Advocacy by UK-Based Development NGOs

Abstract

With Northern development nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) becoming more involved in advocacy and policy influence, they are increasingly being asked questions about their effectiveness, legitimacy, accountability, and governance. In an effort to contribute to these debates and to inform NGOs’ thinking, this article provides an overview of the advocacy activities of UK-based NGOs. Using material from a recently completed research project, this study examines the growth of UK NGOs’ advocacy; the ways in which NGOs actually do advocacy; the position of advocacy within NGOs; the efforts of NGOs to work together in advocacy in the face of pressures to differentiate themselves; the ways in which NGOs relate to donors; issues of legitimacy, representation, and accountability; and evaluation.