Atlas: Challenges faced by local NGOs in Ethiopia with the global shift in development approach: from need based to right based approach by Sisay Gebre-Egziabher

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ISTR Sixth International Conference
Toronto, Canada / July 11-14, 2004
Contesting Citizenship and Civil Society in a Divided World

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Challenges faced by local NGOs in Ethiopia with the global shift in development approach: from need based to right based approach
by
Sisay Gebre-Egziabher

Challenges Faced by Local NGOs in Ethiopia with the Global Shift in Development Approach:

From Need Based to Rights Based Approach By: Sisay Gebre-Egziabher P.O. Box : 27093 Code 1000 Addis Ababa Ethiopia e-mail: sisay_g@hotmail.com Introduction Very few international NGOs started working in Ethiopia four decades back, but most NGOs evolved following 1974/75 famine. NGOs role then was mainly relief focused. They undertook other development activities, mainly provision of basic social services, since 1980’s. While local NGOs evolved following the great Ethiopian Famine of 1974/75 and 1984/85, the great majority of NGOs mushroomed following the downfall of the Marxists Derg Regime in May 1991.

NGOs played a great role in: § providing basic social services such as infrastructure building, provision of basic education, undertook agricultural extension, etc., § raising public awareness on different development issues such as gender equity, environment protection, etc., § filling development gap where government is short; etc. However, with the change in development approach, i.e. shifting from their previous role (provision of basic social services) to the new Rights Based Approach (RBA)., most local NGOs faced great deals of challenges. For example:

§ most local NGOs started long year development activities, provision of basic social needs where the beneficiaries and government bodies are eagerly waiting;

§ donors (international NGOs, multilateral and bilateral agencies) only wants to support local NGOs who involve in development work that are inline with right based approach;

§ a clash between government and donors wish where government bodies especially those at grassroots still expect NGOs to involve in the provision of basic social services and filling development gaps;

§ as most local NGOs depend on external resources to run their development activities and cover their administrative cost, the change to RBA has forced them to cut down on certain cost as it meant discontinuing their activities, laying off certain staff and sell their properties;

The paper will try to analyse these and other challenges faced by local NGOs and their future fate.

Objectives of the paper § To briefly describe the evolution of local NGOs in Ethiopia § To assess type of development approaches/strategies local NGOs use and analyse different roles they play in development;

§ To analyse changes local NGOs had to go through in shifting from need based to right base approach.

Methodologies § Desktop research: varies books, research papers, documents, etc. will be referred to understand how local NGOs evolved and what role they play in development;

§ Case studies: Representative sample NGOs will be identified and their cases presented;

§ Interview and Discussion: o Representative sample donor agencies will be identified and discussion will be held with their program/project staff;

o Representative Government organisations (local Government administrative bodies) which have direct link with NGOs will be identified and discussion will be held with their respective representatives Relevance to an international audience Even though the paper will consider the case of local NGOs in Ethiopia, it will be relevant to an international audience, as it will look at global issues on development. Right Based Approach to development has become a preferred strategy to development globally.

Date received: September 30, 2003