History of NGOs in South Asia: Understanding the Divergence from Fundamentals

NGOs, characterized as self-regulating, non-profit entities focused on improving the living conditions of disadvantaged people (Vakil, 1997), have emerged as significant players in international development over the past few decades. The role of NGOs in South Asia has been widely acknowledged for their tremendous contributions to the region’s socio-economic landscape. These organizations have emerged as crucial actors in addressing various development challenges, ranging from poverty alleviation and education to healthcare, disaster management, and post-conflict reconstruction. As the South Asian context presents its unique dynamics and complexities, it becomes essential to critically examine whether NGOs in the region uphold these theoretical positions or deviate from them in practice. While saying so, we have to be careful with potential subjectivity in interpretation of those deviations, where they could occur in a natural evolutionary process or have been nurturing to the specific development rhetoric. To do so, an exploration of the historical trajectory of NGOs in South Asia, shedding light on the factors contributing to this deviation and its implications, is indeed necessary.