INTERNATIONAL RESCUE
COMMITTEE
NGO
By PAULINA ROTHOVA
W1251073
FRAMEWORK:
INTRODUCTION
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE:
THE STATE AS A PROBLEM...SOLVER?
WHAT IS NGOs?
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
FUNDINGS
IRC: PROGRAM SERVICE
IRC IN IRAQ
SUCCESS
CRITICISM
AND FINALLY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Are the NGOs really independent from
governments?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcHh7uZ5WSQ&feature=player_embedded
http://www.rescue.org/irc-a-glance
INTRODUCTION
NGOs- vehicles of democratization &
civil society development
NGOs-fill gaps left by government
Non-governmental NGOs are not as
governmental as they claim to be
Hallward in (2007, p.179) shows how
the operation of NGOs allows ‘rich
countries a morally respectable way of
subcontracting the sovereignty of the
nations they exploit’.
Dependence on governmental vast
financial support- not independent
always because sometimes become even
exploited
THE STATE AS SOCIETY
PROBLEM...SOLVER ?
According to Korten, ‘people have been expected to
put their faith and resources in the hands of
government. In return governments have promised to
bestow on the people to gift of development’ (1990:95).
According to Gideon the neo-liberal model considers
that the state centred development is not productive
(cutting back of the public sector).
CIVIL SOCIETY
opposition to the state, the law, nature & capitalismfor good or for ill
“as the sphere where battles capitalist logic” GRAMSCI
as the virtue of democracy & tool and agent of
development
1980s with the effect of neoliberal ideology the
thoughts on democracy have developed and widened.
WHAT IS NGO?
The groups and institutions those are
entirely or largely independent of
governmental and characterized primarily
by humanitarian or cooperative,
rather than commercial objectives.’
Around 40,000 NGOs
NGOs aims to bring about the change in
the life of the people for a greater cause
and to protect their rights.
The World Bank definition of NGOs:
“The groups and institutions those are
entirely or largely independent of
government and characterized primarily
by humanitarian or cooperative, rather
than commercial objectives”.
(Korten, 1991, 21)
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE
COMMITTEE (IRC)
Founded 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein
 Works in 42 countries & 24 U.S cities
Providing
emergency
relief,
relocating
refugees,
rebuilding peoples lives, offers lifesaving care, lifechanging assistance, restore safety, dignity, hope
Providing legal service to returnees, helping to rebuild,
getting children to schools
Advice on policy, advocacy, fundraising, and public
relations
2002 Post Conflict Development Initiative (PCDI)-related
to the post-conflict interventions
IRC arrives on the scene in 72 h with needed supplies &
expertise to protect people in the middle of chaos
IRC Program
Services
Health
Refugee
Resettlement
Community
7%
10%
33%
7%
10%
developement
Water and sanitation
Education
11%
22%
Distribution
Other programs
STAFFING
10 000 + staff (1446 employees)
George Rupp: President & CEO, IRC
Overseers: Henry Kissinger (former US Secretary of State, Chairman,
Associates, Madeleine Albright (chair), Condoleezza Rice, Kofi Annan
FUNDING
Contributions:
Federated campaigns: $224,393
Membership dues: 0
Fundraising events: $2, 855,875
Related organizations: $0
Government grants: $200, 438,135
All other contributions (gifts, grants...):
$112,657,005
Noncash contributions: $4,842,274
Total:
$316,175,409
George Rupp: $380,818 per/year
On salaries around: $121.000.000
(1446 paid staff)
Of every $1, more than 90c
goes to programs & services...
Funding rules?
90% to relief programs
Directors voluntary
Salary no more than $150,000
No ties military/war criminals
IRAQ
Under Sadam
Hussein rule- only 10
western NGOs
 May 2003- after
‘mission
accomplished’ more
than 1000 NGOs
KEY INDICATORS:
Population:
30,399,572 (July‘11
est.)
Capital: Baghdad
GDP: $3350 per
capita
Type
of
government:
Parliamentary
democracy
Life expectancy: 59
(2007 est.)
Literacy rate: Male:
84.1%, Female: 64,2%
(2000 est.)
Religious
groups:
Muslim 97% (Shia 6065%, Sunni 32-37%,
Christian & other 3%
Ethnic groups: Arab
75-80%, Kurdish 1520%, and others 5 %
IRC in IRAQ:
2003-2004
2007-present
Teams location:
North Iraq (Erbil)
South Iraq (Karbala, Nassiriya, Basra)
Protection, shelter, education: Baghdad,
Anbar, Sahahdin and Babylon
Environment health
Primary Health Care
Child Protection
Education
Shelter & Rehabilitation (Iraqis forced to
flee their home
Camp management
Empowering
Distributing of blankets and mattresses for 6,000 displaced Iraqis
2004-2006- study to analyze IRC’s community driven reconstruction
approach
Developing community centres in north Baghdad
Training and mentoring local org. in establishing a range of services for
survivors (health care, legal aid & counselling
Advocating for improved governmental service & policy
Train governmental staff
Protection Assistance Centres (PACs), free legal advice, representation
Resettling refugees (although in the U.S
Supporting locals
SUCCESS
gave over 4.4 million people access to
clean drinking water and sanitation.
served nearly 14.5 million people with
primary and reproductive health care. We
vaccinated 210,000children
 trained over 6,000 educators and
supported
2,300
schools
attended
by 373,000 children
assisted over 17,200 refugees who
departed from camps and cities in East
Asia to enter the United States and build
new lives
CRITICISM
Civil society- a messy arena
of competing claims and
interests between groups and
thoughts
“Foreign aid is a method by which the U.S maintains a position
of influence and control around the world, and sustains a good
many countries which would definitely collapse or pass into
the Communist block”
(J.F. Kennedy, 1961)
“Let us remember that the main purpose
of American aid in not to help others but
to help ourselves.”
(R. Nixon, 1968)
The issue is the relation between INGOs and
governments.
Why the US gov. sponsors IRC?
NGOs- an arm of Bush government?
AND FINALLY...
Dependency on the U.S
government
Serving the interests of the U.S
government
He who pays the piper calls the tune...
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bagci, K, (2003). Historical Evaluation of NGOs. Online document at URL:
http://www.turkishweekly.net/article/222/historical-evolution-of-ngos-ngoproliferation-in-the-post-cold-war-era-.html [Accessed 20/11/2011].
Hallward, P, (2007). Damming the Flood: Haiti, Aristide and the Politics of Containment.
London. Verso Books.
Hudock, A, (1999). NGOs and Civil Society: democracy by Proxy? Cambridge. Polity
Press.
Husarska, A, (2007). Iraq’s Forgotten Population-Boston Globe. Online document at
URL:
http://www.rescue.org/news/iraqs-forgotten-population-boston-globe-4325
[Accessed 20/11/2011].
ICNL,
(2011).
Iraq.
Online
document
at:
http://www.icnl.org/knowledge/ngolawmonitor/iraq.htm [Accessed 24/11/2011].
International Rescue committee. Online document at URL: http://www.rescue.org/
[Accessed 15/10/2011].
Korten ,C.D, (1990). Getting to the 21.st Century: Voluntary Action and the Global
Agenda. Connecticut. Kumarian Press.
William, C, (1991). Non-Governmental Initiatives in ADB, The Urban Poor and Basic
Infrastructure Services in Asia and the Pacific". Asian Development Bank. Manila
The Editors, (20030. Rethinking Marxism. Journal Article, Vol. 15, p.1. Online document
at URL: http://www.rethinkingmarxism.org/cms/editors-introduction-22 [Accessed
10/11/2011].
The North/South Institute Civil Society Research Project, Draft Working Paper “Civil
Society: the Development Solution ?” source: http://www.nsi.ins.ca/civil/
Ungpakorn, JG, (2004). NGOs: Enemies or Allies. Online document at URL:
http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=18&issue=104 [Accessed 4/11/2011].