Evaluation of the Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Field of Women and Family

Considering the importance and necessity of the organized participation of women in achieving a comprehensive and sustainable development, the present study examines the performance of active NGOs in the field of women and family. In terms of research design, this study is a type of evaluation research that has been carried out with a combination of quantitative (survey) and quantitative (qualitative content analysis) methodologies. The population and size of the statistical sample was constitued of three groups: the NGOs' managers in the field of women and family in the 17 provinces studied (365 people); the relevant officials and experts (12 people); and the managers or experts of NGOs in the office of women affairs in selected governorates (19 people). The findings showed that more than fourteen of the studied NGOs were active and the rest were semi-active. Most of the role of NGOs is related to the educational sphere and the weakest ones was in the field of policymaking and their most important problems can be classified as seven financial, legal, administrative, political, institutional, social and cultural, and managerial problems respectively. In general, the reality of women and family NGOs can be described as non-NGO, with a reduction to charity institutes, a lack of their specific position, and a tacit government cooperation with them. The findings implies that the women and family NGOs are not the agents of the field of women and family, and now have a low effectiveness in managing the affairs of women and family at the national and provincial levels.