Analyzing Challenges Faced by NGOs in Achieving Goals

This report examines the multifaceted challenges faced by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), particularly within the context of partnerships aimed at achieving peace, gender equality, poverty reduction, and sustainability. It uses Oxfam as a case study, detailing the NGO's role as a partner to governments and a catalyst for social change. The report explores the definition and characteristics of NGOs, their collaboration with government agencies, and their function as agents of social change. The main body of the report delves into specific challenges such as goal conflicts with corporate partners, resource constraints, commitment disparities, and leadership style differences. The report underscores the importance of addressing these challenges to ensure effective partnerships and the successful attainment of NGO objectives. It highlights how NGOs can navigate these difficulties to maintain their focus on social welfare and sustainable development.

NGO

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Challenges Faced By NGO Wanting To Work As Partner To Attain Peace, Gender Equality,
Poverty And Sustainability.....................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
A non-government organisation (NGO) is a non profit, voluntary group of citizens that
has been organized on a local, national or international level. These enterprises are formed by
people who are having common interest of performing variety of social welfare activities. NGOs
works for number of specific issues such as for human rights, environment, health, poverty etc.
so as to reduce or remove its negative impact on the people of society. The reports is based on
the case study of one of the largest and leading NGO of UK Oxfam that was established in 1942.
The project will discuss about the role of NGO as partners of government agencies and
contributors of social change. Further, it will explain challenges that have been faced by NGOs
willing to work in partnership to attain peace, gender equality, poverty and sustainability.
MAIN BODY
Definition of NGO
An NGO is an organisation or group of individuals that are working together independent
from any external administration who believes in certain basic social principles. These firms
structure their activities to support international development and have humanitarian or
cooperative objectives rather than profit generation as main aim (Grayson, 2014). NGOs
involves charitable and religious associations that channelizes funds for development program,
distribution of foods, family planning services, poverty eradication and promoting community
organization. They also consist of independent cooperative societies, community
associations,women's groups etc. that work autonomously for creating awareness among public
to participate in activities of these firms. There are few characteristics that an NGO must abide
so as to registered itself as a voluntary organisation. These three features includes not to be a
political party, must not to be a criminal group and must not have profit generation as main
motive. Over the past decades, there have been immense increase in the number of NGOs across
the world. In context to UK, there are around 16,5801 voluntary organisations that provides
employment to around 63% to full time workers and 37% to part time workers i.e. total 8,53,000
individuals. This voluntary sector contributes around £11.1 billion to its gross value i.e. equal to
0.8% of entire UK GVA.
Oxfam is one of the leading NGO of UK that is association of 20 independent charitable
firms that work with objective of eradicating global poverty. The four main areas of focus for the
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organisation are to provide essential services, economic justice, rights in crisis and gender
equality.
NGO as a partner of Government and development institution
It is important healthy to maintain relationship between objectives of government and
NGO for effective community development. When the government have positive social agenda
and NGO are effective, there is potential for developing a strong, collaborative relationship
among the two parties (Battersby,Taveekan and Nimbtik, 2017). Genius partnership between
NGO and government totally depended upon mutual respect, acceptance of autonomy and
pluralism of NGO recommendations. In case of Oxfam, government of UK invested around
£13.4bn in 2016. Also, government of UK last year provided bilateral aid of around £1.1bn
internationally.
Another areas where NGO works in partnership with government is for providing health
care and emergency services. The government work in close collaboration with NGO who helps
in providing relief and aids to the victims or the needy people. Thus, NGO helps government to
increase coverage, improve quality of care and making it easy by making it possible for people to
have access to government relieving funds and programs. It in tern helps these voluntary
organizations to implement their social missions by providing financial sustainability to them.
Another major role of NGO as partner of government is of sustainable community development.
Due to their social principles ideology, these organizations effect in reaching out to poor and
remote communities and to mobilize them. For instance; Oxfam conducts various employment
generation programs, opens markets at international trade where it sells crafts and produce from
poorer regions at fair price (Banks and Hulme, 2012). Through its focused development work,
Oxfam tries to uplift communities by making them self supporting and self reliant. Further, it
helps in empowering these communities to recover their lives and to work. Thus, it work in close
collaboration with government agencies in social and community development.
Further, Government agencies can work on planning, applying, monitoring and
managing small scale projects on the basis of recommendation and information provided by
NGOs. Also, it aid government to come up with numerous policies related to women and
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children development creation of employment opportunities, opening up of cooperative societies
etc.
NGO as social change agent
NGO works as an agent of bringing change in society, the way business is being
conducted and in improving the living standard of people by understanding the following
functions:
 Assessing Environmental impact of products: NGOs ranks goods and services on the
basis of how its impacts environment. This helps in making the consumers to be
conscious while choosing a particular product. Further, it also exerts pressure on various
organizationals to bring necessary changes in their product, process, technology to be
used etc. so as to reduce their carbon and environmental imprints. These organizations
compels the big brands to religiously follow CSR and notify government and other
regulatory bodies in case they non abide the policies or environmental related
legislations.
 Greening the supply of products and services: NGO are working autonomously for
designing and developing products that will reduce environmental impacts of
consumptions. For this, these organizations offers an alternative for more sustainable
consumption (Limpangog, Pruitt and Lee, 2017). Focusing on providing employment opportunities: NGO's like Oxfam continuously
works towards developing and enhancing the standard of living of people belonging to
backward communities or disaster prone areas. By organizing various training and skill
development programs, counselling, support services and making people aware
advocacy, legal aid and micro finance, NGO helps people to improve their skills,
knowledge and abilities. Thus, it helps them in becoming empowered and to get
employment or create one of themselves.
NGOs collaboration with media, faith based organization, professional and civic
organizations and issue based movements
Oxfam being one of the largest voluntary organization of the world to attain its mission,
vision and objectives to eradicate poverty across the world working in close collaborations with
small farming cooperative to large global brands. It major collaborators involves:
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 Around 1000 local NGOs of UK, producers, group and SMEs who understands problems
that keeps the local community poverty redden. They work together with Oxfam to
support and motivate local skills and experience so as to uplift the society and community
people (About our partners, 2018).
 Oxfam works with many campaign allies that helps organization to bring social issues in
front of largest possible audience. It involves environmental and humanitarian NGOs,
faith groups, celebrities, unions like Salvation Army, charities and faith groups like
Robin Hood Tax alliance, barnardo's and Friends of the Earth.
 Corporate Partners including businesses in UK and worldwide that aid Oxfam through
staff fundraising, commercial partnerships by organizing employee to donate their
unwanted items etc.
 Institutions like UK's Department of International Development, European Union and
United nations provides funds and aid to Oxfam to carry out its relief programs and
projects worldwide. 3000 suppliers of Oxfam UK who works in close coordination with organization to
support and aid its emergency, campaigning and development work.
NGO in Business Partnership
With immense increase in the role and importance of NGOs in nation's economy, a recent
trend has been developed towards strategic partnership between business with these voluntary
organizations. Within this partnership, NGO together with trade unions evaluate and undertake
decisions related to employees rights, business ethics, CSR etc. that majorly impacts core
business practices (Makuwira, 2013). Among this, one of the noticeable trend has been
development of NGOs for promoting sustainable development among other enterprises. Further,
NGOs helps various enterprises to establish certification systems that aid management to
monitor, measure and communicate their social and environmental best practices undertaken by
them. Thus, it induces business organisations to take responsibility of their business actions and
operations.
The Case Study
Oxfam apart from having NGOs, faith groups, celebrities and charities as its partners also
have various corporate businesses such as PayPal, Visa, Heathrow, Watersons, Mark & Spencer
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etc. Thus having a partnership with a corporate business is subject to various issues and problems
that eventually could affect the overall partnership of them. For instance, recently its partners
M&S and Sainsbury's are alleged of sexual misconduct in the charity's Haiti and Chad programs
and Oxfam is accused to fail in providing full details of either case to the Charity of
Commission or the government. Pertaining to this, NGO then has to apologised unreservedly
and announced a range of measures to strengthen its safeguarding policy. Mentioned below are
some most prominent issues that NGOs' encounter while entering into partnership with other
corporate businesses that ultimately hamper their main aim of attaining business sustainability
and peace:
 One of the biggest challenges faced by NGOs like Oxfam while entering into partnership
with corporate organizations is the goal and role conflict in the aims and objectives of
both the organisations. It is as corporate firm's work with goal of profit maximization
while the aim of NGOs' are undertaking activities related to society benefits. Also,
generally there is legal as well as social liability of each partners for the actions of the
other ones. Just as in mentioned in case study where allegation that is put on M&S and
Sainsbury's also negatively impacted Oxfam s' reputation which is also accused of
concealing the right facts from the government or other Charity commissions. Further
Oxfam was also compelled to apologize in behalf of its partners. This proves to be one of
the major barriers for NGOs to attain sustainability and peace in continuing partnership
besides business.
 Other significant issue is concerned qwith raising capital for operations of the
organisations. It is as all the partners have limited liability there Oxfam have to face
several issues in generating required funds from its corporate partners like M&S and
Sainsbury's. Thus, Oxfam have to be depended upon investors, government aids,
subsidies, donations and charities to fulfil its financial needs. Thus
 Another major issues that partnership of Oxfam with its corporate partners like M&S and
Sainsbury's encounters is the level of commitments and efforts that partners are putting in
accomplishing aims of Oxfam that is eradication of poverty. It is as global multinational
brands like M&S , Sainsbury's etc. might not align with goal of social welfare that NGO
like Oxfam strives to attain and just for to get associated in order to fulfil its CSR
obligation or to build its brand image. Thus, in such cases where there is disparity in
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their commitment level and time and efforts dedicated by each of them in such scenario
its becomes difficult to continue partnership for attaining sustainability and peace.
 Leadership styles forms yet another major problem that emerges as an issue between
NGOs and their partners. It is as NGOs like Oxfam believes in democratic or
participative form of leadership that encourages each and every person belonging to
organisation to be a part of decision making process and give their inputs. This might not
always be the case with its corporate partners like Sainsbury's or M&S which not always
support democratic leadership style and sometimes apply authoritative styles in case of
implementing any policy or to take major decisions concerning business, investment etc.
Challenges Faced By NGO Wanting To Work As Partner To Attain Peace, Gender Equality,
Poverty And Sustainability
Although there is significant enhancement and acceptance of roles of NGOs in various
different sectors however still there are various challenges that are been faced by NGO. These
barriers not only impair partnership of NGO with various sectors but also make it hard for NGO
to attain its main objectives related to peace, gender equality, sustainability and eradication
poverty. Mentioned below are such challenges in context to partnership of NGOs with various
different sectors apart from corporate organizations : Complex rules : Partnership with government constitutes various legal and other
obligations that NGOs are required to abide by in order to get registered officially. Thus,
for any social, voluntary group who seeks to get registered as NGO, this is required to
have a detailed information about all these rules, procedures and various
documents(Mann, 2014). Thus, this long procedure limits down zeal of many such
groups, international and national donors leading to either non continuation of partnership
or non-agreement between them to enter into a contract. This ultimately impacts firm's
objectives of attaining peace, sustainability, gender equality and poverty reduction. Prohibition on certain activities that NGO is not allowed even after been getting
registered. As NGOs are subjected to national law of various countries, it limits scope of
them to undertake various relief programs freely without government interventions.
These further results in improper coordination and colliding of objectives of voluntary
organizations with government that ultimately results in dissolving of partnership in
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between them. Thus, it limits scope of NGOs and occurs as major challenge in
commencing its activities for attaining sustainability. Lack of funds: Many NGOs face the challenge of raising sufficient funds to continue
carrying out their work. Gaining access to investors, donors forms one of the major
barrier NGO suffers from lack of systematic and well defined project, organizational and
financial sustainability that are being considered as priorities by these donors. Also, even
the aid provided by government is limited and is a challenging task to get due to presence
of so many parallel NGOs and voluntary enterprises. Therefore, it further leads to either
dis-continual of partnership with government or to attract international or national donors
whose priorities are to get associated with a well known name. Thus, it happens to
become on of the major barriers to provide adequate relief materials to eradicate poverty. A lack of effective governance forms one of the common barrier for the NGOs in
achieving their objectives (Robinson, 2013). With lack of focus and understanding for
maintaining a systematic Board and set up that results in poor transparency. Further,
even in developing or under developed nations where on part of government there is lack
of proper mechanism and processes such as sector wide approach, decentralization to
monitor and redress issues related to urban planning, violence, gender, poverty etc. This
pose major challenges for non profit organizations like Oxfam to implement policies or
programmes for citizens and for sharing information among government and non-
government entities to work on these issues. Thus, these inefficacy and poor coordination
leads to emergence of role and goal conflicts between NGOs and government that results
in end of partnership Poor, disorganized networking forms another critical challenge for NGOs to effectively
attain their objectives. It is because it is results in duplication of efforts, time ,
conflicting strategies etc. Also, lack of knowledge and skills about effectively utilizing
IT technology further reduces efficiency of these organizations to reach out large
audience, to make people aware about their social and relief works so that they an too
join hands or contribute in it. Thus, it reduces the scope of NGOs like Oxfam to get
associated with potential investors or to enter into partnership with big brands or
companies. Therefore, for Oxfam, it becomes critically important to acquire services of
qualified professionals or to provide appropriate training to them.
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 Inability and inefficiency to reach out certain communities of society: In certain nations
like Pakistan, Iraq, Iran etc., where community are subjected to insensitivity, imposition
of externally chosen legal, political or religion aims, cultural or language barriers. Also
there is certain norms that governed gender power relations influencing how violence
against girls and women are viewed and have a discriminatory approach is often
permeate the various sectors within government also who holds the same views as those
by society. Thus, in these nations the scope of NGOs like Oxfam either remain limited or
is not at all encouraged and objected. This restrains Oxfam to start campaigns, provide
counselling or to fight for the rights of women leading to discontinuation of its
partnership with government and attainment of its objectives of gender equality. Poor management or employment practices : This issue is frequently encountered by
NGOs that immensely damages morale and impact effectiveness of the working of a
NGO. For instance, an NGO like Oxfam to manage its 5000 staffs and more than 25000
volunteers across world within limited funds serves as one of the most crucial challenge
(Sonenshein, 2016). This probes out to impact on enthusiasm of employees to work with
organization leading to either high turnovers or absenteeism. Thus, it leads to
discontinuity of partnership with faith or other private/corporate businesses that
negatively impacts organizations sustainability. Poor governance and networking: A lack of adequate and effective governance is a
major issue which creates challenges to work as a partner with governmental bodies and
organisations to maintain peace. It includes poor understanding among associated people
who do not know how to Board and set one up. In this regard, it has evaluated that
founders of Oxfam (NGO) are generally concerned to work for own purpose and
objectives. While governmental bodies are focused to develop transparency among
business partners. For this purpose, they introduce open communication system and give
chance to each associated members to share their issues. Therefore, different purpose and
concern view among NGO and its partners, with poor or disorganized networking,
consider as major challenge. The reason behind this is conflicts which arise due to
different working pattern, time inefficiencies, in-abilities in workers to learn from
experiences etc. In addition to this, communication among employers of Oxfam,
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International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs), community and other partners,
should be effective. Lack of development approaches: Many NGOs are facing such types of issues when
work as a partner to develop gender equality and reduce poverty. As building of proper
infrastructure, provision of services, approach to empower people and more, are some
factors which are required for gender equality. Other than this, unawareness of changes in
government’s role, changing Aid paradigm, instead of welfare approach, usage of others,
etc. bring challenges in front of NGO’s like Oxfam in implementation of development
approaches.
 Other issues: Various other issues like politically jealousy by government that do not
want to foster a healthier, strong and popular NGO due to fear of bolstering political
opposition. Another issues involves lack of competent staff and volunteers especially at
local levels, corruption, nepotism, dependence on foreigners donors, jealously of civil
servants for NGOs' access to resources, highly political policy environment of nation etc.
are some of other issues that hampers the objective of attaining gender equality, peace,
poverty reduction and sustainability by NGOs willing to take up partnership.
Hence, these are some encountered issues and challenge i.e. restraining the NGOs
wanting to perform their business in partnership to achieve gender equality, accomplish peace,
sustainability and poverty reduction etc.
CONCLUSION
The project undertaken concludes that NGO forms one of the leading sector that not only
aids an economy to control and eradicate various issues like poverty, inequality etc. but also
helps in generating number of employment opportunities for its citizens. Various issues that are
been encountered by NGOs compromising complex rules, limited funds, lack of effective
governance forms, poor, disorganized networking etc. This problems acts a barriers for
voluntary organisations to attain objectives like removing poverty, attaining gender equality,
sustainability and peace by entering into or effectively managing partnership with various
sections of economy such as government, businesses etc.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Banks, N. and Hulme, D., 2012. The role of NGOs and civil society in development and poverty
reduction.
Battersby, P., Taveekan, T. and Nimbtik, G., 2017. Governance power and participation.
Grayson, L., 2014. The role of non-government organisations (NGOs) in practising editorial
photography in a globalised media environment. Journalism Practice. 8(5). pp.632-645.
Limpangog, C., Pruitt, L. and Lee, J., 2017. Globalization, gender and development.
International Development: A Global Perspective on Theory and Practice. p.68.
Makuwira, J. J., 2013.Non-governmental development organizations and the poverty reduction
agenda: the moral crusaders. Routledge.
Mann, A., 2014. Introduction. In Global Activism in Food Politics (pp. 1-16). Palgrave
Macmillan, London.
Robinson, K., 2013. Supervision found wanting: experiences of health and social workers in
non-government organisations working with refugees and asylum seekers. Practice.
25(2). pp.87-103.
Sonenshein, S., 2016. How corporations overcome issue illegitimacy and issue equivocality to
address social welfare: The role of the social change agent.Academy of Management
Review. 41(2). pp.349-366.
Online
About our partners. 2018. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-
do/about-us/how-we-work/who-we-work-with>
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