id21 viewpoints

A quiet radicalism? Rights-based work in repressive states

Sunit Bagree, a consultant on human security and governance for ActionAid International, writing in a personal capacity, argues that international NGOs should do more to challenge oppressive governments whilst minimising risks to staff, partners and programmes.

Rights-based approaches to development view poverty as a consequence of human rights violations rather than unfulfilled needs.

Such approaches include working with poor and excluded people to analyse power and vulnerability, to build capacity, to organise and mobilise to claim human rights. This is demanding where there is some respect for civil and political rights and the rule of law. Challenges are far greater, however, in the face of repressive governments.

It is unacceptable for international NGOs claiming to follow rights-based approaches to fall silent as states generate fear and want (human insecurity). Instead, they should adapt their strategies to challenge unjust governance whilst minimising and managing risks to their staff, partners and programmes.

The key to confronting oppressive governments lies in forming alliances between civil society groups. Alliances provide opportunities to explore and exploit political spaces that single organisations acting alone cannot do.

What can international NGOs do?

Rights-orientated international NGOs first need to adapt in-country networks so that they become mechanisms willing to take action. This will require collectively persuading welfare-orientated international NGOs that a basic level of security is a prerequisite to reducing even the symptoms of poverty. The point that poor people are likely to interpret international NGO silence over abuses as apathy at best and complicity at worst should be argued.

Following this, international NGOs need to unite and release joint statements that clearly express their concern to the regime in power about the lack of civil and political rights and the damage this is doing to efforts to reduce poverty (including efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals). These statements can also be used as a basis for lobbying trusted members of the donor and diplomatic community.

Yet, rights-oriented international NGOs need to go beyond this and form new alliances in crisis countries. They need to create and nourish relationships with wider civil society - civil and political rights groups, peace groups, professional associations, independent media, artists, trade unions, women's groups, youth groups and so on – to put pressure on repressive governments.

In countries such as Colombia, Zimbabwe and Nepal, wider civil society groups have repeatedly proven their willingness to speak out against injustice. It is crucial that international NGOs engage with them i n policy positioning and advocacy strategising, and support them financially, either through donations or contracts, or fundraising advice. This may require lower-than-desired levels of transparency (as repressive governments will almost certainly attempt to undermine those fighting against injustice), which can be excused as long as monitoring and evaluation is rigorous and continuous.

Similar alliances also need to be created at the international level where there may be greater scope for advocacy. Working with diaspora groups is also extremely important, as is helping activists from crisis countries to visit international centres of power (such as governments, regional organisations, international finance institutions) to share their concerns with decision-makers. Foreign governments and international financial institutions may well be part of the problem, in which case civil society groups need to be particularly astute and coordinated.

The more sensitive an issue, the more careful tactics need to be. Advocacy must always be based on properly documented evidence, not assumptions. Often overlooked is the need for staff of international NGOs to join up their advocacy in different locations ('north' and 'south') and at different levels (junior to senior).

It should also be recognised that although the goal of amplifying the voices of the poor remains constant, the poor are not a homogenous group with one opinion.

How can international NGOs manage risk more effectively?

• clear codes of conduct for staff activities with effective (and regularly updated) security guidelines
• recognise that poverty is political but party politics must be avoided
• high-quality legal counsel (despite the absence of an impartial security sector)
• excellent political analysis to identify opportunities (a visit by a senior UN official, for example) and challenges (elections, for example)
• continuous internal discussion and debate (even if informal) and proper communication of decisions taken
• solidarity and oversight from head office whilst allowing local staff to lead
• genuine review and reflection in order to continuously learn and improve.

It is difficult for international NGOs to be radical when states show contempt for human rights. A strategic policy of ‘quiet radicalism' would ensure that these NGOs continue to influence without compromising safety.

Sunit Bagree
Sunit works as a Consultant on Human Security and Governance for ActionAid International. This article is written in a personal capacity.

Email: Sunit.Bagree@actionaid.org

August 2006

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