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One in Three Worldwide Lack Confidence in NGOs
Gallup Blog

One in Three Worldwide Lack Confidence in NGOs

As part of its first-ever truly global study of public attitudes on science and health, Gallup and Wellcome asked people worldwide about their confidence in charitable and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). A slim majority of the world's adults (52%) express confidence in the charitable organizations and NGOs in their respective countries. However, 32% tell Gallup they do not have confidence in such organizations, many of whom deliver vital services in the countries where they operate.

Confidence in Charitable Organizations/NGOs Varies Around the World
In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How about charitable organizations and NGOs?
Yes No
% %
World 52 32
Australia/New Zealand 61 29
Northern America 60 26
Northern Europe 60 30
East Asia 59 25
Eastern Africa 58 29
Western Africa 55 27
Central Asia 55 25
Southeast Asia 51 32
South Asia 50 32
South America 49 40
Middle East 48 38
Central Africa 47 33
North Africa 47 37
Southern Europe 47 43
Southern Africa 46 38
Western Europe 46 37
Central America and Mexico 37 53
Eastern Europe 37 46
Wellcome Global Monitor

The regional figures mask some important differences across countries. (For the full list of rankings, see the end of the article.)

Countries where people express the highest confidence in charities and NGOs span a range of geographies and levels of economic development, including Malta (79%), Rwanda (76%) and the Philippines (74%).

Most and Least Confident Countries
In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How about charitable organizations and NGOs?
Yes No Don't know
% % %
Top 10
Malta 79 11 10
Rwanda 76 9 15
Iceland 75 12 13
Mauritius 75 16 9
Philippines 74 25 2
Uzbekistan 74 14 13
New Zealand 70 20 10
United Arab Emirates 70 10 20
Kosovo 70 23 7
Sierra Leone 69 21 10
Bottom 10
Dominican Republic 32 51 16
Ecuador 32 51 16
Germany 31 42 24
South Korea 31 60 9
Laos 29 43 27
Russia 29 54 16
Peru 29 58 12
Colombia 28 54 17
Greece 25 60 15
Bulgaria 24 49 26
Wellcome Global Monitor

The countries with the highest percentage of the population lacking confidence also span the globe, with six in 10 in Greece, South Korea and Mexico expressing that view.

Confidence Varies Little by Economic Development

Confidence in charitable and nongovernmental organizations varies little by World Bank-defined levels of economic development. People living in low-income countries express slightly more confidence (57%) in such organizations than both the global average and those living in high-income countries (52%).

Little Variance Across National Income Categories
In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How about charitable organizations and NGOs?
Yes No Don't know
% % %
Total 52 32 15
Low income 57 29 14
Lower middle income 51 32 16
Upper middle income 53 31 15
High income 52 34 13
Wellcome Global Monitor

Implications

In many countries, charitable organizations and NGOs play a key role in society by providing goods, services or information. The trust that people have in these organizations can either enhance or inhibit the organizations' effectiveness and their ability to generate public goods. As such, charities and NGOs need to keep this trust in mind as it directly affects the spheres and activities they can undertake within societies.

In addition to these views on charitable organizations and NGOs, the Wellcome Global Monitor also provides new data and insights from around the globe on the public's trust in science, trust in sources of information about public health, trust in vaccines and more.

Confidence in NGOs or Charitable Organizations in Country: Global Rankings
In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How about charitable organizations and NGOs?
Yes No Don't know
% % %
Malta 79 11 10
Rwanda 76 9 15
Mauritius 75 16 9
Iceland 75 12 13
Philippines 74 25 2
Uzbekistan 74 14 13
Kosovo 70 23 7
New Zealand 70 20 10
United Arab Emirates 70 10 20
Liberia 69 23 7
Sierra Leone 69 21 10
Canada 68 21 11
Gambia 68 19 13
Niger 68 15 17
Bangladesh 66 29 6
Kenya 66 29 5
Turkmenistan 66 18 16
Afghanistan 65 33 2
Malawi 65 28 7
Yemen 65 26 10
Ghana 64 28 8
Luxembourg 64 21 16
Zimbabwe 63 26 11
Burundi 63 21 16
Costa Rica 62 33 5
United Kingdom 62 30 8
Eswatini 62 23 15
China 62 22 16
Denmark 61 36 3
Brazil 61 34 5
France 61 31 8
Nepal 61 24 15
Madagascar 60 27 12
United States 60 27 13
Northern Cyprus 60 25 15
Saudi Arabia 60 20 20
El Salvador 59 34 6
Australia 59 31 9
Norway 59 19 22
Finland 58 31 11
Switzerland 58 30 12
Guinea 58 24 16
Cambodia 58 20 22
Poland 57 33 10
Zambia 57 32 11
Mali 57 21 22
Uganda 56 36 8
Ethiopia 56 27 17
Nigeria 56 26 18
Italy 55 40 5
Cyprus 55 32 13
Botswana 55 29 16
Singapore 55 21 24
Belgium 54 31 14
Vietnam 54 31 15
Lebanon 53 40 7
Croatia 53 36 11
Ireland 53 35 11
Sweden 53 33 13
Paraguay 53 31 16
Latvia 53 25 21
Netherlands 52 46 2
Haiti 52 43 5
Benin 52 35 13
Mozambique 52 31 16
Malaysia 52 17 31
Slovenia 51 48 1
Libya 51 39 10
Tanzania 51 35 14
Egypt 51 31 17
Belarus 51 28 21
Kuwait 51 20 29
Wellcome Global Monitor

Confidence in NGOs or Charitable Organizations in Country: Global Rankings
In your country, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How about charitable organizations and NGOs?
Yes No Don't know
% % %
Albania 50 44 6
Bosnia and Herzegovina 50 39 11
Iran 50 31 18
Slovakia 49 43 8
Chile 49 35 16
Chad 49 34 16
Lithuania 49 34 16
India 49 31 19
Israel 48 41 9
Argentina 48 37 15
Czech Republic 48 36 14
Sri Lanka 48 35 16
Cameroon 48 28 24
Burkina Faso 48 26 26
Iraq 47 48 5
Honduras 47 40 13
Hungary 47 40 13
Uruguay 47 30 22
Estonia 47 25 27
Nicaragua 46 42 12
Indonesia 46 38 16
South Africa 46 38 16
Kyrgyzstan 45 42 13
Morocco 45 36 19
Moldova 45 32 22
Spain 44 47 9
Comoros 44 45 10
Romania 44 42 13
Japan 44 39 17
Georgia 44 37 19
Tajikistan 44 27 28
Mongolia 43 43 14
Myanmar 43 42 15
Tunisia 42 46 11
Namibia 42 41 16
Austria 42 31 26
Kazakhstan 42 30 28
Portugal 41 32 26
Palestinian Territories 40 47 13
Armenia 40 46 14
Taiwan 40 41 18
Senegal 40 31 28
Algeria 39 48 12
Jordan 39 48 13
Gabon 39 46 15
Turkey 38 52 10
Congo Brazzaville 38 44 17
Pakistan 38 44 17
Ivory Coast 38 36 26
Togo 38 36 26
Bolivia 37 50 12
Montenegro 37 40 18
Venezuela 36 51 13
Guatemala 36 42 22
Ukraine 36 42 21
Azerbaijan 36 34 30
Thailand 36 30 33
Panama 35 50 15
Serbia 35 50 15
Macedonia 34 49 16
Mexico 33 59 7
Mauritania 33 40 26
Dominican Republic 32 51 16
Ecuador 32 51 16
South Korea 31 60 9
Germany 31 42 24
Peru 29 58 12
Russia 29 54 16
Laos 29 43 27
Colombia 28 54 17
Greece 25 60 15
Bulgaria 24 49 26
Wellcome Global Monitor

For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details.

Learn more about how the Wellcome Global Monitor works.


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