[afro-nets] Food for a charismatic thought

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

Food for a charismatic thought
------------------------------

Human Rights Reader 77

MORE ON LEADERSHIP.

1. 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.

2. A leader is a person who is able to hold a vision, to articu-
late it clearly and to communicate it with passion and charisma.
S/he creates conditions rather than giving a pre-conceived di-
rection; 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 any-
one of us have?

3. 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.

4. 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 govern-
ments. 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 hin-
terland. (R. Chambers)

5. A mass of mini and micro projects conducted by NGOs does lit-
tle 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).

6. Without effective leadership, I see no prospect for govern-
ments developing an intrinsic commitment for the needed struc-
tural 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.

7. 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, Vietnam
mailto:claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn

--
Through much of this Reader I distilled arguments found in sev-
eral issues of D+C the German development journal, the book ?The
Hidden Connections?, by Fritjof Capra, the book ?Heading South
,Looking North? by Ariel Dorfman and the book ?Refugiado del
Iraq Milenario? by Claudio Sepulveda.