A new study by Sarah Bush and Jennifer Hadden provides one of the most comprehensive overviews to date of the shifting landscape of international NGOs. Once heralded as central players in shaping a new global order after the Cold War, NGOs are now grappling with a wave of challenges that have curbed their growth, influence, and legitimacy. Drawing on detailed data, the study traces the trajectory of international NGOs from their rapid expansion in the 1990s to a period of stagnation and retrenchment in the past decade. This statistical stagnation reflects a broader decline in their influence and relevance. Governments are increasingly pushing back, public trust is waning, and donor priorities are shifting toward localisation and efficiency, often at the expense of long-established international actors. The study identifies a series of converging pressures that are reshaping the sector. Read more here.
Source: The Good Lobby