State and Civil Society Relations: Constructing NGOs for Democratic Transformation in Uganda


Introduction


In the continuous discussion pertaining to “human security” there is an emerging role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the development of multidimensional peace-building activities. In the changing international environment in which local, regional, and global level actors and norms have accrued enhanced legitimacy, a new generation of multi-dimensional peace-building activities has developed aiding in the development of ethical norms, utilizing peacekeeping, traditional mediation, conflict resolution/ transformation, increasingly through transnational organizations and NGOs.


Background and Problem Statement


The re-emergence of ethonationalist and identity based conflicts, and to respond to urgent humanitarian crises. It is in this context that the peace-building role of NGOs in conflict and complex emergencies may be usefully located and assessed as part of a socio-political fabric engaged in sustainable approaches to ending conflict. Conflict resolution/transformation and peace-building approaches to understanding conflict and methodologies for addressing it are being utilized by NGOs. This is in conjunction with more formally constituted methods and actors, in order to stabilize local environments in a local, regional and global normative context, as well as in the context of an emerging global civil society. This may enhance the legitimacy of NGOs (and their regulation) and may also increase the effectiveness of peace-building in the international system. However, what is the main role of NGOs in order to build the peace especially in Uganda?


Research Aim and Objectives


The main aim of the study is to investigate the role of NGOs in peace-building and the process or reducing the conflicts in the society. In order to facilitate the investigation, there are objectives that need to be considered. First is to illustrate the critical points in the society that the NGOs should address in their peace-building program. Second is to recognize the previous actions done by the organization to maintain the peace in the society. And third is to explore the other possibilities or potentials that the NGOs can apply in the peace-building process.   


Literature Review


Part of NGOs approach in peace-building is with the perspective on conflict, and the methodology which is derived from it for solving conflict, is thought to remove the critical difficulties inherent in first generation peacemaking where the common argument is made that involvement is crippled by the intensity of the dispute, the resources or lack of that the third party has access to, and the type of issues at stake for the disputants. The application of the international system dictates those third parties or the NGOs to view their role as one of conflict management as opposed to resolution in order to bring about compromise through bilateral and trilateral negotiations. In response to the peace-building approaches, it has been argued that settlements need to be based upon just political orders which promote democracy and human rights, new norms, participatory governance structures, civil society, international tribunals, and truth commissions. Disarming, repatriating refugees, building a consensus for peace under the auspices of the UN, and moderate local political leadership play a role in this method. This is based on conflict resolution perspectives of conflict, and requires deep access into local environments, something that requires grassroots processes rather than top down approaches. NGOs can often provide this because of their unofficial and human security oriented focus. As actors of peace-building process, NGOs should focus on the injustices relating to human needs/security, humanitarian intervention, and human rights and the inflexible perceptions that states have held with respect to territorial sovereignty. NGOs have often been a low profile response to the exploitation of power by political entrepreneurs in domestic environments, and to intractable conflicts, economic inequality, and humanitarian abuses. The relationship of the NGOs in the society creates an emergence in the solving the needs and act in a much broader range of security issues, which makes the role of the NGOs complex. Providing a serious action on the impediment is a great start in the peace-building processes.


Methodology


The applied method in the study is the use of secondary information using the materials that are peculiar in the Non-Government Organizations. The context and reports pertaining the peace-building is important part of the study, therefore it is also essential that there are reviews on the activities regarding the peace-building of the NGOs in other countries. The collection of information is good source for the study to provide knowledge on the role of NGOs and thus, recommendations on how to strengthen their roles.   


 


 


References:


Bratton, M., (1994) Civil Society and Political Transition in Africa, Institute for Development Research (IDR), 11 (6) [Online] Available at: http://www.worlded.org/docs/Publications/idr/pdf/11-6.pdf [Accessed 21 January 2011]


Mercer, C., (2002) NGOs, Civil Society and Democratization: A Critical Review of the Literature, Progress in Development Studies 2(1) [Online] Available at: http://www.radiodpb.org [Accessed 21 January 2011].


Richmond, O.P., (2001) Post Westphalian’ Peace-Building: The role of NGOs [Online] Available at: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/martin_archives/conflict_journal/ngo.htm [Accessed 21 January 2011].



Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com


0 comments:

Post a Comment

 
Top