NGOs Addressing NCDs Through a Health Promotion Lens

Abstract

Non-governmental organisations are a heterogeneous group difficult to define and classify, and the term “NGO” is not used consistently (Wikipedia 2012a). What NGOs have in common is that they operate independently of government, usually to deliver resources or serve some social, environmental, cultural, or political purpose. The term NGO is also commonly used to describe non-state, not-for-profit, voluntary organisations (WHO/Civil Society Initiative 2002a). There are many different classifications in use. The most common one uses a framework that includes orientation and level of operation. An NGO’s orientation refers to the type of activities it takes on. These activities might include human rights, environmental, or development work. An NGO’s level of operation indicates the scale at which an organisation works, such as local, international or national (Vakil Anna 1997). NGOs exist for a variety of reasons, usually to further the political or social goals of their members or funders, in a flexible and independent manner. Examples include improving the state of the natural environment, encouraging the observance of human rights, improving the welfare of the disadvantaged or representing a corporate agenda (Wikipedia 2012b). Their goals cover a broad range of political and philosophical positions. As a result, a long (and sometimes confusing or comical) list of additional acronyms has developed, including among many others: