By association

158 of these 'laws unto themselves' (as some would have it) lead off by association in its various translations. The symbolic value of associating your cause with a coming-together of like minds is what makes using 'association' in your title so effective.

Are there anti-drug associations? You betcha. The list starts and finishes with one; the Association for the resocialization of former addicts. The Associazione Osservatorio Droga  is also interesting as they insist on taking a scientific approach and look at the effects that drugs have on the system.

Associazione Iroko Onlus addresses trafficking, obviously a big problem.

Asociación Civil de DDHH, Mujeres Unidas Migrantes y Refugiadas assists migrant and refugee women and their families.

Associação Brasileira de Defesa da Mulher da Infância e da Juventude doesn't restrict its brief; its mission is to defend the rights of women, family, motherhood, childhood, adolescents and the elderly.

Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia boosts the democratic institutions and fosters respect of all fundamental rights. It does this for the poor of Argentina.

Asociación Coordinadora Civica Nacional brings the fight to drugs and awareness of the environment. Don't think there is a direction to grow your own though.

Asociación Cruz Blanca Panameña, nup still don't know

Asociación de Deportistas contra la Droga - sport as a drug

Asociación Departamental de Productores de Coca  is a legally established organization and representative of the producers of coca leaf

Asociacion Nacional de Investigación Criminológica y Formación Forense de España just seems to be a bit about all these things. You either have a million street kid or AIDS or victims of violence orgs or you have these ones that attend to a few matters at once; perhaps seeing a synergy that evades others.

Asociacion Nacional Defensa Personal Especializada 'organizes free training for emotional protection and security of all citizens about crimes related to public health, physical and psychological aggression and violence'.

Asociación para la Prevención, Reinserción y Atención a la Mujer Prostituida provides for the prevention, rehabilitiation and care of prostituted women

Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa takes disparate measures in helping Honduran society

Asociación Peruana de Facultades de Comunicacion Social translates as Peruvian Association of Schools of Social Communication

Asociación pro Salud Mental del Menor looks after the mental health of minors

Asociación REMAR Nicaragua - REMAR stands for 'Rehabilitation of the poor'

Asociación Secretariado General Gitano: although it doesn't say in the description, deals with gypsies

Asociatia Pro Democratia is one that has my sympathies; literally translating from the Romanian as 'associated pro democracy'

Asociatia Renasterea Botosaneana or Revival Centre Botosani appears to be on the same jag even with the local emphasis

Asociatia Romana Pentru Transparenta is Romanians for Transparency and there is an obvious pattern; the more groups there are touting the virtues of democracy and people power, the more repressive the regime.

Associação de Promoção da Saúde Mental A PONTE = Promotion Association of Mental Health THE BRIDGE

Associação Justiça Paz e Democracia involved in promoting transparency in public policy in Angola (Association for Justice Peace and Democracy)

Associacao Recreativa e Esportiva para Criancas e Adolescentes = Recreational and Sports Association for Children and Adolescents

Associated Country Women of the World

Association SPHERE Burkina

Association Africaine de Défense des Droits de l'Homme = African Association for the Defence of Human Rights

Association Algérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption

Association Amis Juristes de Djibouti

Association CI BITI "Air Libre"

Association Club Scientifique de la Faculte des Sciences Medicales = Association Scientific Club of the Faculty of Medical Sciences

Association Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII/ Community of Pope John XXIII Association

Association congolaise pour la promotion de la santé mentale

Association d'Aide aux Malades Mentaux = Association for Aid to Mentally Ill

Association de protection et de sauvegarde de l'enfance en danger = Protection Association and Protection of children in danger

Association des Badinga du Congo

Association Des Femmes Chrétiennes d'Aide et de Développement

Association des Femmes pour l’Appui aux Actions de Développement = Women's Association for Support to Development Actions

Association du Bonheur

Association Enfants, Jeunes et Avenir

Association Espace Liberté

Association for Childhood Education

Association for Community Development

Association for Developing Alternative Practices for Reintegration and Education

Association for Human Development

Association for Promotion of Creative Learning

Association for Social Programmes Development

Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders Ghana

Association for the Prevention of Torture/Association pour la prevention de la torture

Association for the Promotion of Juvenile Justice "Jean Valjean"

Association for the Social Support of Youth

Association for the Study of the World Refugee Problem

Association for Women and Children

Association Frantz Fanon de Sante Mental et d'aide au Sevrage

Association Help FULL for Women and Children of Immaculate Mary

Association Hors La Rue

Association Internationale des Acteurs du developpement

Association Justice and Mercy

Association MANORINTSOA

Association Marocaine d'aide aux Enfants en Situation Precaire

Association of African Entrepreneurs

Association of African Women for Research and Development

Association of Doctors and Pharmacists of Kazakhstan

Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa

Association of Inspectors General

Association of Medical Students

Association of National Brotherhood for Social Welfare

Association of Sherpa

Association Phare (Lighthouse)

Association Portes Ouvertes

Association pour l'Action Sociale et le Développement

Association pour la collaboration globale

Association pour la Prise en Charge des Orphelin du SIDA = Association for the Support of AIDS Orphans

Association pour la Promotion de la Lutte Contre les Violences faites aux femmes

Association pour les enfants défavorisés

Association pour une Vision de l’Avenir = Association for Future Sight

Association Serment Universel = Oath Universal Association

Association Terra

Association Transparence et Développement

Association Women for the Contemporary Society

Association “Pozityvus gyvenimas” (Positive life)

Associazione Iroko Onlus

Associazione On the Road Onlus

Plane to see

2014 was a year full of upheaval; no different from other years in that respect.

But it was the planes, boss, the planes. Channel hopping after the latest disappearance and it was all that was being discussed.

Border skirmishes with Russia are regrettable but not new. Neither is any fnding on North Korea going to make a blind bit of difference. There continue to be ever more jihadist groups propagating, with westerners joining in. Danger comes to our doorstep.

Icons crumble.

Our finest clown succumbs

Art and ambition expand despite austerity

Music and movies were the dependable mix of good and bad so every audience is catered to. Astonishing singers rose in a world of treated vocals and meaningless beat. Young actors find their feet even as old actors deliver their swansong. For all the new technology that abounds, we still have plenty of room for theatre, for live music, for performance of kinds divers

Our beloved leader, certainly the last Australian prime minister to address his fellows as 'Comrade', died at 98. I was glad to have fb'd about Gough (was he ever Mr Whitlam?) when he turned 98. Prescient.

It was the year that we traveled to the south island of New Zealand and saw much to awe and astonish.

It was a year where you could feel that you had a hell hound on your trail or a year of great discovery, of jubilant moments, of cause to celebrate.

Housekeeping

Being so grimly determined to avoid mention of our political situation, I haven't updated you on our recent changes at senior levels in Australia. To whit, our new New South Wales governor(General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret'd)) and Australian governor-general (General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd)). Sure they're boring Liberal government appointments; military men instead of scholarly women but nonetheless..

And Victoria has a new (Labor) premier. I can't make a pun out of Daniel Andrews I'm afraid.

A's is

The existence of non government organisations set up to help specific communities suggests at once that there is a caring element within that society that recognises a need and is prepared to act on it. It also indicates that there is some shortfall; either in the targeted group or the way they are treated.

Is the Ashaafi Foundation to be championed for assisting the sialkot and other communities in Pakistan? Indubitably but it begs the question as to why they are 'behind the eightball' in the first place. Ashah Razyn Foundation in its brief acknowedges the poverty and disadvantage in Uganda so, despite its official imprimatur, why does this state of affairs exist?

Asia, yes, has a beef about illicit substances. Then there is Asia Comprehensive Development Institute, Asia Crime Prevention Foundation, Asia Pacific Group International, Asian Environmental Society and Asian Women's Human Rights Council.

Auksano is set up to provide long-term therapy and support to victims of destructive subcultures and their families. This may be a sneaky way of also attacking drug-taking but is different enough to gain a mention.

Now, as much as I provide a global perspective for this blog, it does also do the Auscentric so here are the NGOs that lead off with our nationality

• Australian Drug Foundation
• Australian Institute of Criminology
• Australian National Council on Drugs
• Australian Parents for Drug Free Youth

Yep, that's why this bunch of party poopers got special mention 

The issue of violence is again a feature of Autonomous Women's Center. Street kids are the focus of Avenir de l'Enfant. Aware Girls objective is to promote and protect the rights of young girls. Awareness Against Human Trafficking is self explanatory.

Ayady Al Khair Society tackles a defined range of issues in Libya.

Ayalau Association is 'striving for ideas of mercy and compassion in society'

Azerbaijan Tafakkur (Thinking) Youth Association has such an impressive charter for its youth that I can only direct you to their page.

Antsy and Anti

I listed all these organisations out because the Anti or Anti- themed NGO is defined in its opposition but shares this with several others stating that they are against corruption, slavery, violence, trafficking both human and substance, terrorism, undefined drugs, cigarettes and alcohol..

The fact that there are so many such groupings across the globe, yet the practices continue, may suggest that they are ineffective and/or misguided. Or it may be that, in their practical capacity - as inherited from the Red Cross - they are there to assist not to proselytise.

Anywhere that provides solace and refuge is to be welcomed, as long as we remain aware that there is a sliding scale of harm potential and that not all affiliations are steering toward the same goal.

To illustrate the point that the main brief of the outwardly anti continues through other organisations, consider Antigone, a Greek group that is an 'Information Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence'

Then there's Antispid that 'prevents STDs and drug addiction among MSM (sexual minorities)'. This is a little more specific than worrying about the general populace and their pill-popping proclivities.

Apne Aap Women Worldwide (A2W2) shows that much of the work of organisations opposing sex trafficking is directed by women, appropriately enough.

Arab organisations are also hung up on drugs. I mention just Arab Organization for Fighting Drugs and Brain Effects as I like that addition. Are they fighting brain effects not caused by drugs? Is this a translation issue?
But there's the Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity, Arab NGO Network for Development, Arab Organization for Human Rights, Arab Organization for International Cooperation and Arab Thought Forum. Any society that has room for such worthy pursuits is of value.

Arca de Noé Fundación Social y Formativa helps street kids and Arco Iris Foundation provides holistic support (food, clothing, academic and vocational training and medical attention) to disadvantaged, marginalised and high-risk groups in La Paz, Bolivia

Arkadag Patient Rights Association has its work cut out.

Article 13 Coalition to Combat Corruption has broad underground support and ARTICLE 19 - International Centre Against Censorship appears not to be attacked by pro-censorship forces

ArtIdea sounds like a great idea as it is set up to promote art in Georgia but the appeal of the name, combined with perpetual confusion with the US state, means I just wasn't able to find a link.

Asabe Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation is a Not-for-Profit/ Civil Society and a Non-Governmental Organization aiming to provide an abundant life, social and economic security for the less privileged. ASYARF is determined to enhance the livelihood of the people in the rural areas by the provision of viable goods and materials to the grassroots and to bringing back hope to the Down Trodden. [unodc.org]

Upping the Anti

The NGOs are fairly negative when it comes down to it and none more illustrate this than the list of 'anti-' organisations.

Animus Association Foundation opposes violence by definition in its charter but it is mainly set up to support the victims in all the ways that might entail. Implicit disapproval of some types of behaviour is not only unavoidable, it's necessary.

By possessing an enigmatic name, the cause becomes acceptable, the measures sensible.

By contrast, the Anglican Young People's Association doesn't have to declare its agenda; it shines as brightly as a beacon.

We must mention 'empowerment' and 'strengthening' before entering the valley of the NGOs that wear their antis on their sleeve. We find it in the charter of ANKURAM

Anti Corruption Solidarity Group/ Gabungan Solidaritas Anti Korupsi
Anti Drug Abuse Association of Zimbabwe
Anti Narcotics Welfare Organization
Anti Narcotics Co-ordinating Center
Anti Sex Trafficking Action
Anti-Slavery International
Anti Smoking Society Qatar
Anti Terrorism Force
Anti Trafficking Centre
Anti-drug volunteer association of Klong Toey slum
Anti-AIDS Charitable Youth Fund
Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda
Anti-Corruption Committee
Anti-Corruption Council of Ukraine
Anti-Corruption Front
Anti-Corruption Gateway for Europe and Eurasia
Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa
Anti-Corruption Justice and Information Center - Ngororero
Anti-Drug and Alcohol Abuse Foundation, Inc
Anti-Drug Association of Somalia
Anti-Drug Association of Argentine Republic
Anti-Drugs Association
Anti-Drugs Association of Mongolia
Anti-Narcotics Association
Anti-Slavery Project
Anti-Violence Network of Georgia
Anticorruption Business Council

Non government or non plussed

Hard to fathom that something that started with a Council of Five could expand at a rate of twenty orgs a year over 150 years. That average may not reflect when the creation of NGOs was at its most active but it is still an expansion of note. How strict are the criteria? Are we seeing national representatives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent listed or are these discrete groups?

Would it be more effective if there were fewer organisations opposing alcohol or mopping up afterwards? Does it take one entity to align alcohol and nicotine with other substances and another to separate them out again? If they are cross purposes, who gets the money and why?

What are they trying to annexe? Or is anex something else?