Treading a delicate path: NGOs in Fragile States Draft Synthesis report

Fragile states pose some of the greatest challenges to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Among the entire population of developing countries that are falling short of achieving minimum standards for malnutrition, poverty, health and education, fragile states account for more than three times their fair share in terms of total population. Save the Children believes that addressing problems of education, hunger, health and protection can reduce fragility and break the vicious cycle that exists in many such countries.

In early 2007, Save the Children UK commissioned practical research to take an empirical look at its work in fragile states. The purpose was to develop a clearer understanding of commonalities and differences in approaches to our work between different country programmes in fragile states, and the constraints and opportunities posed by operating in such environments. The practical outcome of the research was to identify good practice in NGO (non-governmental organisation) operations in fragile states and to better understand the effects of fragility, especially on the rights of children in order to improve the impact of future programmes.