Public Opinion Poll Concerning the Perception of NGOs in Palestine

53% of Palestinians believe that nepotism and its related forms are the most prevalent forms of corruption in NGOs

47% of Palestinians believe that general directors are the party most involved in corrupt parties in NGOs

70% of Palestinians believe that NGOs & charities do not disclose their financial, administrative, or program related information to the public.

The Nazaha project, implemented jointly by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Ramallah and AMAN, the Coalition for Accountability& Integrity, has conducted a public opinion survey concerning the state of Palestinian NGOs and charities. The survey aimed at measuring public perceptions about NGO compliance with transparency and accountability standards as well as the forms and magnitudes of corruption in those institutions.

The Nazaha project aims at enhancing transparency and accountability in the NGO sector in Palestine as a tool towards creating and strengthening an anti-corruption culture within NGOs on one hand, and empowering and increasing the capacity of those NGOs in fighting corruption in the Palestinian society on the other.

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research - PCPSR conducted this survey between June 15 and 18, 2006, among a random sample of 1270 individuals of 18 years of age and above. 830 of those were in the West Bank and 440 in the Gaza Strip, comprising 127 residential sites. The statistical marginal error was 3%.

Main Survey Results

Corruption in Palestinian Institutions:

Survey results indicate that the Palestinian public believes that corruption is most prevalent in the public sector compared to others. For instance, 66% of the sample believed that corruption is evident in PNA institutions while 11% believed that to be true for political parties and only 3% thought that the private sector, NGOs and charities, and international organizations are corrupt while 2% only though that the media is affected by corruption. In addition, males were more responsive towards corruption in the public sector, 73% of males believed that the public sector was affected by corruption while 59% of females did. Also, there was a difference in perceptions according to education and type of employment, 81% of Bachelor’s degree holders reflected their belief of corruption in the public sector while 47% of the illiterate did; whereas 76% of the private sector employees thought that the public sector was corrupt, 70% of the public sector employees did.

Of the sample, 27% believed that there was no corruption in NGOs while 57% thought that there was some form of corruption at different rates. 17% thought that there was a high or very high rate of corruption in NGOs, while 23% thought that it was evident at a moderate rate and 18% thought it was at a low or very low rate. The percent of those who thought that there was some form of corruption in NGOs was higher in the West Bank (62%) than in the Gaza Strip (50%), among males (66%) than females (49%), and among the educated (Bachelor degree holders 74%) than the illiterate (51%). In this context, Wasta and nepotism in employment with no regard to qualifications was thought of as the most prevalent form of corruption in NGOs (53%), and whereas 47% of the surveyed through that general managers in NGOs were the party most responsible for corruption, 18% believed that about the boards of directors followed by 15% about the heads of departments and 10% about the employees.

The Work of NGOs:

Results show that 38% of the surveyed believed that NGO projects and programs are not responsive towards the needs and priorities of the Palestinian society, while 32% thought that they do but a low rate, 20% said yes but at a moderate rate and only 5% believed that they do at a high rate. These results varied also between males and females, 42% of males reported a negative view while 35% of females did. As for the party responsible for deciding upon these programs, the highest percentage (36%) of the surveyed thought that foreign donors did, while 21% thought that target groups’ needs were the main drive, 17% thought that the PNA played that role and 16% believed that the NGOs themselves decide upon these priorities.

As for employment in NGOs, most of the respondents (65%) believed that Wasta and nepotism were either always or most often used as the main route of conduct in this area while 31% only believed that employment is actually based on the individual’s qualifications. The percentage of those who responded negatively about employment measures in NGOs varied among the respondents according to their educational achievements, 70% of the illiterate or those with a primary level of education thought that Wasta and nepotism were the main forces behind employment while 58% of Bachelor’s degree holders and 42% o Master’s (or more) degree holders thought in the same manner.

NGO Accountability:

53% of the sample believed that the Palestinian National Authority should be one of the parties responsible for holding NGOs accountable, while 23% believed that donors should play that role followed by 17% for the local community and 12% for NGOs themselves, their boards of directors and general assemblies. Despite the fact that the majority though that the PNA should play that role, 61% of the respondents believed that the government is not fulfilling its responsibility; this percentage was higher in the Gaza Strip (65%) than in the West Bank (59%), among males (67%) than females (56%), and among those with a Bachelor’s degree (76%) than the illiterate (42%). However, 31% believed that the PNA is actually fulfilling its role in that area. On the other hand, 82% of the sample saw a need for the formation of a coalition of NGOs to fight corruption in the NGO sector (this percentage is higher among females (85%) compared to males (78%)), and only 12% reported no need for such a coalition.

Transparency in NGOs:

Only 22% of the sample reported that they have seen or read financial, administrative or program related NGO reports or documents. This percentage was higher in the Gaza Strip (28%) than in the West Bank (18%), among males (29%) than females (14%) and among the more educated (with 58% for those with a Master’s degree and 38% for individuals with a Bachelor’s degree) than the less educated (9% among the illiterate and 13% among those with a primary level of education). In this context, 70% of the surveyed believed that NGOs do not disclose such reports and documents to the public while 82% believed that such a disclosure should take place.