Charte des ONG (NGO Charter)
Basic information
- Host or sponsor: Umbrella organisation
- Type: Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Year established: 1997
- Status: Inactive
- Thematic area: Development, Humanitarian / emergency relief
- Summary: The NGO Charter provides guidance on values, principles, and organisational structure to EU-based development NGOs. The Charter addresses principles such as social justice, equity and human rights, their non-profit nature, and commitment to public accountability and transparency, among others. Since the closure of CLONG, the Charter no longer has a secretariat.
Contact details
- Host organisation: Le Comité de liaison des ONG de développement auprès de l'Union européenne (no longer operational)
- Acronym: CLONG
Areas addressed
- Principles or standards: Principles-based
- Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
- General commitment to transparency
- Governance and Management:
- General commitment to good governance
- Board structure
- Human resources:
- Staff relations
- Volunteer relations
- Beneficiary / client / supporter participation:
- General commitment to beneficiary participation
- In project design
- In implementation
- In evaluation (ex post)
- Financial reporting to beneficiaries / clients / supporters
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
- Impact evaluation
- Cross-cutting thematic areas:
- Gender equality
- CSO collaboration and partnership
Further info: The NGO Charter also includes commitments to empowering Southern NGOs, sustainable development, and engaging both Southern representatives and North civil society in the development of policy positions.
Participation
- Reasons for participation
- Membership requirement
- Enhancing credibility, quality or reputation
Compliance
- Monitoring mechanism: Commitment only
Assessment
The NGO Charter provides one of the earliest examples of CSOs working in the same thematic area (development) coming together to develop common norms and principles at a regional level. The Charter commits the sector to beneficiary engagement and good management and governance practices. Although CLONG, the sponsoring organisation, is no longer operational, the Charter still provides a common framework for cooperation between Northern and Southern NGOs and is still included in promotional material of several national umbrella organisaitons for development NGOs in Europe.
