Where are the NGOs? A case study of State-Led urban upgrading processes in Medellin, Colombia

Abstract

The focus of this thesis is the role NGOs have taken in response to government led urban upgrading processes in the context of Latin America. As more local governments in the region have adopted integration and upgrading policies towards informal settlements, the role of NGOs, which usually targeted and supported these populations, has become more ambiguous. The risk of cooptation by the state and hegemonic interests has been identified by many authors, who notice the increasing role as client/consultant that NGOs have taken, prioritizing their “service delivery” over their “rights advocacy” functions. However, research in this regard is limited, and a deeper understanding of local processes is necessary to identify how NGOs can better position themselves between local communities, CBOs, states and donors, in order to support communities’ local processes and contribute to the long-term sustainability of these interventions through community empowerment. This thesis aims to contribute to this understanding, by looking at the case of urban upgrading programs adopted in the city of Medellin, Colombia between 2004 and 2011. The research consisted of an extensive literature and policy review, complimented by semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from the local government, NGOs, and local community based organizations.