In this groundbreaking Master's thesis, Rameesha Qazi explores the critical realm of survivor care policies and toolkits within the NGO space, driven by her own experience of sexual violence during my work abroad. Rooted in a survivor-centered and trauma-informed framework, my analysis encompasses an evaluation of policies from organizations and essential toolkits, revealing striking gaps in addressing systemic barriers, recognizing trauma's nuanced impact, and supporting diverse coping strategies. A unique contribution to the field and in recognizing contextual variations in survivor needs, I introduce a country guide as a practical tool for NGOs to enhance their survivor care policies, providing a roadmap for how to address gaps in support. Furthermore, extending the focus beyond policies, I scrutinize toolkits from prominent organizations and propose recommendations, emphasizing the crucial need to engage survivors, provide comprehensive support, and amplify survivor voices. The thesis not only underscores the urgency for trauma-informed, survivor-led approaches but also challenges prevailing norms in the development sector. It aims to reshape the discourse around sexual exploitation and abuse, advocating for tangible, sustainable change in policies and toolkits to ensure the safety, support, and empowerment of survivors within the NGO space. This research stands as a testament to the imperative role of survivor voices in shaping effective, adequate, and sustainable solutions for combating sexual violence within the development sector.

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The image of a kufiyah-clad Palestinian teenage boy brandishing a stone laden slingshot, facing-off against an Israeli tank, has long pervaded images of Palestinian resistance around the globe. Notwithstanding the disparity in might, and the legitimate discussion around whether wielding a slingshot when faced by a tank should indeed be considered armed resistance in the first place, this dissertation explores the Orientalist shaping of Palestinian resistance and its repercussions for Palestinian men engaged in resistance. In the aftermath of the Oslo Accords, at an unprecedented rate, international aid flowed into Palestine under the pretexts of peacebuilding and statebuilding. Deeply embedded within the liberal peace paradigm, some of this funding went towards interventions targeting Palestinian civil society and the promotion of 'nonviolence'. We know from other examples around the world, donor interventions targeting the political, economic, and social spheres of recipient countries have profound impacts outside of their stated goals. And while this has been noted by scholars in Palestine and beyond, what remains underexplored is the way that these interventions, and the embedded frameworks, discourses, and ideologies, have shaped both the unarmed resistance movement within Palestine, and more specifically, the individual social and cultural lives of those engaged in resistance. There is no way to explore, debate, or even talk about armed and unarmed resistance without first asking how the terms are defined and positioned within a particular framework. Here I find Orientalism, critical feminist theory, and critical peacebuilding literature useful perspectives from which to survey the shifting terrain of Palestinian unarmed resistance in the post-Oslo era and the subsequent shaping of male identity within the resistance movement. This dissertation answers the calls of post-colonial academics for the need to engage in resistance research that aims to understand resistance from the perspective of those who are resisting. At the same time, this dissertation challenges straightjacketed links between representation and domination by expanding our understanding of the role of Orientalist narratives in the Palestinian resistance movement. It argues that Palestinian men engaged in resistance are not just screens on which donors and CSOs/NGOs project their narratives of violent Arabs in need of civilizing (through the adoption of nonviolence). Rather, Palestinians too represent themselves in different ways, conceiving a gendered sense of self in social, public and political spaces. Such contested practices of representation produce cracks and dislocations in understandings of identity, agency, structure, and power in conflict contexts.

International development has been a central aspect of foreign policy from the "developed" to the "less-developed" world for more than fifty years. Despite several trillions of dollars being spent for the ambiguous purpose that is "development," poverty and suffering have yet to be eliminated. With this being the case, existing institutions and processes that are part of "development" need to be analyzed, and the voices of those who are supposedly being helped, heretofore marginalized, need to be accessed in order to find where the fault lies so that it may be addressed. The present study assessed the opinions of a rural community in Nicaragua being served by a small US-based NGO on issues of development, participation, and healthcare. This was done through interviewing members of the organization and, mainly, through both surveying and interviewing members of the recipient community. Findings show that most of the people in this community very much want to be "developed," and that they are appreciative of any help that they receive. / Master of Science

Ratificeringen av barnkonventionen i Argentina var en följd av att staten visade ett stort engagemang för att arbeta med att främja mänskliga rättigheter. Detta engagemang berodde till stor del på att Argentina under flera år tidigare hade styrts av en militärdiktatur. Men staten gjorde efter ratificeringen inga större ansträngningar för att tillämpa barnkonventionen i praktiken. Frivilligorganisationer i landet etablerade sig därmed som det organ som tog över det största ansvaret med att arbeta för barns rättigheter när staten inte gjorde det. Tidigare forskning visar att det saknas forskning på hur barnkonventionen tillämpas i praktiken. För att bidra till att fylla denna kunskapslucka har vårt syfte med studien varit att undersöka vilken påverkan frivilligorganisationer i Buenos Aires, Argentina beskriver att de har för efterlevnaden av barnkonventionen, samt hur de arbetar efter den. Genom kvalitativa intervjuer har sex intervjupersoner på olika frivilligorganisationer i Buenos Aires delat med sig av hur de arbetar med barns rättigheter. Den insamlande empirin har sedan analyserats med hjälp av barndomssociologin samt Esping-Andersens teori om välfärdsstatsregimer. Resultatet visar att organisationerna på olika sätt arbetar med barns rättigheter i linje med barnkonventionen, även om inte alla organisationer arbetade medvetet utefter den. Däremot framkommer det att organisationerna själva anser att det är svårt att följa konventionen fullt ut på grund av att de har brist på resurser och för att fattigdomen är så utbredd i landet att de främst behöver tillgodose grundläggande behov som mat och omsorg. Eftersom barn- och familjefrågor inte prioriteras inom landets politik får frivilligorganisationer en viktig roll att säkerställa de rättigheter som staten inte tillgodoser.

<p>Abstract</p><p>In recent years funding aid operations has dramatically increased, along with the concern about the real impact of its initiatives. Despite considerable amount of money have been invested world widely and a great number of projects already implemented changes have been considered inconsistent. As a result, major donors are pressuring Non governmental organizations (NGO) to evidence their achievements and legitimate their cause. There are several factors which distinguish the NGO as unique within project management environments, such as the social accountability claimed and the nature of the impact aimed. Therefore, traditional project management practices might not be suitable in the case of NGO’s project. This study analysed project methods most applied for NGO’s project and discussed about it accountability challenges related to project management. Willing to further understand how in practice NGO managers are dealing with those challenges, a case study was developed with a NGO that works with environmental issues. As a result, it was evidenced that practical methodologies are applied to embrace the organization own needs. It was apparent that project management methods were adapted to the institutional purpose, even though adjustments might not be completely in accordance with internal procedures. Project management tools are assumed as a semi structure basis and can be adjusted if the work is justified. A flexible approach relies on the trust and expertise of the organization staff. As a conclusion, it was evidenced that NGO’s projects carry particular aspects and expectations over project accountability and management methodologies must be adapted and complementary methodological approaches are being developed.</p>

Abstract In recent years funding aid operations has dramatically increased, along with the concern about the real impact of its initiatives. Despite considerable amount of money have been invested world widely and a great number of projects already implemented changes have been considered inconsistent. As a result, major donors are pressuring Non governmental organizations (NGO) to evidence their achievements and legitimate their cause. There are several factors which distinguish the NGO as unique within project management environments, such as the social accountability claimed and the nature of the impact aimed. Therefore, traditional project management practices might not be suitable in the case of NGO’s project. This study analysed project methods most applied for NGO’s project and discussed about it accountability challenges related to project management. Willing to further understand how in practice NGO managers are dealing with those challenges, a case study was developed with a NGO that works with environmental issues. As a result, it was evidenced that practical methodologies are applied to embrace the organization own needs. It was apparent that project management methods were adapted to the institutional purpose, even though adjustments might not be completely in accordance with internal procedures. Project management tools are assumed as a semi structure basis and can be adjusted if the work is justified. A flexible approach relies on the trust and expertise of the organization staff. As a conclusion, it was evidenced that NGO’s projects carry particular aspects and expectations over project accountability and management methodologies must be adapted and complementary methodological approaches are being developed.

Denna studie syftar till att utvärdera det kenyanska utvecklingsprojektet och NGO:n Nikumbuke som på grund av landets patriarkala strukturer har som mål att stärka de deltagande kvinnorna. Vi har genom att delta i projektet som volontärer studerat vilka metoder Nikumbuke arbetar med för att uppnå sitt mål och undersökt vad effekterna blir för deltagarna samt vilka eventuella svårigheter projektet möter. För att kunna uppfylla studiens syfte har en kvalitativ ansats tillämpats där en utvärderingsmetod i kombination med effektanalys väglett studien. Empirin har samlats in med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer, gruppintervjuer samt deltagande observationer. Relevant tidigare forskning samt teoretiska utgångspunkter bestående av Tillys teori om beständig ojämlikhet, empowermentbegreppet samt Bourdieus teori om kapitalformer, habitus och fält har applicerats vid analysen av det empiriska materialet. Resultatet av studien visar att Nikumbukes metoder ger kvinnorna verktyg att öka deras möjligheter och kapitalvolym vilket leder till empowerment, men att de sociala normerna, traditionerna och strukturella hinder som råder i landet är svårföränderliga och utgör ett hinder i arbetet med att stärka kvinnorna. Då Nikumbuke dessutom är en NGO med begränsade ekonomiska resurser riskerar deras ekonomiska beroendeställning att förlänga utvecklingsprocessen och skapa långvariga effekter. / The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Kenyan development project and NGO Nikumbuke, which aims to empower the participating women due to patriarchal structures in the country. We have participated in the project as volunteers and studied the methods that Nikumbuke uses to achieve their goal and examined the experienced effects for the participants and possible difficulties that the project may face. To fulfill the purpose of this study a qualitative method was used. Additionally an evaluation method in combination with an analysis that focuses on the effects of the project has guided us throughout the work. The material was collected using semi-structured interviews, group interviews and participating observation. Relevant earlier research and theories consisting of Tillys theory about resistant inequality, empowerment and Bourdieus theory on the capital forms, habitus and field were used to analyze the empirical material. The result shows that the methods Nikumbuke use provides the women with tools to improve their abilities and capital volume that leads to empowerment, however the social norms, traditions and structural obstacles in Kenya are still problems that are difficult to change. Furthermore the fact that Nikumbuke is a NGO with limited economic resources makes the project dependent of others and risks extending the process of long term development effects.

The HIV and AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa calls a great national and global response in order to face the challenges associated with the illness for the individual, households, community and future of nations. The disease has led to an increased number of orphans and other vulnerable children in Botswana where the non-governmental organizations stand for social service delivery to these children. However, this is not without challenges and pressure for adaption from other organizations. The NGO staff members carry out their work within this organizational context between a variety of influences and relations that are reflected in terms of challenges they define. A wide range of strategies are used by the actors and organizations to deal with these barriers. Therefore, it is of importance to explore the NGO staff member’s experiences of their work in relation to an institutional perspective, which this study intends to do. The focus of the analysis was on separating the material into categories that answer the research aim by using influences from the coding process of grounded theory. The results demonstrated that the NGOs work within local and global tensions in their organizational fields including the ability to preserve traditional practices and adapt to international changes. This for the organizations to be able to gain legitimacy, receive funds and continue to provide their services to orphans and other vulnerable children in the country. / HIV och AIDS-epidemin i subsahariska Afrika kräver en omfattande nationell och global respons för att möta de utmaningar som är förknippade med sjukdomen för individen, hushåll, samhället och nationers framtid. Sjukdomen har lett till ett ökat antal föräldralösa och andra utsatta barn i Botswana där icke-statliga organisationer står för utförande av sociala tjänster och vård till dessa barn. Detta är dock inte utan utmaningar och påtryckningar om anpassning från andra organisationer. De icke-statliga organisationernas personal utför sitt arbete inom detta organisatoriska sammanhang mellan en mängd olika influenser och relationer som återspeglas i utmaningar vilka de definierar. Ett brett utbud av strategier används av de aktörer och organisationer för att ta itu med dessa hinder. Därför är det av vikt att utforska icke-statliga organisationer och specifikt personalens erfarenheter av sitt arbete i förhållande till ett institutionellt perspektiv, vilket denna studie avser att göra. Fokus för analysen var att separera materialet i kategorier som svarar på syftet genom att använda influenser från kodningsprocessen av ”grundad teori”. Resultatet visade att organisationerna arbetar inom lokala och globala spänningar i deras organisatoriska fält, inkluderande en vilja att bevara traditionella sedvänjor men samtidigt anpassa sig till internationella förändringar. Detta för att de icke-statliga organisationerna ska kunna uppnå legitimitet, få finansiering och fortsätta att tillhandahålla sina tjänster till föräldralösa och utsatta barn i landet.