Non-Governmental Organizations and Development: The Concept of “Place” and “Space”

Abstract

This paper presents an assessment of the Non Governmental Organizations and their contributions to development and conflict transformation in communities around waters. The paper underscores the relevance of the place-centered approach to expound the possible contributions of local NGOs to the development processes. It presents the contributions of NGOs at the community level from three angles i.e. from the position of the water resources management, water consumption, and finally from the cultural perspective. Water is presented as a valuable source of development in the irrigation and hydropower sectors of Central Asia. The paper argues that much as water is a potential resource in development processes, it has also been a source of conflicts in particular localities such as Fergana valley. The paper presents a discussion on the possible role and contribution of NGOs in conflict transformation with particular respect to conflicts related to water issues. It argues that being active agents of change and development in societies, NGOs can use the “local context-oriented approach” in the development process and transformation of the tensions linked to the water resources.