International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are companies that operate in multiple countries and work for social benefit or public health. The term is informally reserved for non-profit, public interest entities. The main idea behind most international NGOs is that the world’s problems can be more effectively addressed through collaboration between local aid groups and international supporters. As long as no government actor has an influential role in how the organization does business, the NGO is still considered “non-governmental”.
An international non-governmental organization is, in its broadest sense, any company or corporation that does business in multiple countries but is not part of any governmental entity. The precise definition of what an international non-governmental organization (NGO) is or is not is quite difficult to define. Generally, the term is only applied to organizations that work in some way for social benefit or public health, usually in the not-for-profit sector. The name “international NGO” usually says more about what an organization is not than what it is: it is not linked to a government and is not influenced by any government negotiations. Other than that, much is left open to interpretation.
The United Nations was the first to introduce the NGO concept in the mid-1940s. Organizations that fit the UN description existed before that time, of course. UN recognition only served to provide a common means of describing them. The United Nations Economic and Social Council defines an international NGO as “any international organization not established by a governmental entity or an intergovernmental agreement”.
Even that definition is enormously broad. Many private multinational companies can claim inclusion. Most often, however, the term is informally reserved for non-profit, public interest entities.
The main idea behind most international NGOs is that the world’s problems – hunger, poverty and oppression, to name a few – can be more effectively addressed through collaboration between local aid groups and international supporters than local workers alone. Problems like these are often too big for domestic NGOs to resolve independently, particularly with regard to resources. Being international allows for more support and better provision of help in many cases.
An international NGO is not prohibited from accepting government money. Many of the world’s wealthiest countries fund the work of international civil society organizations through donations, charitable grants and program sponsorships. Some international NGOs also work closely with political causes or on issues of political significance to certain governments. Paradoxically, these activities generally do not compromise an entity’s international NGO status.
As long as no government actor has an influential role in how the organization does business and has no say in how or why the organization is structured, the NGO is still generally considered “non-governmental”. The same happens as long as the organization is not directly aligned with any political party. In most cases, the international structure of NGOs is designed to help protect independent organizations from government control. Government help and inspiration are generally considered separate.
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