Development and advocacy

Most major development NGOs dedicate significant resources to advocacy. Many also work to inform and shape public opinion. They argue that fundamental change is not achieved until the policy environment is right, and cannot be sustained with the groundswell of support for reform. In recent years, however, advocacy work has come under increasing criticism. NGOs are challenged on the grounds of legitimacy: whom do they represent, and to whom are they accountable? What practical impact does high-level advocacy have on the lives of people living in poverty, and who is to judge this? Should NGOs try to combine funding and advocacy, or do these demand different kinds of North-South relationship? Are NGOs too readily seduced by agencies like the World Bank or by the corporate sector? When does constructive engagement with these powerful bodies turn into co-option by them? As international grassroots advocacy is becoming more vocal, thanks to new communication technologies, what is the appropriate role for Northern NGOs? This collection brings together papers from the international journal Development in Practice, by writers with experience of NGO advocacy. Together they attempt to answer some of these uncomfortable questions.