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NGO-Ization and Human Rights Law: The CRPD’s Civil Society Mandate

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  • Stephen Meyers

    (Law, Societies & Justice Program, University of Washington, Box 353565, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
    The Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington, Box 353565, Seattle, WA 98195, USA)

Abstract

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is unique among international human rights instruments for including a “civil society mandate”. Within the convention, disabled persons organizations (DPOs) are identified as having the responsibility to “be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process” of the CRPD. In response to this mandate, international funders, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and networks committed to the CPRD have begun to implement capacity-building programs that target grassroots DPOs with the goal of ensuring they become advocates and monitors of the CRPD. While the goals of these capacity-building programs are admirable, they must be critically assessed. The NGO-ization theory within development studies offers a framework for analyzing the potential unintended consequences of donors providing new funding, NGOs providing training, and global networks integrating local partners. NGO-ization studies have identified how grassroots associations are co-opted by outside actors through formalization and professionalization processes that significantly alter local groups and alienate members, thus making those associations less representative and less responsive to local needs and interests. Human rights scholars and international organizations focused on the CRPD should incorporate an NGO-ization perspective into their research and project-implementation to ensure that grassroots voices are heard and local needs addressed.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Meyers, 2016. "NGO-Ization and Human Rights Law: The CRPD’s Civil Society Mandate," Laws, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlawss:v:5:y:2016:i:2:p:21-:d:69841
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Helen Meekosha & Karen Soldatic, 2011. "Human Rights and the Global South: the case of disability," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(8), pages 1383-1397.
    2. Stiles, Kendall, 2002. "International Support for NGOs in Bangladesh: Some Unintended Consequences," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 835-846, May.
    3. Jude Howell & Jeremy Lind, 2009. "Manufacturing Civil Society and the Limits of Legitimacy: Aid, Security and Civil Society after 9/11 in Afghanistan," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 21(5), pages 718-736, December.
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    1. Laufey Löve & Rannveig Traustadóttir & Gerard Quinn & James Rice, 2017. "The Inclusion of the Lived Experience of Disability in Policymaking," Laws, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Laufey Löve & Rannveig Traustadóttir & James Gordon Rice, 2018. "Achieving Disability Equality: Empowering Disabled People to Take the Lead," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8.
    3. Laufey Löve & Rannveig Traustadóttir & James Rice, 2019. "Shifting the Balance of Power: The Strategic Use of the CRPD by Disabled People’s Organizations in Securing ‘a Seat at the Table’," Laws, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-15, May.

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