07-24-2016, 11:19 AM
Local, national and regional NGOs have emerged as major players and partners in development activities in the region. At the community level, they are in the front line in providing assistance in the acquisition of basic needs and amenities; in identifying issues, raising awareness, and providing information to grassroots communities; in articulating the communities’ problems and needs and bringing these to the attention of those who can affect change; in defending both the environmental and developmental rights of communities and building the capacity of communities to manage their natural resources; and in dealing with sustainable development concerns.
1. Awareness-Raising, Campaigning and Advocacy
2. Environmental Monitoring and Reporting
3. Education, Training and Capacity Building
4. Local Government and NGO Partnerships
5. Contribution Toward Making Cities Child-friendly
6. Catalyzing and/or facilitating the active participation of communities in development
7. Complementary or neutral to the objectives of the local authority.
8. Ensure reliability and sustainability of their initiatives, since they are self motivated.
9. Implementation, operations and maintenance of the facilities required for development.
1 Awareness-Raising, Campaigning and Advocacy
Across the region a large array of groups work to raise awareness of environmental issues and push for changes in policy and development programmes. These groups carry out environmental awareness raising and campaigning locally, nationally, and internationally, with some campaigns operating simultaneously at all levels. In India, for example, the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) has earned international recognition for its work in mobilizing public opinion among people’s organizations in the State of Kerala .
NGOs that seek to change laws and government practices are more likely to be successful when they join forces. Effective advocacy requires large numbers. The more people you have on your side, the louder your voice is, and the stronger the pressure you are able to bring to bear. If a coalition already exists, join it. If none exists, think about starting one. That will make your NGO a leader among its peers. Such a step will take time and commitment. You may have to recruit staff and board members who can invest the time and energy to do it well.
2 Environmental Monitoring and Reporting
Many NGO campaigns are based on research that highlights or monitors specific environmental issues. At the local or community level, NGOs are in a good position to keep track of critical issues on a continuing basis and, in many cases; NGOs complement the work of government institutions and cooperate with law enforcement authorities.
Environmental NGOs typically take up causes related to the environment such Climate Change, Air Pollution, Deforestation, Ozone Layer Depletion, Waste Management, Biodiversity and Land Use, Energy, Conservation, Environmental degradation, Land Degradation Some of the Prominent examples of Environmental NGO working in India are
1. Greenpeace India,
2. Awaaz Foundation,
3. Centre for Science and Environment,
4. Goa Foundation,
5. CERE India,
6. Conserve,
7. Foundation For Ecological Security,
8. Exnora International,
9. Goa Foundation,
10. WWF India
11. Winrock International India.
3 Education, Training and Capacity Building
NGOs have worked extensively with governments to help develop and implement national environmental education strategies
4 Local Government and NGO Partnerships
Partnerships take different forms, ranging from informal and casual to formal and structured. You can have relationships where you talk to each other regularly to share information, ideas and experiences. You can also have highly organized, collaborative relationships where you design projects, raise money and run the projects together.
Governments need NGOs to accomplish their missions as well as vice versa. Because they often have very deep relationships in the communities they serve, NGOs can reach people governments can’t. With the ability to operate with high levels of flexibility and creativity, NGOs can fill gaps where governments have difficulty reaching.
5 Contribution Toward Making Cities Child-friendly
Rapid urban growth in many cities in India poses significant risks to the well-being of children. Research commissioned by UNICEF has noted that the health and often the lives of more than half of the world’s children are constantly threatened by environmental hazards, in their home and surroundings and in the places where they play and socialize. The research also indicates that 40 000 child deaths occur each year from malnutrition and disease, and that 150 million children a year survive with ill health, with retarded physical and mental development. More and more young people are being admitted to hospital with asthma due to car fumes, while other pollutants are linked with a whole range of other health problems in the young. Shanty town dwellings with inadequate basic facilities exposes children to diseases and dangers, while traffic claims many young lives on a daily basis. Because of such problems, one of the greatest challenge for urban administrations in the new millennium is in the area of child development and protection.
During the past two decades, relevance of the role of voluntary sector has been in focus in India. In fact, the initiatives taken by the United Nations and its agencies in involving the voluntary sector for capacity building and contributing towards the speedier and less expensive processes of development has gained worldwide acceptance. As a consequence, the developed countries in particular and those which are still developing or are less developed have taken the idea of involving the voluntary sector responding to the complex processes of development at various levels. India has a large network of voluntary organizations working in the fields of Health, Education, Urban spheres.
1. Awareness-Raising, Campaigning and Advocacy
2. Environmental Monitoring and Reporting
3. Education, Training and Capacity Building
4. Local Government and NGO Partnerships
5. Contribution Toward Making Cities Child-friendly
6. Catalyzing and/or facilitating the active participation of communities in development
7. Complementary or neutral to the objectives of the local authority.
8. Ensure reliability and sustainability of their initiatives, since they are self motivated.
9. Implementation, operations and maintenance of the facilities required for development.
1 Awareness-Raising, Campaigning and Advocacy
Across the region a large array of groups work to raise awareness of environmental issues and push for changes in policy and development programmes. These groups carry out environmental awareness raising and campaigning locally, nationally, and internationally, with some campaigns operating simultaneously at all levels. In India, for example, the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) has earned international recognition for its work in mobilizing public opinion among people’s organizations in the State of Kerala .
NGOs that seek to change laws and government practices are more likely to be successful when they join forces. Effective advocacy requires large numbers. The more people you have on your side, the louder your voice is, and the stronger the pressure you are able to bring to bear. If a coalition already exists, join it. If none exists, think about starting one. That will make your NGO a leader among its peers. Such a step will take time and commitment. You may have to recruit staff and board members who can invest the time and energy to do it well.
2 Environmental Monitoring and Reporting
Many NGO campaigns are based on research that highlights or monitors specific environmental issues. At the local or community level, NGOs are in a good position to keep track of critical issues on a continuing basis and, in many cases; NGOs complement the work of government institutions and cooperate with law enforcement authorities.
Environmental NGOs typically take up causes related to the environment such Climate Change, Air Pollution, Deforestation, Ozone Layer Depletion, Waste Management, Biodiversity and Land Use, Energy, Conservation, Environmental degradation, Land Degradation Some of the Prominent examples of Environmental NGO working in India are
1. Greenpeace India,
2. Awaaz Foundation,
3. Centre for Science and Environment,
4. Goa Foundation,
5. CERE India,
6. Conserve,
7. Foundation For Ecological Security,
8. Exnora International,
9. Goa Foundation,
10. WWF India
11. Winrock International India.
3 Education, Training and Capacity Building
NGOs have worked extensively with governments to help develop and implement national environmental education strategies
4 Local Government and NGO Partnerships
Partnerships take different forms, ranging from informal and casual to formal and structured. You can have relationships where you talk to each other regularly to share information, ideas and experiences. You can also have highly organized, collaborative relationships where you design projects, raise money and run the projects together.
Governments need NGOs to accomplish their missions as well as vice versa. Because they often have very deep relationships in the communities they serve, NGOs can reach people governments can’t. With the ability to operate with high levels of flexibility and creativity, NGOs can fill gaps where governments have difficulty reaching.
5 Contribution Toward Making Cities Child-friendly
Rapid urban growth in many cities in India poses significant risks to the well-being of children. Research commissioned by UNICEF has noted that the health and often the lives of more than half of the world’s children are constantly threatened by environmental hazards, in their home and surroundings and in the places where they play and socialize. The research also indicates that 40 000 child deaths occur each year from malnutrition and disease, and that 150 million children a year survive with ill health, with retarded physical and mental development. More and more young people are being admitted to hospital with asthma due to car fumes, while other pollutants are linked with a whole range of other health problems in the young. Shanty town dwellings with inadequate basic facilities exposes children to diseases and dangers, while traffic claims many young lives on a daily basis. Because of such problems, one of the greatest challenge for urban administrations in the new millennium is in the area of child development and protection.
During the past two decades, relevance of the role of voluntary sector has been in focus in India. In fact, the initiatives taken by the United Nations and its agencies in involving the voluntary sector for capacity building and contributing towards the speedier and less expensive processes of development has gained worldwide acceptance. As a consequence, the developed countries in particular and those which are still developing or are less developed have taken the idea of involving the voluntary sector responding to the complex processes of development at various levels. India has a large network of voluntary organizations working in the fields of Health, Education, Urban spheres.