- When reading the last three (or more) Readers, it becomes clear that the question of leadership is a crucial one for the human rights (HR) movement.
- A leader is a person who is able to hold a vision, to articulate it clearly and to communicate it with passion and charisma. S/he creates conditions rather than giving a pre-conceived direction; s/he uses the power of authority to empower others, enabling and mobilizing communities, giving sense to where they are going. S/he often accepts responsibility far beyond what may be expected. Leaders do not design solutions, they analyze situations, reflect them back, increase connectivity, amplify voices, recognize opportunities, act with a purpose, make people feel they are supported, feel free to make mistakes (learning is as good as success).
How many of these characteristics does anyone of us have?
- Because of so many past and present misdirected efforts, most NGOs no longer can be counted among the leaders in HR work. For the time being, funding NGOs is not the groundbreaking answer to the reduction of poverty –and less so to the eradication of HR violations.
- No one doubts NGOs have good intentions, but it is no longer accepted without question that they actually do any good. So far, there is no evidence many of them are better than governments. They just do things differently. Their million dollar projects just ‘do not cut it’… It is a shame that NGOs are often better networked with the outside world than with their own hinterland. (R. Chambers)
- A mass of mini and micro projects conducted by NGOs does little for the development of the countries they work in. It is thus high time they put their (original/initial?) ideals first. They need to embark in a frank internal political dialogue and a dialogue with beneficiaries (and decision-makers).
- Without effective leadership, I see no prospect for governments developing an intrinsic commitment for the needed structural reforms unless they realize it is in their enlightened self-interest to do so. Nor do I overestimate the current power of civil society actors to make a difference and bring about change.
- Here is the challenge, then, to become an effective leader and to influence thousands of others in our respective fields of work. Are we up to it?
Claudio Schuftan, Ho Chi Minh City