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Non-Governmental Organizations in Armenia
BY STAFF
- POSTED ON JANUARY 6, 2014POSTED IN: UNCATEGORIZED
By Areg Gharabegian
January 2014
There were almost no non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Armenia
during the Soviet era. After the devastating earthquake of December
1988 and during the years of war in Artsakh, NGOs began forming in
Armenia and they were heavily involved with relief and humanitarian
efforts. The Government of Armenia was unable to cope with the dire
situation resulted from the earthquake and war; therefore, it had to
accept the active participation of civil society organizations (CSOs).
Alongside humanitarian aid, major international organizations and NGOs
started contributing to the development of the local non-government
sector. Also, the major Armenian organizations from Diaspora provided
humanitarian aid and contributed greatly to the reconstruction
process.
This period can be considered the first stage in the formation of
local NGOs. The focus of these new NGOs was on refugees, women,
children, the elderly, and the disabled but their activities were
somewhat limited. NGOs' inability to meet growing demand for emergency
services and operations was due to the lack of local NGO skills,
knowledge, capabilities, and absence of an appropriate legal
framework.
Even though most of the NGOs were located in Yerevan, local NGOs began
emerging in the marzes (provinces) too. Local NGOs began implementing
projects in education, health, culture, community development, and
income generation. In 1997, the number of local NGOs reached more than
500. By 2001, data from the State Register showed that there were
2,585 NGOs officially registered. In 2010, the State Register reported
45 international NGOs and 5,700 local NGOs. However, out of the total
number of local NGOs registered, only less than 15% can be considered
operational. As of these operational ones, most are small outfits
which are not active and some have vague and obscure missions. The
following are missions of few of such NGOs:
The main goal of the organization is to participate actively in social
and legal life of the country in order to promote free and safe life
for the youth.
The main goals of the organization are to develop the art and
psychology and to form civil society.
To organize and collect all the recipes of Armenian national cuisine
and publish it. To participate in international contests, seminars,
and meetings.
Table 1 presents a list of operational NGOs and their fields of
activities but not all are necessarily active.
International NGOs can be classified under the same categories as
local NGOs, but with two additional categories:
infrastructure development and construction; and
capacity building and technical assistance for local CSOs,
self-governing bodies, and community councils.
A survey conducted by World Learning revealed that, in the 1990s, 70%
of NGO leaders were women. However, by 2001, 58% of NGO leaders were
men, and in 2009, the percentage of male NGO leaders was 63%. While
the Government of Armenia and the Armenian CSOs do not practice gender
discrimination to cause this shift; therefore, this shift could be
based on the fact that men came to view NGOs as a job opportunity and
a means to further their careers.
In 2004 there were approximately 75 international NGOs operating in
Armenia but recently the number has decreased. The reason for this
decline may be the stable economic growth in Armenia in 2006 and 2007.
Source: The Professionals for Civil Society NGO
Government Involvement
The gradual increase in the number of international NGOs in Armenia
and the corresponding need to regulate the activities of all types of
CSOs led to the Government of Armenia adopting its first Law on Civil
Society Organizations in 1996. The law encouraged international NGOs
to shift their activities from emergency response to development, the
protection of human rights, and enhancing the capacity of local NGOs.
The law states that Armenia recognizes the crucial role of NGOs in the
development of civil society and aims to promote the establishment of
NGOs as legal entities. The government has also passed decrees,
regulations, memorandums, and agreements related to cooperation with
NGOs, and formed institutional bodies and units in community and
national levels.
Voluntarism
NGOs in Armenia utilize informal and less structured volunteering
process when they are interacting with the society in comparison to
Armenian NGOs in Diaspora. NGOs in Armenia also have issues with
volunteer mismanagement; sporadic volunteer recruitment; lack of
skills assessment, orientation, and training for volunteers; and
recognizing volunteer contributions. Engaging volunteers in long-term
regular commitments, instead of ad hoc projects could better utilize
this important resource.
Because voluntarism for social society was not a common practice
during Soviet era, there is a need to widely publicize the value of
volunteerism to get more people interested in becoming volunteers for
different causes. Presently this important resource is underutilized
by NGOs in Armenia. NGOs also should realize the expectations of the
volunteer in order to retain involvement and commitment over time. A
non-profit organization with a strong and committed volunteer base is
more likely to attract new funds.
Democratic Governance
The internal democratic governance of NGOs in Armenia is another issue
that needs to be addressed. NGOs have developed written policies for
democratic governance but often do not follow these policies. NGOs
hold elections to select their internal leadership, yet the rotation
rate of such leadership is low. Typically founders of NGOs hold their
positions for a long term, which affects the formation of independent
boards of directors.
Most Armenian NGOs have bylaws and constitutions that outline their
governance mechanisms but it seems sometimes these mechanisms are
developed to get the required permits and to attract new funds, rather
than a genuine intention of democratic management. Members are also
often excluded from decision-making processes. Unless NGOs embrace
these democratic procedures into their regular operations they cannot
establish a credible reputation in the community.
Funding Sources
Financial sustainability is one of the main challenges that local NGOs
in Armenia face. It is this challenge that limits their capacity for
impact and distorts the image of civil society as a financially
dependent sector. It is necessary to diversify source of funding by
fostering partnerships with a full variety of potential funders, such
as individuals, corporations, and government. NGOs in Armenia
undertake fund-raising activities through various events, exhibitions,
concerts, and other activities. However, the majority of NGOs have
difficulty with fundraising because they lack experience in
fundraising methods, basic marketing, and financial management skills.
Activities of Armenian NGOs are heavily reliant on external funding.
Some donor organizations work directly with NGOs, while others operate
on a bilateral or multilateral basis. The Armenian Diaspora also
assists the local NGO sector by allocating funds or providing in-kind
assistance. Many NGOs believe that if donor organizations leave
Armenia, the scope of NGOs' activities will be curtailed and many of
NGOs will become non-operational due to lack of funding.
The Civil Society Fund is one of several programs supported by the
World Bank, which has provided grants since 1999 to NGOs and other
CSOs in Armenia. The grants support activities related to civic
engagement, and the focus is on empowering people who have been
excluded from society's decision-making processes. The individual
grants are between $8,000 and $10,000.
Today's unfavorable legislative framework related to the donations to
nonprofit organizations does not provide the NGO sector with an
opportunity to acquire alternative financing. Therefore, limited and
unsustainable funding from donors and the government make the NGO
sector more dependent, affecting their independence and
sustainability. The Armenian business sector does not invest in NGO
development. If they do support them, the investment is limited to
one-time, project or event base charitable contributions. Often NGOs
take funding for a project that is not in line with their mission,
values, and principles, but project requirements are determined by the
donor's agenda, which then affects credibility of the organization.
Armenia's state budget allocates some funds for NGOs on a competitive
basis.
Lack of transparency and accountability is another issue with NGOs
where most of them do not produce and disseminate annual reports and
financial statements. The majority of NGOs claim that their financial
information is publicly available, yet on closer inspection, it
becomes clear that they rarely report to their beneficiaries when it
comes to the finances and the quality of their work. The majority of
Armenian NGOs think that the preparation of reports requires
additional financial expenditure. Reporting of finances and activities
would improve the public's perception of NGOs.
Effectiveness of NGOs
One of the underlying causes of civil society's weak impact on policy
and pressing social issues is that the sector's achievements are
predominantly due to the support of only a small segment of the
Armenian population. The NGOs have failed to extend their outreach and
rally greater support and higher levels of citizen participation in
their activities.
Long-term financial insecurity stands as another hindrance to the
levels of CSO organizations in Armenia. Armenian NGOs have relied
solely or predominantly on international donor funding, without
diversifying their income sources or developing a long-term strategy
to change this situation. As a result, the instability of work in the
NGO sector does not attract young specialists.
Increasing the professional skills of CSOs, through trainings and
staff development could help strengthen the level of organizational
development and achievement. What is of most importance is to focus on
staff retention, and retain the professionals in the sector, as well
as to establish a culture of information sharing and knowledge
transfer.
Fragmentation and competition among NGOs occur frequently, resulting
in an ineffective system for Armenian CSOs. Because of limited
coordination among NGOs, the sector lacks updated information and a
database of NGOs. This creates an inadequate picture of these
organizations and, consequently, gives people a poor perception of
NGOs. This also affects the ability of NGOs to influence the
decision-making process in the public administration.
Some issues facing the civil society include a short-term approach,
lack of strategic thinking, clustering around pro government or
opposition groups, and poor organizational capacity. In order to
increase citizen participation and sponsorship, NGOs need to realize
that they need to be deriving their legitimacy from the society, as
they depend on popular support. Increased transparency and
accountability are vital to support this action. This includes
reporting to their beneficiaries just as they do to their funders and
presenting an inclusive account of all aspects of their activities.
Improvements in these fields will contribute towards increased levels
of trust towards the civil society sector by broader society and will
foster increased citizen participation.
Sources
Civil Society Briefs, Asian Development Bank, Armenia Resident
Mission, November 2011.
Armenian Civil Society: from Transition to Consolidation, CIVICUS,
Civil Society Index Policy Action Brief, 2010.
The Professionals for Civil Society NGO, database of NGOs, World Learning, Inc.
http://www.armenianlife.com/2014/01/06/non-governmental-organizations-in-armenia/
BY STAFF
- POSTED ON JANUARY 6, 2014POSTED IN: UNCATEGORIZED
By Areg Gharabegian
January 2014
There were almost no non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Armenia
during the Soviet era. After the devastating earthquake of December
1988 and during the years of war in Artsakh, NGOs began forming in
Armenia and they were heavily involved with relief and humanitarian
efforts. The Government of Armenia was unable to cope with the dire
situation resulted from the earthquake and war; therefore, it had to
accept the active participation of civil society organizations (CSOs).
Alongside humanitarian aid, major international organizations and NGOs
started contributing to the development of the local non-government
sector. Also, the major Armenian organizations from Diaspora provided
humanitarian aid and contributed greatly to the reconstruction
process.
This period can be considered the first stage in the formation of
local NGOs. The focus of these new NGOs was on refugees, women,
children, the elderly, and the disabled but their activities were
somewhat limited. NGOs' inability to meet growing demand for emergency
services and operations was due to the lack of local NGO skills,
knowledge, capabilities, and absence of an appropriate legal
framework.
Even though most of the NGOs were located in Yerevan, local NGOs began
emerging in the marzes (provinces) too. Local NGOs began implementing
projects in education, health, culture, community development, and
income generation. In 1997, the number of local NGOs reached more than
500. By 2001, data from the State Register showed that there were
2,585 NGOs officially registered. In 2010, the State Register reported
45 international NGOs and 5,700 local NGOs. However, out of the total
number of local NGOs registered, only less than 15% can be considered
operational. As of these operational ones, most are small outfits
which are not active and some have vague and obscure missions. The
following are missions of few of such NGOs:
The main goal of the organization is to participate actively in social
and legal life of the country in order to promote free and safe life
for the youth.
The main goals of the organization are to develop the art and
psychology and to form civil society.
To organize and collect all the recipes of Armenian national cuisine
and publish it. To participate in international contests, seminars,
and meetings.
Table 1 presents a list of operational NGOs and their fields of
activities but not all are necessarily active.
International NGOs can be classified under the same categories as
local NGOs, but with two additional categories:
infrastructure development and construction; and
capacity building and technical assistance for local CSOs,
self-governing bodies, and community councils.
A survey conducted by World Learning revealed that, in the 1990s, 70%
of NGO leaders were women. However, by 2001, 58% of NGO leaders were
men, and in 2009, the percentage of male NGO leaders was 63%. While
the Government of Armenia and the Armenian CSOs do not practice gender
discrimination to cause this shift; therefore, this shift could be
based on the fact that men came to view NGOs as a job opportunity and
a means to further their careers.
In 2004 there were approximately 75 international NGOs operating in
Armenia but recently the number has decreased. The reason for this
decline may be the stable economic growth in Armenia in 2006 and 2007.
Source: The Professionals for Civil Society NGO
Government Involvement
The gradual increase in the number of international NGOs in Armenia
and the corresponding need to regulate the activities of all types of
CSOs led to the Government of Armenia adopting its first Law on Civil
Society Organizations in 1996. The law encouraged international NGOs
to shift their activities from emergency response to development, the
protection of human rights, and enhancing the capacity of local NGOs.
The law states that Armenia recognizes the crucial role of NGOs in the
development of civil society and aims to promote the establishment of
NGOs as legal entities. The government has also passed decrees,
regulations, memorandums, and agreements related to cooperation with
NGOs, and formed institutional bodies and units in community and
national levels.
Voluntarism
NGOs in Armenia utilize informal and less structured volunteering
process when they are interacting with the society in comparison to
Armenian NGOs in Diaspora. NGOs in Armenia also have issues with
volunteer mismanagement; sporadic volunteer recruitment; lack of
skills assessment, orientation, and training for volunteers; and
recognizing volunteer contributions. Engaging volunteers in long-term
regular commitments, instead of ad hoc projects could better utilize
this important resource.
Because voluntarism for social society was not a common practice
during Soviet era, there is a need to widely publicize the value of
volunteerism to get more people interested in becoming volunteers for
different causes. Presently this important resource is underutilized
by NGOs in Armenia. NGOs also should realize the expectations of the
volunteer in order to retain involvement and commitment over time. A
non-profit organization with a strong and committed volunteer base is
more likely to attract new funds.
Democratic Governance
The internal democratic governance of NGOs in Armenia is another issue
that needs to be addressed. NGOs have developed written policies for
democratic governance but often do not follow these policies. NGOs
hold elections to select their internal leadership, yet the rotation
rate of such leadership is low. Typically founders of NGOs hold their
positions for a long term, which affects the formation of independent
boards of directors.
Most Armenian NGOs have bylaws and constitutions that outline their
governance mechanisms but it seems sometimes these mechanisms are
developed to get the required permits and to attract new funds, rather
than a genuine intention of democratic management. Members are also
often excluded from decision-making processes. Unless NGOs embrace
these democratic procedures into their regular operations they cannot
establish a credible reputation in the community.
Funding Sources
Financial sustainability is one of the main challenges that local NGOs
in Armenia face. It is this challenge that limits their capacity for
impact and distorts the image of civil society as a financially
dependent sector. It is necessary to diversify source of funding by
fostering partnerships with a full variety of potential funders, such
as individuals, corporations, and government. NGOs in Armenia
undertake fund-raising activities through various events, exhibitions,
concerts, and other activities. However, the majority of NGOs have
difficulty with fundraising because they lack experience in
fundraising methods, basic marketing, and financial management skills.
Activities of Armenian NGOs are heavily reliant on external funding.
Some donor organizations work directly with NGOs, while others operate
on a bilateral or multilateral basis. The Armenian Diaspora also
assists the local NGO sector by allocating funds or providing in-kind
assistance. Many NGOs believe that if donor organizations leave
Armenia, the scope of NGOs' activities will be curtailed and many of
NGOs will become non-operational due to lack of funding.
The Civil Society Fund is one of several programs supported by the
World Bank, which has provided grants since 1999 to NGOs and other
CSOs in Armenia. The grants support activities related to civic
engagement, and the focus is on empowering people who have been
excluded from society's decision-making processes. The individual
grants are between $8,000 and $10,000.
Today's unfavorable legislative framework related to the donations to
nonprofit organizations does not provide the NGO sector with an
opportunity to acquire alternative financing. Therefore, limited and
unsustainable funding from donors and the government make the NGO
sector more dependent, affecting their independence and
sustainability. The Armenian business sector does not invest in NGO
development. If they do support them, the investment is limited to
one-time, project or event base charitable contributions. Often NGOs
take funding for a project that is not in line with their mission,
values, and principles, but project requirements are determined by the
donor's agenda, which then affects credibility of the organization.
Armenia's state budget allocates some funds for NGOs on a competitive
basis.
Lack of transparency and accountability is another issue with NGOs
where most of them do not produce and disseminate annual reports and
financial statements. The majority of NGOs claim that their financial
information is publicly available, yet on closer inspection, it
becomes clear that they rarely report to their beneficiaries when it
comes to the finances and the quality of their work. The majority of
Armenian NGOs think that the preparation of reports requires
additional financial expenditure. Reporting of finances and activities
would improve the public's perception of NGOs.
Effectiveness of NGOs
One of the underlying causes of civil society's weak impact on policy
and pressing social issues is that the sector's achievements are
predominantly due to the support of only a small segment of the
Armenian population. The NGOs have failed to extend their outreach and
rally greater support and higher levels of citizen participation in
their activities.
Long-term financial insecurity stands as another hindrance to the
levels of CSO organizations in Armenia. Armenian NGOs have relied
solely or predominantly on international donor funding, without
diversifying their income sources or developing a long-term strategy
to change this situation. As a result, the instability of work in the
NGO sector does not attract young specialists.
Increasing the professional skills of CSOs, through trainings and
staff development could help strengthen the level of organizational
development and achievement. What is of most importance is to focus on
staff retention, and retain the professionals in the sector, as well
as to establish a culture of information sharing and knowledge
transfer.
Fragmentation and competition among NGOs occur frequently, resulting
in an ineffective system for Armenian CSOs. Because of limited
coordination among NGOs, the sector lacks updated information and a
database of NGOs. This creates an inadequate picture of these
organizations and, consequently, gives people a poor perception of
NGOs. This also affects the ability of NGOs to influence the
decision-making process in the public administration.
Some issues facing the civil society include a short-term approach,
lack of strategic thinking, clustering around pro government or
opposition groups, and poor organizational capacity. In order to
increase citizen participation and sponsorship, NGOs need to realize
that they need to be deriving their legitimacy from the society, as
they depend on popular support. Increased transparency and
accountability are vital to support this action. This includes
reporting to their beneficiaries just as they do to their funders and
presenting an inclusive account of all aspects of their activities.
Improvements in these fields will contribute towards increased levels
of trust towards the civil society sector by broader society and will
foster increased citizen participation.
Sources
Civil Society Briefs, Asian Development Bank, Armenia Resident
Mission, November 2011.
Armenian Civil Society: from Transition to Consolidation, CIVICUS,
Civil Society Index Policy Action Brief, 2010.
The Professionals for Civil Society NGO, database of NGOs, World Learning, Inc.
http://www.armenianlife.com/2014/01/06/non-governmental-organizations-in-armenia/