Improving Governance of NGOs
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The contributions of NGOs to societal development are
being increasingly recognised. However, public
attention has been repeatedly drawn to the need for
improved NGO governance for greater effectiveness
and impact on sexual and reproductive health.

Good governance takes into consideration a system in
which organisations are guided, directed and controlled at a strategic level.

ICOMP’s governance framework (see below) uses advocacy for promoting changes in internal and external contexts, strengthening forces for change, and enhancing the facilitating factors for change.

The World Bank funded a project on Improving Governance of NGOs for Greater Effectiveness and Impact on Sexual and Reproductive Health in 2002- 2003. The aim was to improve governance in three countries: Bolivia, Ethiopia and the Philippines through assessing the quality of governance and improving it through best practices. Three facilitating NGOs were selected: Bolivia: Population Concern (PC) Ethiopia: Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) Philippines: Philippine NGO Council on Reproductive Health and Welfare (PNGOC) They each documented three case studies on good governance practices and supported ten partner NGOs in their respective countries to develop and implement actions needed to improve governance. Project Outputs • Nine case studies on good governance practices in the three countries. • Questionnaires and checklist for assessing the quality of NGO governance practices. • Governance handbook containing best governance practices, and intervention tools for improving governance. • Improved governance of partner NGOs.