Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), with their unwavering commitment to humanitarian principles, emerge as beacons of hope, catalysts for change, and architects of peaceful resolutions in the face of adversity. In this ever-evolving world, their significance in resolving conflicts cannot be overstated.

A nongovernmental organization (NGO) is a voluntary group of individuals or organizations, usually not affiliated with any government, that is formed to provide services or to advocate public policy.Even in cases where the government partially funds the NGO, it maintains its non-governmental status and excludes government representatives from membership in the organization. Many prominent NGOs accept donations only from individuals to maintain their independence. They are also defined as 'civil society organizations'.

NGOs constitute an essential part of civil society and they have the potential to play key roles in resolving conflicts and restoring civil society, but this was not always the situation. It should be noted that NGOs were not granted formal standing in the General Assembly or other strong entities such as the Security Council.

Now NGOs have emerged as significant partners in international development assistance, particularly to developing nations, from agencies such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank.

NGOs constitute an essential part of civil society and they have the potential to play key roles in resolving conflicts and restoring civil society.

• NGOs can help to establish well-connected local infrastructures or peace constituencies made up of people from various sectors of civil society whose goal is to achieve lasting peace and whose activities are based on long-term commitment.
   
• NGOs frequently act as mediators for disputing parties, promoting conversation and negotiation procedures to reach a peaceful resolution. They bring opposing parties together, offer a neutral forum for conversation, and promote the identification of common ground and solutions.
   
• NGOs practice Track II diplomacy, which entails informal, unofficial talks and negotiations among stakeholders outside of established government channels. NGOs can help to resolve conflicts peacefully by creating interpersonal interactions and building trust between parties in conflict.
   
• NGOs facilitate investigation and reconciliation commissions, develop transitional justice systems, and promote discussion between victims and perpetrators of violence. They play a crucial part in addressing concerns, encouraging forgiveness, and restoring confidence in post-conflict cultures.
   
• NGOs should allocate greater resources to capacity-building programs at various levels. It includes training its employees, identifying indigenous partners and local leaders, and so on.

Many such NGOs in the current world are working towards improving the lives of people resolving conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights,preventing disease, and improving mental healthcare. Such as The Carter Centre that nonpartisan and it seeks to work collaboratively with other organizations from the highest levels of government to local communities.

It Has Already Achieved These Heights By:

• Led a coalition to reduce Guinea worm disease by 99.99%, making it the first human disease to be eradicated since smallpox.
• Observed 115 elections in 40 countries to strengthen democracies.
• Promoted peace in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Liberia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, the Korean Peninsula, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Middle East.
• Established a village-based healthcare delivery system in Africa, with trained personnel and volunteers distributing drugs and providing health education.
• Strengthened international standards for human rights and the voices of those defending them worldwide.
• Innovated public health approaches to prevent and control neglected diseases in Africa and Latin America.
• Improving mental health care and reducing stigma for those with mental diseases.

NGOs should work in cooperation and coordination with each other to reduce duplication in their activities.In this process, NGOs should not lose their identities.Coordination and networking of NGOs is a key factor in lobbying and advocacy at a higher level.

NGOs should broaden their scope of activity to address the core causes of conflict and improve the peacebuilding process, rather than focusing solely on conflict resolution. As a result, the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in conflict resolution is dependent on their ground-level presence as actors with a reservoir of goodwill built up over years of development and restoration work. Apart from creating a conducive environment for discussions, where such negotiations are not evident at the level of the competing participants, NGOs can play an important role in many intractable situations.

However, to play a more effective role in conflict management, NGOs may have to reorient themselves with the requisite attitude and skills, which of course should be seen as an additional element of their development work.

Written By:

• Nandini Bahl - BA LLB(H), Amity Law School Noida
• Mikail Faridi - BA LLB (H), Amity Law School Noida