. Strangely enough, while the UN makes explicit reference to the term, its Charter does not provide a definition for NGOs. One definition states, an NGO is “an independent voluntary association of people acting together on a continuous basis, for some common purpose, other than achieving government office, making money or illegal activities” (Willetts, 2018). The definition suggests that people are offered a channel of participating in the processes of global governance particularly in areas where this is denied in a national or intergovernmental setting.

Instead of attempting to define what an NGO is, scholars point out what it is not: “An NGO will not be constituted as a political party; it will be non-profit-making and it will not be a criminal group, in particular, it will be nonviolent”. NGOs are not to be considered as pressure or interest groups and their service in terms of improving quality of global governance is often to “link the complex, unfamiliar world of government to the familiar terrain of existing or nascent social and economic groups”.

INGOs at Intergovernmental and Regional Organizations

Official status recognized in the founding treaties of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), created through interstate cooperation, offers a fertile ground and great opportunities for the involvement of NGOs in both policymaking and legal processes. Those INGOs with a global outlook pay particular attention to making sure that they are admitted in the setting as prescribed by an IGO. This both increases their legitimacy as a player of international politics and enables them to participate in the activities of the organization. In often cases, these activities are focused on settlement of regional problems, making the INGOs develop a regional perspective.

The arrangements for consultation work with INGOs are made in accordance with UN ECOSOC Resolution 1296 (XLIV) (1968) as follows:

1. The organization shall be concerned with matters falling within the competence of the Economic and Social Council with respect to….. human rights. ….
2. The organization shall be of a representative character and of recognized international standing; it shall represent a substantial proportion, and express the views of major sections, of the population ….. in different regions of the world.

The rights recognized to the NGOs as consultative bodies include “to receive the provisional agenda of ECOSOC or its subsidiary bodies and to propose the inclusion of new agenda items,” “to attend public meetings of ECOSOC,” to “submit statements and have them circulated to ECOSOC,” and “to make oral statements before ECOSOC” (Wouters and Rossi, 2001: 8). Their consultative status is meant to enable INGOs to actively participate in drafting discussions. They have entitled the right to proposing ideas for inclusion and providing support for why those ideas are worth being incorporated into a draft text under discussion.

Council of Europe and INGOs

Council of Europe (CoE) is one of the major regional intergovernmental organizations, focusing on the political, social, cultural and economic affairs of the European continent and serving as a common platform and forum of interstate cooperation . Through its roles, the Council represents a fairly regional aspect of international politics. For this reason, the institiutional framework defined for the participation of INGOs in its activities bears huge importance for the sake of a discussion on a regional perspective of non-govermental influence.

The Council, in line with its mission and mandate of promoting human rights and democracy, as well as other relevant normative notions and practices, has been eager to establish cooperation with the civil society sector, as often represented by the INGOs. The framework of cooperation is fairly institutional and favorable to the INGOs as a way to facilitate their participation in the Council’s actions and deliberations.

The European Union and the INGOs

The EU establishes links and maintains coalition and cooperation with INGOs in a number of matters in different fields and areas, particularly those relevant to normative development including environment, social justice, economic inequality, human rights and gender issues. The INGOs have played a wide range of roles in these areas; they made extensive contributions to legislation, political decision-making and to executive deliberations. Their role and contribution become particularly relevant and apparent when they bring up their expertise as a determinative input in the discussions. Additionally, they play a significant role in enhancing the status of the civil society within the EU and provide useful information of a different kind.

Overall, the greatest anticipation is the INGO contribution to the governance of EU institutions and to the relations between these institutions and the national jurisdictions. The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, is tasked with developing relations with the INGOs and defining their roles in terms of contributing to the further democratization of the Union. The Commission performs vital roles and duties in the EU governance, ranging from executive powers to making of legislation in cooperation with the Parliament, as well as serving as a mediator between various EU institutions and bodies.

The European Commission and Civil Society

The Commission, in a discussion paper of 2000, acknowledges the role of the NGOs in enhancing the quality of participatory democracy. The NGOs are seen as key partners in efforts to improve democracy within the EU and to promote democratization in candidate countries as well as developing nations. For this reason, the Commission considers a partnership with local NGOs as a fundamental priority. The paper further elaborates on the areas in which the NGOs could make a genuine contribution. To this end, it cites the NGOs as representing the views of specific groups of citizens to the European institutions.

According to the paper, “many NGOs have an ability to reach the poorest and most disadvantaged and to provide a voice for those not sufficiently heard through other channels.”.

NGOs as information relays. European NGOs and their networks and national members, can serve as additional channels for the Commission to ensure that information on the European Union and EU policies reaches a wide audience of people concerned by and affected by its policies;

Funding of NGO-led activities, within the Community and abroad, which are coherent with and contribute to the implementation of EC policies. These programs are characterized by a high degree of NGO ownership of the actions financed;

NGOs as actors implementing Community programs and projects, in particular in the field of non-member countries co-operation. In these cases, NGOs have been chosen as partners because of their specificity coupled with their expertise and technical capacity.

The Committee, acting in accordance with the provisions of these treaties, delivers its views through its own initiatives or reports to relevant bodies and institutions. Within the framework of serving as an institutional forum for dialogue and consultation under the EU law, the Committee plays a dual role; on the one hand, it strengthens democracy; and on the other, it brings the EU closer to its citizens. In brief, the Committee increases democratic legitimacy of the EU and performs as a bridge between the Union and the citizens of Europe. The EESC mission has three major components:

• Advising the Commission, the Council, and the Parliament on policy proposals, making use of the special expertise and practical experience of its members, and thereby contributing to the EU decision-making process;
• Enabling civil society organizations in the Union to be more involved, and therefore more committed to the European venture, at both national and European level, and to help bring Europe closer to its citizens;
• Strengthening the role of civil society organizations in non-EU countries or blocs (or groups of countries) where it has ongoing relations, developing a structured dialogue between civil society organizations, especially the social partners, and promoting consultative models along similar lines to the EESC.