NGOs as Partners of Local Development and Governance: The Sri Lankan Experience

Abstract

During seven decades of independence, Sri Lankan politics have been characterized by strong central government despite various initiatives to decentralize power to local levels. Hence, local government has little capacity to respond to local development needs. The increase in NGO activity following the tsunami of 2004 and the end of the civil war in 2009 provides an opportunity to examine the potential of NGOs as partners with local government in promoting local development. Drawing on research into the views of national, provincial and local political representatives and administrative officials, NGO officials and representatives of community-based organizations in the southern and eastern provinces, this paper examines instances of the NGO involvement addressing local development and governance in Sri Lanka. It examines the impact of a strong central government on NGOs working at the local level, and the conditions for NGOs to be effective in promoting local development. It identifies instances where NGOs have played a key role as intermediaries between local government and local communities as they have promoted local development.