Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs)

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics

Abstract

NGOs are global actors in today’s world and play a vital role in the provision of goods and services in varied contexts. They have made and continue to make important contributions in serving marginalized, poor people and people in conflict and war areas at the local, national, and international levels. Until recently, the bioethical dimensions to their work had received no special attention. Any discussion of the bioethical issues that arise within NGOs should be viewed with the perspective of the global development theory, international human rights law, against the background of theories of justice within international aid. This entry discusses the development of NGOs, its different forms, varieties of its work, and the bioethical challenges that humanitarian, human rights, and development NGOs encounter in the conduct of their work across the globe.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anderson, M. (1996). Do no harm: Supporting local capacities for peace through aid. Cambridge, MA: The Collaborative for Development Action.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delisle, H. et al. (2005). Review: The role of NGOs in global health research for development. BioMed Central. Retrieved July 16, from http://www.health-policy-systems.com/content/3/1/3

  • Etzioni, A. (1973). The third sector and domestic missions. Public Administration Review, 33(4), 314–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faunce, T. (2014). Bioethics and human rights. In H. ten Have & B. Gordijn (Eds.), Handbook of global bioethics (pp. 467–484). Dordrecht/Berlin: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, L. (2012). International NGO health programs in a non-ideal world. In J. Millum & E. Emanuel (Eds.), Global justice and bioethics (pp. 213–240). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin, E. (2013). The ethical responsibilities of human rights NGOs. International Journal of Not-for-Profit Law, 15, 5–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross). (1997). Code of conduct for international red cross and red crescent movement and NGOs in Disaster. Retrieved June 26, 2015, from http://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/disasters/code-of-conduct/code-english.pdf

  • Millum, J. (2012). Global bioethics and political theory. In J. Millium & E. Emanuel (Eds.), Global justice and bioethics (pp. 17–42). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • OHCHR (2008). Statement of Ethical Commitments of Human rights Professionals and Guiding principles for Human Rights Officers Working in Conflict and Post-conflict Environments. Human Rights Law Center, University of Nottingham, Geneva. Retrieved June 27, 2015, from http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/7827EC3BF46AB9FAC125749600687EE5-Guiding%20Principles.pdf

  • Pogge, T. (2007). Moral priorities for international human rights NGOs. In A. B. D. Daniel & J. M. Coicaud (Eds.), Ethics in action: The ethical challenges of international human rights nongovernmental organizations (pp. 218–256). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Sphere Project. (2011). Sphere project handbook: Humanitarian charter and minimum standards in humanitarian response. Rugby: The Sphere Project.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO. (2005). Universal declaration on bioethics and human rights 19 October 2005. Retrieved June 16, 2015, from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization documents http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=31058&URL_DO=DO-TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.hotml

  • Vakil, A. C. (1997). Confronting the classification problem: Towards taxonomy of NGOs. World Development, 25(12), 2057–2070. doi:10.1016/S0305-750X (97)00098-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WANGO (World Association of Non-governmental Organizations). (2004). Code of ethics and conduct for NGOs. Retrieved July 5, http://www.wango.org

  • World Bank Operational Directive 14.70, August 28. (1989). Retrieved June 26, 2015 http://www.gdrc.org/ngo/wb-ngo-directive.html

Further Readings

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Newmaninstitutet, Uppsala, Sweden

    Chikezie Onuoha

  2. SpringAid International Development Organization, 23 C Ihechiuwa Str, Ikenebgu layout, Owerri, Nigeria

    Chikezie Onuoha

Authors
  1. Chikezie Onuoha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chikezie Onuoha .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duquesne University Center for Healthcare Ethics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Henk ten Have

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this entry

Cite this entry

Onuoha, C. (2015). Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs). In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_309-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_309-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05544-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Religion and PhilosophyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Humanities

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation