Non‐governmental organizations as agents of democratization: An African perspective

Abstract

Abstract It is currently contended that the economic adjustment programmes being implemented by most African countries should be accompanied by reforms that lead to greater democracy. As part of civil society, non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) are expected to play an important role in fostering the democratic changes now argued to be needed. This article examines the theoretical grounds for assuming that NGOs will function as agents of democratization through their increasing presence and ability to transform society. It is argued that NGOs are unlikely to have significant impact on political reform because (a) regimes have effective instruments to contain such a possibility and (b) the legal standing, typical development approach and the relations maintained by the NGO community are not sufficiently consistent with this aim. It is concluded that in order to effectively promote democratization in Africa NGOs will need to adopt more complex development strategies and consciously include the issue of citizenship in their interventions.