This article analyzes some perspectives and limitations of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as formal mechanism for citizen's participation in local and regional environment management in Latin America. First, the ethical basis of the independent voluntary work in underdeveloped countries democracies are analyzed in relation with the policy-maker decision process in the framework of economical globalization, mainly in public health and environment policies. Secondly, it is displayed a qualitative analysis of demographic, social, economical and environmental data that correlate the spatial references of the NGOs with the paradoxical social reality in Latin American. This paper tries to show that some governmental and corporate sectors stimulates the substitution of solidarity for philanthropic in the social politics and also this trend is coherent with the global reorganization of the capitalism. Qualitative analysis shows that mostly of the NGOs do not appear and prosper in poverty areas, but in the rich areas with high political and economical power concentration and correlate to Human Development Index. In this context, it is necessary to make a conceptual differentiation between civil society and the third sector, usually wrongly identified as synonymous. Finally, conclusions seek to lead on a policy-makers moral reflection about a political model that encourages no-political voluntary work instead of State responsibility in social areas, especially in public health and environmental management.
non-governmental organizations; public policies; environmental management; sustainable development
