Accountability and independence of NGOs

 

What do we mean by ‘NGO'?
For convenience, we use the term NGO to encompass the wide range of organisations that can be characterised as ‘not for profit' and ‘non-government'. This includes Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and organisations of affected communities, including people living with HIV/AIDS, sex workers and women's groups, among many others, who are active in the HIV/AIDS response (see also section 1.6 Who the Code is for).

What do we mean by ‘affected communities'?
The term is used to encompass the range of people affected by HIV/AIDS - people at particular risk of HIV infection and those who bear a disproportionate burden of the impact of HIV/AIDS. This varies from country to country, depending on the nature of the epidemic concerned (see also section 2.5 Cross-cutting issues: addressing population vulnerability).

Communities must be an integral part of what NGOs are and what we do. A genuine commitment to the involvement of PLHIV and affected communities in responding to HIV/AIDS is not simply the expression of a commitment to ensure that communities have control over their own health. Rather, it acknowledges that the experience of individuals and communities is an essential ingredient in effective community response to the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

It is at the level of individuals and communities that HIV infection occurs and the impacts of HIV/AIDS are felt. It is communities themselves that take up the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS and work to find appropriate solutions. When efforts to respond to HIV/AIDS are grounded in the lived experiences of those affected, they are far more likely to address the many factors that shape HIV risk, HIV transmission and the experience of living with HIV/AIDS.

NGOs take an active role in advocating for the accountability of governments, private and public sector agencies and others. We too must be accountable to the communities we are part of, work with, represent and serve. Accountability, transparency and effective stewardship of resources are crucial. This is vital to our credibility, both with the communities we work with and with the agencies that provide the necessary resources for our work.

Accountability to, and a demonstrated involvement of, communities strengthens the legitimacy of our advocacy voice. This imperative is further highlighted as more resources become available. We need to ensure that donors do not influence our priorities in ways that are inconsistent with our stated missions and goals. We must protect and maintain the right to independently determine our own priorities in line with the needs and aspirations of the communities we serve.