New policy recognises value of NGOs

The Swazi government has finally recognised the developmental role civic groups can play, passing guidelines this week on the creation, registration and running of Non-Governmental Organisations. "We view this step as an indication that government regards NGOs as equal partners in development, and appreciates the contributions they make," said the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO), in a statement. "We've been working for a national NGO policy since the 1980s," CANGO director Emmanuel Ndlangamandla told IRIN. "Donors were having difficulty dealing with us because of a lack of a national governing policy, whose absence left the door open for what we call 'briefcase NGOs'. These are NGOs in name only, with no fixed addresses, no boards and no staffs; they exist only to squeeze money out of donors," he commented. A humanitarian crisis has been growing in Swaziland since 2000: poverty, drought, a declining economy and HIV/AIDS have taxed government's ability to cope, giving further urgency to the push for a national NGO policy. Traditionalists in King Mswati III's government tended to view NGOs with suspicion, accusing them of promoting foreign ideologies, like human rights, which sometimes conflicted with cultural practices. The new policy addresses the occasionally spotty communication between government and NGOs by setting up a forum between the two to discuss issues of the day and coordinate efforts "for the improvement of the quality of life of the Swazi community". The policy also contains guidelines for NGOs to monitor financial accounting and service delivery, to the relief of donor organisations that require thorough records to ensure their assistance is properly used. Zanele Dlamini, chairperson of the CANGO board, was one of the NGO stakeholders elated by the end of a decades-long struggle to achieve an NGO policy. "This policy will ensure that the relationship between government and NGOs is formalised, as it encourages high standards of efficiency and effectiveness in the NGO sector," said Dlamini.