ONTRAC 15. NGO Partnerships: Balancing the Scales

Partnerships between Southern and Northern NGOs have become a key element of the development process. Whilst most NGOs are drawn to the concept of partnerships as an expression of solidarity that goes beyond financial aid flows, the practice of partnerships is highly complex, diverse and hotly debated. At the heart of the debate is the contradiction between the implied mutuality and equality of the term ‘partnership’ and the fact that in reality partnerships between Northern and Southern NGOs are generally imbalanced in favour of the North, given its control over financial resources.

This edition of ontrac looks at the concept of partnership and explores its meaning in the context of NGO relationships. It looks, in particular, at the nature of the imbalance in NGO relationships and identifies practical ways of redressing it, drawing on INTRAC’s experience of working with NGOs in different parts of the world.