The term “non-governmental” or “non-profit” is usually used to refer to a category of organizations that form part of civil society. Such organizations are usually characterized by the fact that the purpose of their existence is something other than financial profit. However, this “something” can include a myriad of goals and a wide variety of initiatives and actions. The range of non-governmental organizations ranges from small initiative groups arising, for example, out of some environmental problem or specific human rights violation, to educational charities, women’s shelters, cultural associations, religious organizations, legal foundations, humanitarian aid programs (the list goes on), and finally to huge international organizations with hundreds of chapters and thousands of members in different parts of the world. In this section, we will briefly examine the significant role such organizations have played (and continue to play) in protecting human rights around the world. At virtually any level where attempts are being made to protect the dignity of individual citizens from government encroachment, NGOs play a crucial role:
Fighting individual human rights abuses, either directly or by appealing “emblematic” cases to the appropriate judicial authorities
by providing direct assistance to those whose rights have been violated
By advocating for changes in national, regional and international law
Helping to improve the content of these laws;
disseminating among the population knowledge of and respect for human rights.
The contribution of NGOs is important not only in terms of the results they achieve and the optimism they inspire regarding the protection of human rights in our world, but also because NGOs are, in the truest sense, a means of protection available to individuals and groups around the world. They–like many other organizations–are run and coordinated by individuals, but beyond that their strength derives in no small measure from the voluntary support of other members of society for their cause. This fact makes them especially important in the eyes of people who would like to contribute to improving the human rights situation in the world.