The building blocks to an effective regulatory system

Diagram of The Regulatory Bridge
Sector Self-accountability Government Public / Funders

 

NGO regulation is the shared responsibility of society, since NGOs exist for society's benefit. Effective regulation addresses the needs of, and can be owned equally by, a government and the NGO sector. There is also a clear link between the success of a regulatory system and the support that it enjoys from the NGO sector and from the government. The following links share experiences in different countries around the world and resources for enhancing the contribution of all stakeholders. Shared responsibility has several different elements, and the Regulatory Bridge illustrates how they link together.

  • Internal accountability shows - and improves - the strength of an individual NGO;
  • The regulator is also key, as is its relationship with NGOs;
  • In many countries the NGO sector has voluntarily introduced Codes of Conduct - and in some cases the government has encouraged it to take control of important parts of regulation;
  • The public and donors also play an important oversight role.