The road to achieve Millennium Development Goals through NGOs: the paradigm required.

The road to achieve Millennium Development Goals through NGOs: the paradigm required. Authors: Dr. GeetaNema, geetanema@rediffmail.com , Reader, IIPS, D.A.V.V., Indore, Ms. Shazia Khan, shaziawkhan@gmail.com , Asstt. Professor, Altius Institute of University Studies, Indore

The world and its issues in 2000 • Population of 6 billion, Ozone layer depletion, Rapid climate change, Malnutrition, AIDS, Fast paced globalization, Peace, security and disarmament, Human rights, Development and poverty eradication…… • the richest 20% of people possess 86% of gross national product, in which one country accounts for 23% of worldwide energy consumption and the USA and Europe alone account for 65% of annual wealth creation. • The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - laid down in 2000 by the UN and set the year 2015 as the deadline for achieving them. • UN generated a report in the year 2007, ‘Progress at the MDG mid-point’ to assess the quantum and direction of progress to date

How to achieve the MDGs ? • To achieve the MDGs • all the respective national development strategies and budgets must be aligned with them. • requires inclusive governance, • robust infrastructure and enhanced productive capacity, • heightened accountability on the part of policy-makers and • reduced corruption and indifference. • Growth  greater demand for natural resources  the quest for lower cost of production. • Ultimately a long lasting impact on economy, environment and society by large.

MDGs ~Corporate~CSR • On one hand they carry the responsibility of • creating wealth, • generating employment and • attract investment; while on the other they are vulnerable to charges such as • environmental pollution, • consumer rights, • child labor, • corruption, etc. • The U.N’s definition of CSR “The integration of social and environmental concerns into business policies and operations” • CSR - the guiding principle for organizations to operate in the society , taking onus for their impact on customers, employees, shareholders, society and the environment.

Figure explaining CSR ) Desirable but discretionary ( e.g. philanthropy) • Discretionary • Ethical Responsibility Ethical expectations of a company (e.g. license to operate Obligations to fulfill economic mission within the confines of the law • Legal Responsibility Responsibility to produce goods/service that society wants at a profit Economic Responsibility Source: Adapted from Carroll (1991)

Role of international agencies in CSR • the Global Fund for Women-a publicly supported foundation , making grant to women-led organizations supporting women’s health, education, leadership, economic security, violence against women, etc. • MISEREOR -managed by the Catholic Church in Germany, supports the causes of hunger, disease, poverty and other forms of human suffering in countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. • The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues- an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council, granting aid to project proposals of NGOs the world over. • Department of Public Enterprises of Indiahas laid down the guidelines on CSR for Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in March 2010. Under these guidelines the CPSEs need to implement CSR in their operations through Specialized Agencies, NGOs being one of them.

Role of NGOs in CSR • Beginnings of CSR in Europe and North America were driven by NGOs exposing companies for irresponsible behavior. • Kenya has more than 600 NGOs, many working in grass-roots community development. • In the Philippines, 500,000 registered NGOs working on AIDS education and environmental preservation. • In Russia, NGOs deliver business services, assist battered women, and work on environment education. • Thus NGOs become the grass root level agencies instrumental in achieving the MDGs laid down by the United Nations.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: The researchers attempted to explain the scope of NGOs and the linkage between their objectives and the MDGs laid down by the UN. • To analyze the modus operandi of the NGOs operating at local level. • To investigate the bottlenecks they face in realizing their objectives. • To explore the future roadmaps for them in the light of MDGs.

METHODOLOGY: • An exploratory research, case study approach was used, through an unstructured interview and observation. • The sample- comprised of the local NGOs operational in Central India, particularly in the city of Indore, • The respondents - the office bearers of these NGOs and their beneficiaries. • Thesampling technique -Random sampling was used for selecting the NGOs. • The sample size- was 24 due to paucity of time.

Activities of NGOs vis-à-vis MDGs of the UN • Capacity building through training in small trades, physically and mentally challenged, collecting donations from corporate houses and general public, free distribution of food packets, organizing collective meals for weaker communities • Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • Educating slum children, counseling their parents, arranging for meals at small private schools operating in backward regions of the city to encourage higher attendance, ensuring implementation of Government schemes for children of weaker sections such distribution of books, uniforms, bicycles to children • Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Assisting women of slums and weaker communities through SHGs, Adult education drives, Anganwadis, guidance for loan, trainings for entrepreneurial activities • Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women • Free medical check-up camps, mobile dispensary on vans, educating poor mothers to combat malnutrition in children through cheaper protein substitute, vaccination drives, promoting gaps in children, smaller families • Goal 4: Reduce child mortality • Free checkups by medical practitioners, educating for healthy diet, free-of-cost distribution of folic acid and calcium tablets, stress on regular checkups during pregnancy, camps on family planning, educating for marriage of girls after 18 years, free distribution of sanitary napkins • Goal 5: Improve maternal health

AIDS awareness camps, free distribution of condoms, educating about causes of AIDS, distribution of chlorine drops, educating for hygiene and sanitation, clean drinking water, educating girls of puberty age for their special needs • Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases • Trekking camps of school children, seminars and workshops on waste recycling, water recharging , plantation drives, awareness for cleaning of small canals and local rivers, pollution checkup camps • Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability • Industry visits for school and college students, trainings on animal husbandry, vermicomposting, youth exchange and adult education programs, working in collaboration with Universities and industry for future needs, blood donation camps, drives to assist refugees, widows, orphans, rehabilitation of displaced due to building of dams, bridges etc., victims of natural calamities, Art and culture exhibitions, trade fairs • Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Achieving Millennium Development Goals through NGOs • Grass root approach • Adaptation and Innovation • Cost efficient and effective • Integrity and Sincerity of Purpose • Expert management

Findings and conclusion: • Lacking institutional capacity • Financial lameness • Victims of corruption • Scattered and isolated work-pattern • Limited understanding and scope • Lack of prolonged and dedicated staff

Corporate houses Government agencies International agencies NGOs Suggestions: the paradigm required The common area in yellow color shared by all the three triangles indicates the corners overlooked by the trio. The inverted triangle indicates the ‘trickle-down’approach by the corporate houses- that they should possess towards the trio

For Government agencies • Keep them in the loop while furnishing dynamic data. • The government agencies should be open for their ideas and efforts can be there to implement them in the future policies. • Their suggestions be taken in improving the existing project designs • They can be included in disseminating information and build awareness about the impact of economic and social reform. • Should be spared to some extent from bureaucratic red tapism to enable them to reduce the response time. • Efforts should be made to implement single-window method to reduce time spent in formalities to facilitate the NGOs. • A transparent system that rewards consistent, effective and innovative work on field by NGOs should be developed.

For international agencies • High-level conferences on specific themes, policy, and strategies could be convened in the language of the region. • The agencies should attach the advisor with the NGOs throughout a single project. • Make the individual NGOs operating in collaboration with the agencies for a bigger region to interact with one another. • Should be observant for the genuineness of the cause and keep aside a part of their funds for assisting novice NGOs.

For NGOs • Generate a sense of ownership/commitment amongst their staff. • Should strive to involve and participate in the formulation of development strategies of their governments and demonstrate readiness to partner. • Develop a feeling of comradeship amongst other NGOs operating in their region and working for the same cause. • Conduct training sessions from time-to-time for their new members to familiarize them with their objectives and also participate in the workshops and seminars organized by the corporate houses. • Upgrade themselves and their classical modus-operandi to enable themselves to be visible to the funding agencies.

For Corporate houses • Increased awakening amongst the corporate houses that they owe to the society, owing to the pace of problems engulfing the humanity. Adopt public-private partnership model. • Increase their in-house CSR activities and also be ethical in their operations while extracting profits from the society. • Assisting novice NGOs which do not qualify for government or foreign aid.

………‘the road to achieve Millennium Development Goals through NGOs’ THANK YOU…. QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME! shaziawkhan@gmail.com geetanema@rediffmail.com

The road to achieve Millennium Development Goals through NGOs: the paradigm required.