NGOs are voluntary self-governing bodies or organisations that have been established to pursue non-profit objectives. NGOs fulfil an important role in a democracy through the promotion of public awareness, participation in public life, and ensuring the transparency and accountability of public authorities.
NGOs can remain effective by using a variety of tools and adapting their resources and capabilities to the goal in question, meaning that they are able to serve many different functions, from serving as a means of communication between stakeholders and the public, to advocating active change in law or policy. NGOs may be local, national, or international in nature, and the range of their focus and reach respectively.
There are several ways to exercise your right to civic participation through an NGO. You may support the activities of a particular NGO by, for example, participating in its activities or donating to it. You may also become a member of an NGO and directly contribute to its objectives by, for example, helping to organise its activities and recruiting new members. If you are interested in either of these options, you might look up or get in touch with the NGO that you are interested in and request more information on how to support its activities or become a member. As an alternative, you may establish your own NGO.
How to establish your own NGO?
The requirements for establishing an NGO are listed in the Associations and Foundations Law. Your NGO may be either an association or a foundation. An association is a voluntary union of persons established to achieve the goal specified in the statute of the association. A foundation, also a fund, is an aggregate of property that has been set aside for the achievement of a goal specified by the founder. Both associations and foundations are non-profit.
An association can be established:
- by a natural or legal person, or a legal partnership
- for the duration of an indefinite or fixed time
- by no fewer than two people
- without an initial property investment
A foundation can be established:
- on the basis of a written decision or will
- for the duration of an indefinite or fixed time
- by one or more persons
- without an initial property investment, but with an expectation that such an investment will be required in the future
The law prohibits the carrying out of certain actions through your NGO. These include taking action against the independence and territorial integrity of Latvia, expressing or disseminating proposals on a forceful amendment to the structure of the State, propagating violence, terrorism, outright Nazism, fascism, or communism ideology, war, and others. However, the NGO may freely perform activities that are not against the law, in particular distributing information about its activities, establishing its own publications and other mass media, organising meetings, processions and pickets, and carrying out other public activities.
What human rights violation may there be?
If you are prohibited from joining or establishing an NGO, your right to freedom of assembly and association may be violated. In addition, depending on the circumstances, this may also constitute a violation of the prohibition of discrimination.