10 reasons why NGOs are important

 The world will become a better place when one takes care of their fellow beings and helps those in need. Each day, many people or communities are facing several challenges such as poverty, unemployment, natural disasters etc. To address and solve these issues there are several government agencies as well as multiple Non-Profit Organisations (NGOs) instituted.

NGOs are a hub of like-minded people and subject-matter experts who work together for a common cause. They pool all the resources to resolve societal challenges with a systematic approach.

NGOs bring awareness to social issues to bring people together in order to work for the betterment of society. 

Let’s dive into the list of reasons why NGOs are important:

1.Ensure human rights for all

NGOs educate the public about human rights. Numerous NGOs concentrate on humanitarian issues like poverty, hunger, gender-based violence, and other forms of social injustice. They draw attention to human rights abuses and educate people about them to address all concerns of this nature. 

2.Ensure medical care

Every individual has the right to live healthily. NGOs reach out to people who are living in hard-to-reach places and provide medical support to improve their health. They provide free surgeries and medical checkups for those in need. Thus, they improve the quality of life of people who are otherwise deprived of good treatment.

3.They assist during outbreaks and pandemics

It is NGOs that respond quickly when there is a sudden emergency. Recently, with the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, the Prime Minister asked for the support of NGOs to implement measures to reach the last-mile people. They respond immediately with food, water and medical services. By raising awareness and offering proper health advice, they make sure that individuals are adopting preventative measures that reduce their risk of contracting the disease and help to contain outbreaks.  

4.Address socio-economic issues

NGOs are the best option to understand the grassroot of any socio-economic issue. They create awareness about combating several socio-economic challenges that stand as a hindrance to the growth of the country. 

5.They help during natural calamities

The impact of natural calamities is huge. During such times, everyone will be vulnerable to the unprecedented chaos it caused, leaving no one sure how to respond. In these situations, the government collaborates with NGOs to quickly respond to disasters and distribute aid effectively.

6.They encourage gender equality

Lack of education is mainly linked to poverty, safety etc. Compared to boys, girls are more likely to miss school. There are many NGOs that focus on the education of girls to ensure that they are receiving equal opportunities to build their future. 

7.They protect democracy

NGOs safeguard democracy by carefully monitoring the problems and supporting the government to bring about the changes necessary for the better functioning of society.

8.Supports to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

NGOs aid a nation's performance in achieving SDGs, maintaining progressive development, enhancing governance, and ultimately building a more sustainable future for all.

9.Implements Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

NGOs are the best CSR implementing partners. They have enough experts to accomplish social responsibility projects. They provide training, additional manpower and channel revenue streams to execute different projects. Through partnership with the business community, they contribute to the less visible and vulnerable population, find solutions to their problems and thus fight against all inequalities prevalent in society.

10.Protect children from malnutrition

Several NGOs work solely to protect children from malnutrition and support their education. Akshaya Patra is such an organisation that aims to eradicate classroom hunger by providing mid-day meals to government and government-aided schools. Currently, the organisation feeds over 2 million children every day.

Therefore, NGOs play a crucial role in the social, political and developmental activities. Through partnership, NGOs offer various social services, uphold everyone’s fundamental rights and encourage individuals to actively participate in such welfare programmmes.