Horton / Roche Ethical Questions and International NGOs

An exchange between Philosophers and NGOs
1. Auflage 2010
ISBN: 978-90-481-8592-4
Verlag: Springer Netherlands
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, Band 23, 241 Seiten

Reihe: Library of Ethics and Applied Philosophy

In recent decades there has been a great expansion in the number, size and influence of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) involved in international relief and development. These changes have led to increased scrutiny of such organisations, and this scrutiny, together with increasing reflection by INGOs themselves and their staff on their own practice, has helped to highlight a number of pressing ethical questions such organisations face, such as: should INGOs attempt to provide emergency assistance even when doing so risks helping to fuel further conflict? How should INGOs manage any differences between their values and those of the people they seek to benefit? How open and honest should INGOs be about their own uncertainties and failures?

This book consists of sustained reflections on such questions. It derives from a workshop held at Melbourne University in July 2007 that brought together a group of people – for the most part, reflective practitioners and moral and political philosophers – to discuss such questions. It explores honestly some of the current challenges and dilemmas that INGOs face, and also suggests some new ideas for meeting these challenges. Our hope is that the kind of explicit reflection on the ethical issues INGOs face exemplified in this publication will help to promote a wider debate about these issues, a debate that in turn will help INGO managers and others to make better, wiser, more ethically informed decisions.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Horton, Keith

Roche, Chris

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Foreword;6
2;Acknowledgements;8
3;Contents;10
4;Contributors;12
5;Introduction;13
5.1;1 Introduction;13
5.2;2 Ethical Questions and INGOs: A Classification;14
5.2.1;2.1 Ethical Questions Raised by Specific Kinds of Activity INGOs Undertake;14
5.2.1.1;2.1.1 Emergency Relief;14
5.2.1.2;2.1.2 Service Delivery;15
5.2.1.3;2.1.3 Development;15
5.2.1.4;2.1.4 Advocacy;15
5.2.2;2.2 Ethical Questions Concerning the Selection of Activities and Areas of Work;15
5.2.2.1;2.2.1 Strategic Choice;15
5.2.2.2;2.2.2 Specific Choices;16
5.2.2.3;2.2.3 The Risk of Negative Effect;16
5.2.3;2.3 Ethical Questions Concerning the Relationship Between INGOs, Their 'Partners' and Those They Aim to Benefit;16
5.2.3.1;2.3.1 Participation;16
5.2.3.2;2.3.2 Autonomy;17
5.2.3.3;2.3.3 Cultural Differences;17
5.2.3.4;2.3.4 Accountability;17
5.2.3.5;2.3.5 Systems and Procedures;17
5.2.4;2.4 Ethical Questions Concerning the Relationship Between INGOs and Their Contributors and the Wider Public in Northern Countries;17
5.2.4.1;2.4.1 Accountability;17
5.2.4.2;2.4.2 Openness;17
5.2.4.3;2.4.3 Fundraising;18
5.2.4.4;2.4.4 Active Engagement;18
5.2.4.5;2.4.5 Institutional Imperatives;18
5.2.5;2.5 INGOs and Politics;18
5.2.5.1;2.5.1 Being Political;18
5.2.5.2;2.5.2 Legitimacy;18
5.2.5.3;2.5.3 Internal Politics;19
5.2.5.4;2.5.4 Funding from Governments of Developed Countries;19
5.2.5.5;2.5.5 Relations with Governments of Developing Countries;19
5.2.5.6;2.5.6 Acting Illegally;19
5.2.6;2.6 Ethical Questions Related to Broader Questions of Individual and Collective Governance, Structure and Accountability;19
5.2.6.1;2.6.1 Governance;19
5.2.6.2;2.6.2 Corporatisation;20
5.2.6.3;2.6.3 Collective Action Problems;20
5.2.6.4;2.6.4 Institutionalising Changes;20
5.3;3 The Papers in this Volume;20
5.4;4 Notes;23
5.5;References;24
6;Ethical Obligations to the Poor in a World of Nation States;25
6.1;1 Introduction;25
6.2;2 The Role of Ethics in International Relations;27
6.3;3 Ethical Basis and Extent of Obligations to the Worlds Poor;29
6.4;4 Political Support for Obligations to the Worlds Poor;38
6.5;5 Conclusion;40
6.6;6 Notes;41
6.7;References;46
7;Human Rights, Development INGOs and Priorities for Action;50
7.1;1 Introduction;50
7.2;2 Human Rights and Development;50
7.2.1;2.1 Human Rights: Conceptual and Ideological Divides;51
7.2.2;2.2 A Right to Development;52
7.2.3;2.3 Understanding Development in Terms of Rights;52
7.2.4;2.4 Human Rights and States;53
7.3;3 Henry Shue on Basic Rights and Duties;53
7.3.1;3.1 Human Rights and Correlative Duties---Conceptual Issues;53
7.3.2;3.2 Basic Rights;56
7.3.3;3.3 Basic Rights, the Structure of a Moral Right and the Complexity of Duties;57
7.4;4 Basic Rights, Correlative Duties and the Moral Priorities of INGOs;58
7.4.1;4.1 Human Rights INGOs: Addressing Economic as Well as Civil and Political Rights;58
7.4.2;4.2 Priorities Among Rights and Rights-Based Duties;60
7.4.3;4.3 Development INGOs, Duties and Moral Priorities;63
7.4.3.1;4.3.1 Protecting Against Violation of Economic and Social Rights: Implications for Development INGOs;64
7.4.3.2;4.3.2 Protecting Against International Threats;65
7.4.3.3;4.3.3 Is Lack of Development a Standard Threat to the Enjoyment of Rights?;66
7.4.3.4;4.3.4 Development Assistance and Rights Protection;67
7.5;5 Concluding Remarks;70
7.6;6 Notes;71
7.7;References;72
8;The Ethics of Taking Sides;75
8.1;1 Introduction;75
8.2;2 Taking Sides in a Recipient Country;76
8.2.1;2.1 Challenging the Political Equilibrium;76
8.2.2;2.2 Substituting for the State and Promoting Neo-Liberalism;77
8.2.3;2.3 NGOs as Differently Accountable to State Entities;78
8.3;3 The Attack on Advocacy NGOs in Australia;79
8.4;4 The Consequences of Taking Sides at Home;82
8.5;5 The Structure and Political Legitimacy of NGOs;86
8.5.1;5.1 Structure of NGOs;86
8.5.2;5.2 Political Parties' Political Legitimacy;87
8.5.3;5.3 NGOs' Political Legitimacy;87
8.6;6 Ethics for Political NGOs;89
8.6.1;6.1 Ethical Challenges;89
8.6.2;6.2 Ethical Responses;90
8.7;7 Concluding Remarks;92
8.8;8 Notes;92
8.9;References;93
9;The Epistemic Problem: Potential Solutions;96
9.1;1 Introduction;96
9.2;2 The Epistemic Problem;97
9.2.1;2.1 The Lack of Reliable Data and Expert Guidance;97
9.2.2;2.2 Does One Really Need Such Data or Guidance?;98
9.2.3;2.3 Concerns About the Effects of the Work Aid Agencies Do;99
9.2.4;2.4 Concerns About Aid Agencies as Organisations;102
9.2.5;2.5 Taking Stock;105
9.3;3 Why the Epistemic Problem Is a Problem;105
9.4;4 Potential Solutions;108
9.4.1;4.1 NGOs Could Make More Data on Their Own Activities Available;108
9.4.2;4.2 An Independent Body Could Be Set Up to Evaluate the Work of NGOs and Report Back to Contributors;110
9.4.3;4.3 Less Ambitious Bodies;113
9.4.4;4.4 Initiatives to Improve Accountability and Standards;115
9.4.5;4.5 Experts Can Simply Offer Their Personal Judgements;116
9.5;5 Review;118
9.6;6 Notes;118
9.7;References;125
10;The Seeming Simplicity of Measurement;128
10.1;1 Introduction;128
10.2;2 Potential Biases for INGOs;129
10.3;3 INGOs, Ethics, Principles and Evidence;130
10.3.1;3.1 The Red Cross Code;131
10.3.2;3.2 Slim's Ethical Framework;133
10.3.3;3.3 Quality and Accountability Initiatives---SPHERE, HAP and ALNAP;136
10.3.4;3.4 The Evidence Base for Development and Advocacy work;139
10.4;4 INGOs, Learning and Accountability;142
10.4.1;4.1 The Measurement Problem;143
10.4.2;4.2 The Attribution Problem;143
10.4.3;4.3 The Aggregation Problem;144
10.4.4;4.4 The Ownership Problem;144
10.4.5;4.5 The Responses;145
10.5;5 So What?;147
10.5.1;5.1 Making the Link Between Donor and the Front-Line Much Closer;149
10.5.2;5.2 Providing a Better and More Honest Evidence Base;149
10.5.3;5.3 Promoting Greater Transparency, Learning and Accountability;150
10.6;6 Conclusion;151
10.7;7 Notes;152
10.8;References;153
11;Whose Impact, and Is It All About Impact?;156
11.1;1 Defining Impact;157
11.2;2 Whose Impact?;158
11.3;3 Have We Got the Right Accountability Mechanisms? Too Much Counting, Not Enough Accountability;160
11.4;4 What Does this Mean for How We Work?;161
11.5;5 Increasing Transparency;162
11.6;6 Clear About Values, Approach and the Change We Promote;162
11.7;7 Promoting More Dynamic Models of Planning and Implementation;163
11.8;8 Conclusion;164
11.9;9 Notes;164
11.10;References;165
12;Compromised Humanitarianism;166
12.1;1 The Humanitarian Imperative;167
12.2;2 Concern, Respect and Cooperation;169
12.3;3 Cooperative Concern;171
12.4;4 What We Cooperate In;173
12.5;5 Humanitarian Cooperation;174
12.6;6 Imperfect Cooperation;176
12.7;7 Two Moral Divisions of Labour;178
12.8;8 Notes;180
12.9;References;181
13;Aid Agencies, States, and Collective Harm;183
13.1;1 Introduction;183
13.2;2 Harm and the Cooperative Approach to Morality;187
13.3;3 Group Size and Sub-group Responsibility;192
13.4;4 Notes;197
13.5;References;198
14;To Respect or Not to Respect Ethical Dilemmas of INGO Development Practitioners;200
14.1;1 The Dilemma;200
14.2;2 The Literature;201
14.3;3 In Development Practice;204
14.4;4 Conclusions: A proposed Ethical Basis;208
14.5;5 Notes;210
14.6;References;211
15;Ethical Behaviour in Non-government Organisations;213
15.1;1 Introduction;213
15.2;2 Case studies;213
15.2.1;2.1 Caritas Australia;214
15.2.2;2.2 Oxfam International Youth Partnerships;216
15.2.3;2.3 Australia Rwanda Network;217
15.3;3 Implications;219
15.4;4 Notes;221
15.5;References;221
16;Afterword;223
16.1;0 Approaches to Ethics;223
16.2;1 Expectations, Roles and Obligations of Different Actors and Stakeholders;226
16.3;2 Collective Challenges and Moral Divisions of Labour;228
16.4;3 Evaluation and Accountability;229
16.5;4 Values, Purposes, and Institutional Issues for INGOs;232
16.6;5 Final Thoughts;233
16.7;6 Notes;234
16.8;References;234
17;Index;236