The Whole Story of NGO Mandate Change: The Peacebuilding Work of World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, and Mennonite Central Committee

Abstract

Relief and development NGOs have been recognized for their role in peacebuilding in conflicts. The literature tends to focus on external forces, such as the changing nature of conflict and state funding, as an impetus for these NGOs to adopt peacebuilding mandates. However, this is not the complete story of mandate change. Typical explanations and theories used to explain the adoption of peacebuilding underemphasize the autonomy of NGOs and internal factors leading to mandate change. The cases of World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, and Mennonite Central Committee are used to reveal the overlooked factors contributing to adoption of peacebuilding mandates, including agency leadership and the importance of the compatibility of peacebuilding with the NGOs’ primary missions as faith-based relief and development NGOs. Why NGOs engage in peacebuilding is an important question given the critiques they have received over their competency for the task.