NGOs Are: Definition, Types, and Roles in the Social System

Are you one of those people who just heard the term NGO. If not, do you think that NGOs are national and international organizations with specific social and political interests.

In this context, let's discuss more deeply the meaning of an NGO, starting from its relationship with the government, its role in relation to the environment and society, as well as its funding sources.

NGO definition

Non-Governmental Organizations  or NGO is a non-profit organization that has social and environmental interests. As the name suggests, this non-governmental organization which is also known as a non-governmental organization operates independently without any intervention from the central or regional government.

Since NGOs are for-profit companies, they tend to be more collaborative than commercial. NGOs actually use many terms.

What is clear, however, is that an institution that is classified as an NGO is an institution that has no relationship or arrangement with the government and also tends to be non-profit and prioritizes the interests of society and the environment first.

Other institutions classified as NGOs are non-religious and non-military organizations.

In addition, it should be noted that NGOs rely heavily on the activities of unpaid volunteers. That is why there are still several NGO companies that offer positions for employees and freelancers.

In addition, the World Bank classifies NGOs into two parts, namely Operational NGOs and also Advocacy NGOs.

Operational NGO

The main purpose of setting up this type of NGO is to design as well as implement development projects. They will utilize various resources to be able to carry out the project and program. Such processes usually require complex organization.

This type of operational NGO is then divided into three major groups, namely community-based organizations, national organizations, and also international organizations.

During the 1970s to 1980s, there were many examples of collaboration between the world bank and NGOs involving international NGOs. However, this trend has now changed and reversed.

Advocacy NGOs

Advocacy NGOs are made to defend and also maintain a specific problem and move to influence government policies and actions on that problem.

This organization will also strive to increase public awareness and knowledge by conducting lobbying, press activities, and various other activities.

Basically, they will work through advocacy or an issue that does not implement a program. Later, this group will carry out almost the same functions as the operational group, but still with various levels and composition.

Types of NGO Institutions

Unlike other companies, an NGO is an institution that has various orientations. Quoted from page Gdrc, NGOs are divided into 4 types, viz.

Charitable Orientation 

Charitable orientation NGO is a type of NGO whose activities are more directed to meet the needs of the poor.

Guidance Department

Guidance Department An NGO is a type of NGO that is more based on community services, such as education, health services, and family planning.

Participatory Orientation

This type of NGO has the characteristics of being a self-help project which has involvement from the community, such as projects donating money, land, materials, equipment, and also labor.

Empowering Orientation

This type of NGO is more focused on developing a clearer understanding of the social, economic, and political factors that influence people's lives.

Empowering orientation NGOs will also increase public awareness regarding their ability to be able to control life in a good way through empowerment.

NGOs were also reclassified based on their respective operational levels. Below are 4 types of post-NGOs classified based on their level of operation.

Community-based Organizations (CBOs)

This type of NGO exists and develops at the initiative of various communities such as women's organizations, environmental organizations, sports clubs, educational organizations, etc.

In fact, there are many types of CBOs, some of which are supported by national and international NGOs or national and international bilateral organizations. The rest declare themselves as independent institutions without the help of other parties.

Citywide Organizations

Citywide Organizations NGO is one of the institutions that provide assistance to every community in a city. However, their services will focus more on the poor in that community.

National NGO

National NGOs are various organizations that have a broad scope within the country, such as the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) or other professional service organizations.

In fact, some NGOs have branches in several countries and hold responsibility in assisting these NGOs.

international NGOs

International NGOs are more focused on helping all communities around the world and providing insights to various NGOs that are smaller than them.

They have diverse orientations, but they are fixated on the need for political as well as social equality around the world. Simple examples of international NGOs are Greenpeace and WWF.

The Role of NGOs for Society

In addition, NGOs also have six other important roles, namely:

Infrastructure Development and Construction

NGOs have an important role in building houses, providing well infrastructure or public toilets, etc.

Support Innovation, Experimentation and Pilot Projects

NGOs have advantages in both planning and implementing innovative projects and can explicitly state their timelines to support the implementation of these projects.

In addition, NGOs can also work on pilot projects of large government projects because they can act more quickly than the government itself which has a complicated bureaucratic process internally.

Facilitating Communication

NGOs can also act as a liaison, both from the community to the government and vice versa. Communication from the public to the government includes information about what the community feels, thinks and also does.

At the same time, government-public communication includes sharing information about government plans and projects.

In addition, NGOs can also transfer information horizontally by forming a network of other organizations working in the same field.

Technical Assistance and Training

A training institution and an NGO can organize and provide training and other technical assistance to community organizations as well as the government.

Study, Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and effective evaluation of the participatory nature of a project will yield good results for the community as well as project staff.

Advocacy for and with the Poor

NgOs can also act as spokespersons and representatives of the poor to influence government policies and programs.

This can be done in a number of ways, such as demonstrations, participation in public forums for the formulation of government policies, pilot projects, publication of research on the poor and case studies.

Therefore, in this case NGOs can act as advocates for the poor in the implementation of government programs, ranging from forming opinions and criticizing colleagues and advisors to promoting pilot projects and acting as facilitators.