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ADVOCACY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN POST-WAR LEBANON by Rose Hanna Debbas submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of American University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology Chair imih Farsoun Kenneth Kusterer Gay Young Dean of the College / ^ -** Date 2000 American University Washington, D.C. 20016 M EW C W D nV E R S in LBftAK Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3025988 __ 0 UMI UMI Microform 3025988 Copyright 2001 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ® COPYRIGHT by ROSE HANNA DEBBAS 2000 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. For Edward, whose encouragement, patience and support have made this all possible; for my children, Ibrahim, Nadine and Michele, whose love and pride have given me strength; and for my sister Amal, who has stood by me always. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ADVOCACY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN POST-WAR LEBANON BY Rose Hanna Debbas ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this research is to explore the role of advocacy Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in post-war Lebanon. Specifically, it focuses on the contributions of advocacy NGOs to the process of sustainable human development. Sustainable human development is defined in this research as development that provides for economic growth and equitable distribution of the benefits of growth; a democratic political system that respects human rights, freedom, gender equity and the rights of other marginalized segments of the population; a functioning healthy civil society; and finally, a sustainable environment. This research shows that the contributions of advocacy NGOs in Lebanon continue to be marginal and limited, due to internal organizational challenges, namely, lack of funds, lack of commitment and lack of professional human resources. A patriarchal culture and a sectarian political system and culture were shown as basic challenges to their work and contributions. Regional politics and interference were ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. shown to be equally important negatively contributing factors. This research also demonstrates that advocacy NGOs in Lebanon are contributing mainly to the democratization process of the political system. Furthermore, this research shows that the role and dynamics of advocacy NGOs in developing countries differ significantly from those in developed countries, which makes it imperative for advocacy NGOs in Lebanon to redefine their advocacy role or expand it. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PREFACE GIVE THEM NOTHING LESS THAN PRIDE Know them, for they are family, friends and loved ones Whose faces have been blurred by time and distance; Listen to them, for they are family, friends and loved ones Whose voices have been muted by agony and fear; Reach out to them, for they are family, friends and loved ones Whose hands have been frozen by apathy and despair; Smile to them, for they are family, friends and loved ones Whose eyes have gone dry with sadness and grief; Love them, for they are family, friends and loved ones Whose hearts have been crushed by suffering and sorrow. Give them nothing less than pride, For they are family, friends and loved ones Whose dignity has been tested by hardships and need. Let their faces shine with laughter Let their voices echo with hope Let their hands feel abundance Let their tears run with joy Let their hearts fill with tolerance Let their dignity soar and soar. Rose Hanna Debbas Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My heartfelt appreciation goes to my professors: Samih Farsoun, my chairperson, who has provided me with valuable advice, input and guidance throughout the research project; Kenneth Kursterer, whose approach to sustainable human development gave me valuable insights into my research; and Gay Young, whose careful reading and comments on my dissertation were very beneficial to its final form and content. V Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER ONE THE ROLE OF ADVOCACY NGOs IN POST-WAR LEBANON Introduction This dissertation will investigate the role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in post-war Lebanon. Specifically, it will focus on advocacy NGOs as vehicles and agents of social change, and on their contribution to Sustainable Human Development (SHD). Advocacy NGOs are those organizations which, although partially involved in relief and/or service delivery efforts and small-project community development, have a scope of action which goes beyond traditional and limited developmental functions into a more vision-oriented, theoretically-based development strategy targeting basic changes in the existing social structure. David Korten, in his book Getting to the 21st Century, says, "The critical development issue for the 1990s is not growth. It is transformation. Our collective future depends on achieving a transformation of our institutions, our technology, our values and our behavior, consistent with our ecological and social realities."1 In his experience with NGO work, Korten identified a definite pattern of evolution within the NGO community, away from the more traditional relief activities, and towards greater involvement in catalyzing larger institutional and policy changes. 1 David C. Korten. Getting to the 21st Century. Voluntary Action and the Global Agenda. (West Hartford, Conn: Kumarian Press, Inc. 1990), 4. 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 “The pattern seemed to involve three identifiable stages or generations of strategic orientation, each moving further away from alleviating symptoms, toward attacking ever more fundamental causes."2 Relief and welfare NGOs are known as first-generation NGOs; these started from relief and charity efforts, primarily related to religious organizations. Their activities consist mainly of delivering welfare services to the poor. They focus on meeting immediate basic needs through direct action, such as provision of food, shelter, and health services to individuals and families. Many of these organizations were originally created to help victims of wars and natural disasters. Their assumption typically is that, as a result of their short-term assistance, the beneficiaries would be able to resume their normal lives. Those organizations, at their early stages, rarely theorized why these assisted people had unmet needs. Although their effort remains an essential and appropriate response to poverty needs and disaster, their approach as a development strategy is little more than temporary alleviation of symptoms of underdevelopment. The second-generation NGOs of the 1970s which Korten identifies focus on self- reliance strategies, and undertake community-development style projects in areas such as preventive health care, farming practices, and infrastructure improvement. Their objective is to sustain benefits beyond the period of the NGOs' active involvement. "The welfare versus development debate became quite active in the late

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