Exploring the Ethical Dilemmas of NGOs Using Suffering as Currency
NGOs often face complex ethical dilemmas when addressing human suffering, where the hardships of individuals become the currency for their work. This leads to questions of integrity, dignity, and duty, raising concerns about honesty and fairness. The ethical considerations of using suffering as a commodity for awareness, learning, and healing are at the forefront of discussions in initiatives like the Ethics Café organized by Sophiatown Community Psychological Services.
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Ethics Caf 10 June 2019 14:00 to 16:00 An initiative of Sophiatown Community Psychological Services Suffering as NGO Currency 1
Striving to ease human distress and contribute to social transformation is the very foundation of many NGO s existence. However, the hardship, vulnerability or distress of fellow humans inadvertently becomes the currency that NGO s trade with to ensure that they can, in fact, do the work that needs to be done. This reality creates a minefield of ethics dilemmas about integrity, dignity, duty, who deserves what and to what extent, strategic/partial honesty to stakeholders. 2
His story Asad Abdullahi her story their story our stories Unjust war Human rights violations Injustice Discrimination Denied human dignity Used as means to an end 3
Suffering Suffering Two Ethics Lenses Two Ethics Lenses 4
Suffering Suffering A human experience A human experience Suffering as injustice Suffering as virtue Suffering as enlightenment 5
Suffering used as a Suffering used as a commodity commodity To raise awareness To learn from and prevent To soften, alleviate, heal, restore ----------------------------------------- PRESENT FUTURE 6
NGOs as agents NGO s as agents What are the ethical considerations? 7
You are faced with an ethical dilemma when: - you need to make a decision about a course of action, - you could choose different options, - none of which is unambiguously the right/preferable course of action, - you have a sense that there will be some ethical compromise made with whatever option is chosen. Ethical dilemmas 8
Principles Principles Values Values Dilemmas Dilemmas Social justice, fairness Do no harm Integrity Duty Care, compassion Duty to protect Trustworthiness Dignity Respectfulness Diverse needs Confidentiality and privacy Honesty Informed consent Equality 9
Normative Ethics Normative Ethics RIGHT ACTION CHARACTER VALUE Consequences Virtue What matters? Duty What kind of person Better/worse state of affairs? Rights 10
Insights? Take-aways? Suffering as NGO Currency Things to do? 11
