Are watchdog NGOs still necessary?

Monitoring of the government’s policy was one of the most widespread and effective forms of civil activity before the November revolution. However, after the new authorities took over the power in the country some cast doubts over the efficacy of the watchdog organizations.

During the previous authorities, “the only thing the non-governmental organizations and journalists could do was to reveal various violations through monitoring in case of non-governmental organizations, and through investigative reporting in case of journalists,” Levan Ramishvili of the Liberty Institute says.

However, after the peaceful power transition the methods used by the third sector might not be sufficient any more in the new political environment.
 
Previously monitoring was one of the effective ways for changing the situation and mobilizing public opinion. Accordingly, the watchdog organizations were more frequently seen in media. The outflow of staff from the NGO sector to the governmental bodies increased fears that it might lead to weakening of the third sector.

However, noteworthy, the third sector does not consist of only watchdog organizations. The organizations working over other issues exist along with them. A great part of their activities is directed to civil society development, settlement of social issues, self-governance etc.

Presently it may become necessary to push forward the activities of other types of organizations. As Director of the Eurasia Foundation Keti Khutsishvili said, other organizations, for instance, socially-oriented ones may be promoted nowadays.  

The new authorities express readiness for cooperation with the non-governmental sector and even launch new initiatives aiming at boosting ties with the civil society organizations. Currently advisory councils and working groups composed of the representatives of the civil sector are being set up under the several Ministries.     

On the one hand, this helps the non-governmental organizations to participate in planning and implementing particular steps taken by the government, as well as in elaborating recommendations for the authorities. On the other hand, it may trigger increase of dependence of the non-governmental organizations on the government and hesitation for criticism.

Eka Datuashvili of the Center for Strategic Researches and Development of Georgia says, “public control is always necessary.”

“Little time has passed yet [since revolution]. The situation will itself bring us to the forms and methods, which will be more adequate for the particular moment,” she added.

After the revolution, the society has become more self-reliant and accordingly has greater expectations. Levan Ramishvili thinks, that the society expects non-governmental organizations and media to play more active role, and unlike previous practices, when they limited themselves only with revealing of violations, they will actively participate in improving the situation.  

However, some experts think that this expectation may include particular danger for the non-governmental organizations. The revolution had a positive effect on the sector’s image and presently it is perceived as a positive force. However, if the sector starts criticizing the measures of the government, which is rather popular in the society, this might negatively influence on its image.

As Keti Khutsishvili says, “the non-governmental organizations should participate not only in monitoring particular activities, but also in elaborating the structure of a new system. Their role should be rather serious in searching particular facts and conducting particular monitoring on the one hand, and giving recommendations for systemic, serious changes, on the other.”

In this case the sector should be ready to establish positions, which are often unpopular in the society. Along with the particular cooperation with the authorities, the possibilities to criticize it should exist as well.

In case of the cooperation with the authorities, the sector should not lose its primary function of public control. It should exist, however the forms of its activities, like those existed in Europe, may be different.