A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) is an organisation that generally is formed independent from government. A NGO is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organised on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. Some are organised around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health. NGOs provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. NGOs are distinguished from international and intergovernmental organisations (IOs) in that the latter are more directly involved with sovereign states and their governments.
Related Definitions in the Project: The Business Organisation; Project Management
