Day 48 – Q 1.How do NGOs help in bringing about behavioural changes needed for policy implementation? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.
1. How do NGOs help in bringing about behavioural changes needed for policy implementation? Illustrate with the help of suitable examples.
नीति कार्यान्वयन के लिए आवश्यक व्यवहार परिवर्तन लाने में NGO कैसे मदद करते हैं? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों की सहायता से चित्रण करें।
Introduction:
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are part of the development processes of our country. NGOs provide an extra governmental network to connect with the people and is helpful in bringing behavioral change in people. As UNDP notes, NGOs have a significant role to play alongside governments to augment the resources, connect with the public and oversee meaningful policy implementation.
Body
NGO bringing behavioral changes:
- Behavioral change among policy makers:
- The glaring data released by some of the renowned NGOs nudge the government to take proactive steps in policy formulation and implementation. E.g. IPCC report and change in government behavior towards climate change.
- Policy insights: and reorientation required is put-forth through credible data and reports which helps in changing strategies and structural changes. This in turn improves policy implementation. E.g. Pratham report on education leading to structural changes recommendations by committees like Kasturirangan.
- Bringing awareness about policies among the public: in many cases, public are unaware of the policies, schemes etc., and NGOs ate instrumental in reaching out to public through street plays, reports etc., E.g. awareness of RTI is mainly spread by NGOs, awareness campaigns on Mudra Scheme, PM Fasal Bhima yojana etc.,
- Knowledge dissemination:
- NGOs are close to the people and hence enjoy more credibility and hence help in conveying government message and shatter superstitions, disinformation. E.g. NGOs role in UP in eradicating the misconception on polio vaccine (seen as planned sterilization by government).
- Also, NGOs are vital in dealing unconventional areas of policy interest like LGBTQ rights, mental health care, women menstruation etc., where proper awareness is important for policy implementation. E.g. Shraddha foundation in Maharashtra for mentally challenged, Saathi NGO for LGBTQ.
- As most of the NGO members are from local community, they help address issues of language and cultural barriers and hence increase the target penetration. E.g. NGOs in Chattisgarh reaching out to tribal people and help availing government benefits to set up SHGs.
- Persuasion of public is done by various strategies including naming and shaming, building social capital etc., E.g. NGOs involved in ‘Darwaza band Karo’ campaign help in Swachh Bharat mission.
- Social Behaviour change:
- NGOs like Lepra society (for leprosy patients), Snehalaya (for HIV infected) etc., are working in changing the behavior of public towards those patients and vulnerable section and help in mainstreaming them in the society. They are helping in implementing policies vis-a-cis leprosy, AIDS, TB etc.,
- NGOs like Age India is bringing awareness about the elderly care and running campaigns on the responsibility of children to take care of parents. Further, by treating the poor for free, it has helped in changing behavior of family who doesn’t see the elderly as a burden. This in turn is supporting government measure towards elderly.
- NGOs tap in young generation students and youths and instill a serving mentality which in turn help in the long-term behavioral change. E.g. An NGOs working on the concept of ‘Time Bank model’ – youths taking care of elders in old age home and accumulating time which they would get in their old age by volunteers.
- Bringing awareness among parents on subjects like girl education, women rights, children rights etc., E.g. Smile foundation working to uplift slum dwellers and children, Kailash Satyarthi’s Bachpan Bachao andolan etc.,
- Several NGOs are dedicated to achieve sustainable goals and help governments by bringing behavioral change in resource use among consumers. E.g. Greenpeace, FORREST (in Maharashtra) etc., helping in environmental impact assessment. Prakruti NGO in Bangalore promoting electric vehicle, solar energy etc., help government policy on renewables.
Conclusion
NGOs has boosted the government efforts and provide an additional policy network for better integration and internalization of policies. Thus, NGOs are vital in bringing behavioral change when the major issue in any government policy is ‘not the policy formulation’ but ‘the policy implementation’
