NGOs often define their mission as a work with people who need help and cannot count on official government or foreign aid. NGOs in conflict settings have saved lives, protected human rights, helped in post-conflict development and more. However, NGO record is not without problems and in the age of growing conflict complexity and intractability, non- governmental organizations in transnational work are facing a major duty.
This paper aims to explore problems of NGOs working in or on a conflict. The literature on NGOs and conflict has been growing remarkable during the last years. A big part of the literature is dealing with conflict resolution or peace building activities of NGOs or in general non-state actors. Quiet smaller is the number of literature on negative impacts of NGOs on a conflict. Within those bibliographies we often find the negative impacts of humanitarian aid. In the light of the post-Cold War era, where NGOs gained importance in transnational politics, problems caused by NGOs should not be disregarded.
This leads to the question of this paper:
What are negative effects of humanitarian NGOs in Conflict intervention and how can they be minimized?
For addressing this question, this paper shows on first hand, impacts of the globalization process, which directly relates to the growing importance of NGOs. In a second step, it deals with the issue of NGOs involved in conflict. In that chapter also lies a first philosophical approximation of problems of the humanitarian debate. For a broader understanding, techniques of NGOs in conflict will be covered. Finally, specific negative impacts of humanitarian NGOs will be exposed within different dimensions. Once criticism has been exercised, there is (always) a need to give suggestions for improvement. What NGOs (and especially humanitarian NGOs) can do to overcome the negative impacts on a conflict, is considered as a major part of this paper.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Effects of Globalization
1.1 General understanding
1.2 The emerge of a civil society
2. NGOs involved in Conflict
2.1 Structure and Types of NGOs
2.2 Third party techniques in conflicts
2.2.1 Techniques for Conflict Management
2.2.2 Techniques in Post-conflict and Peacebuilding
2.3 The humanitarian debate
2.4 Humanitarian response
3. Negative contributions of humanitarian NGOs
3.1 Neutrality and Accountability
3.1.1 Neutrality
3.1.2 Accountability
3.2 Economic dimension
3.3 Social and society dimension
3.4 Political dimension
4. Future tasks
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the dual role of humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in conflict settings. While these organizations are vital for life-saving interventions, the research investigates the unintended negative consequences their presence can have on conflict dynamics and explores strategies for minimizing such harm.
- The impact of globalization on the proliferation and role of NGOs.
- Categorization of NGO techniques in conflict management and peacebuilding.
- Analysis of neutrality and accountability challenges in humanitarian aid.
- Economic, social, and political dimensions of NGO-driven conflict aggravation.
- Strategic improvements through integrative "relief to development" models.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Negative contributions of humanitarian NGOs
As mentioned before, in the post-Cold War era and in the light of globalization, conflict interventions have changed and so have the interventions from states. NGOs, as one main actor in the field of transnational intervention in conflict and post-conflict situations, enjoyed a lot of enthusiasm. What is less considered is the pure fact, that NGOs have weaknesses like any other actor when it comes to the dealing with a conflict. The credo for the legitimization of humanitarian relief is quiet simple: The aid must do more good than harm. In theory this sounds reasonable, in practice humanitarian relief sometimes harms more than helps prevent a conflict.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the scope of the research regarding the positive and negative roles of NGOs in conflict-affected regions and defines the primary research question.
1. Effects of Globalization: Discusses the shifting role of the state and the rise of civil society and transnational networks as a consequence of global integration.
2. NGOs involved in Conflict: Categorizes NGO structures and analyzes various third-party techniques used for conflict management, peacebuilding, and humanitarian response.
3. Negative contributions of humanitarian NGOs: Evaluates critical issues such as the loss of neutrality, lack of accountability, and the unintended negative impacts on economic and political structures in conflict zones.
4. Future tasks: Proposes strategic adjustments, including better coordination with civil society and the integration of development models into traditional emergency relief.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, emphasizing the need for NGOs to remain aware of their influence and adopt comprehensive, long-term approaches to minimize conflict aggravation.
Keywords
Humanitarian NGOs, Conflict intervention, Globalization, Civil society, Neutrality, Accountability, Conflict management, Peacebuilding, Humanitarian aid, Economic dimension, Political dimension, Relief to development, Post-conflict, Third party intervention, Conflict aggravation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research?
The work explores how humanitarian NGOs, despite their positive contributions, can unintentionally contribute to the aggravation of conflicts in a globalized era.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the impact of globalization on NGO influence, the debate over neutrality and accountability, and the economic and political risks associated with humanitarian presence.
What is the main research question?
The research asks what the specific negative effects of humanitarian NGOs are during conflict intervention and how these effects can be effectively minimized.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a literature-based analysis of the role of NGOs, synthesizing theoretical frameworks with practical case studies from conflict zones.
What topics are addressed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical impact of globalization, a breakdown of NGO intervention techniques, a critical analysis of negative impacts, and proposed future tasks for improvement.
How would you describe the main keywords?
The keywords center on humanitarian NGOs, conflict intervention, neutrality, accountability, and the transition from short-term relief to long-term peacebuilding and development models.
How does the neutrality of NGOs complicate their work in conflicts?
The paper argues that when NGOs are perceived as partial—for example, by favoring specific groups or receiving protection from state actors—they can inadvertently exacerbate tensions and become targets themselves.
What role does the "economic dimension" play in conflict aggravation?
Humanitarian aid can distort local economies, lead to the "taxing" or plundering of resources by warring parties, and unintentionally sustain conflicts by providing assets that combatants compete for.
What is the "relief to development" model mentioned in the text?
It is an integrated approach that suggests humanitarian NGOs should shift from strictly short-term emergency relief toward including development work and long-term peacebuilding strategies to avoid negative impacts.
Why is monitoring and evaluation considered a major challenge for NGOs?
Many NGOs lack rigorous post-crisis monitoring, which leads to a failure to learn from past mistakes and repeats systemic errors across different conflict situations.
- Quote paper
- MA Tobias Hoenger (Author), 2013, Humanitarian NGOs and the aggravation of Conflicts, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/263481
