Common Dreams is an excellent source of progressive commentary and analysis on international issues. It's been said that dreams are our roadmaps to the future. If so, where are we headed? Common Dreams is a national non-profit citizens' organization working to bring progressive Americans together to promote progressive visions for America's future. Founded in 1997, we are committed to being on the cutting-edge of using the Internet as a political organizing tool - and creating new models for Internet activism.

Global Democracy and NGOs - Massive citizen protests organized by NGOs and grassroots movements against the G-8, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, challenge unaccountable and undemocratic global decision making. They also accelerate moves by these and other international organizations to incorporate NGOs in their consultative process, at least to a limited degree. Some critics oppose enlarged influence for NGOs and claim that NGOs are not representative of the world's people. Instead, they say, NGOs are really just a small counter-elite, less accountable than the governments they challenge. Others, like UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, disagree, calling NGOs the "conscience of humanity" and "indispensable partners" of international agencies. This linked resource offers material on this and related questions, considering NGO legitimacy and how NGOs contribute to accountability at the global level.

©2003 Sam Husseini, E-mail: sam [at] compassroses.org