Non Government Organisations

The enormous growth in numbers of non-government organizations (NGOs) throughout the world constituted a significant global social change of the last few decades of the twentieth century. NGOs can represent local, regional, national, or global constituencies and interests, and may be actors at one or all of these levels. Their increased importance, in terms of numbers, diversity of organizations, and influence is frequently regarded as an expression of the strengthening of civil society. Civil society can be defined as the working together of people individually or collectively for the common good. This is generally independent of government or political affiliations, or state agencies. Civil society functions largely through the growing network of non-state, non-profit-making organizations that mediate between the individual and the state.