OPINIONS

I come across many NGOs and foundations which are inimical to the thought of working with the government. They cite many reasons for not doing so – bureaucracy is stifling; bribes are asked for; government often mistreats you; there is too much interference to the design of your intervention etc. Well, for sure, working...

The good news is - most companies are fulfilling their social responsibility. The question remains – is that really what communities need? According to research, people feel that corporate social responsibility is not effective and failing in some cases. For instance, only 13% people trust what they read in a corporate firm’s CSR or sustainability...

A lot has happened on the climate change front in the last two years. Around December 2015, in Paris, we as a global community, achieved what was considered to be unattainable - a consensus amongst all countries on a target to combat climate change. They agreed to hold planetary warming to well-below two degrees...

A research points out beauty as one of the top three factors in creating social attachment towards one’s town or city. While there has been a growing need to maintain cleanliness in the city – especially densely populated areas, the Swachha Bharat Abhiyaan has provided a much-needed platform and sense of awareness among the...

Strong leadership is significant in achieving social change. India boasts of a rich history illuminated by the power of eminent leaders who have worked to abolish social evils, overcome social norms and create significant social change. A collective sense of responsibility is an undeniable necessity to catalyse positive social change. However, social leaders are...

Education is one of the basic human rights that needs to be provided by all nations. It is important to note that education is for life and learning is life-long as it creates equal opportunities for all. According to Gandhi, “by education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in child and...

Budget 2017-18 promises 1.5 lakh gram panchayats with high-speed broadband service by the end of the year. This may invite a range of reactions. Someone might say “Really? This looks like an impossible task to achieve.” There might be yet another section saying “Rural poor need jobs, not technology”. While there could be varied opinions...

Quite often, we come across the argument that a not-for-profit needs to be run in a business-like manner. The clamour for this has grown louder with many corporate firms setting up their own foundations and a committee of their boards beginning to oversee the developmental efforts. The argument is that just like any business...

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) address a gamut of many prime issues that countries around the world have been trying to solve for a long time now with varying degrees of success. Take the case of India. Alleviating poverty has been an objective from the day the nation was born and “Garibi Hatao” (Eliminate...

Many young people today are attracted by the idea of social entrepreneurship. They want their work to be meaningful and have a rewarding career. These individuals want to contribute towards the betterment of society. Working for the sole purpose of earning a paycheck simply isn’t good enough anymore. Young individuals are looking for jobs...

Raising funds is a challenge witnessed by most non-government organisations (NGO) across all social sectors... Each organisation requires a funding strategy tailored to its own requirements. The development sector in India is increasingly witnessing drastic new changes. The inflow of foreign funding is expected to steadily decrease, directly impacting the resources of NGOs. Over the...

Inequality in any form is dangerous for the development of the country and equally detrimental in progress of the society. It is high time to realize that gender inequality affects us all and all of us have equal role in building an inclusive society. Gender equality is a complex issue. Gender equality is not...