Argentina Needs a Special Legal Framework for NGO Workers

A silent legislative gap affects thousands of people who devote their professional and social lives to causes that benefit the wider community, the article argues. Argentina's nongovernmental organizations, generally known as civil society organizations, lack a specific legal regime for their workers.

These institutions form part of what is broadly called the social and solidarity economy. The International Labour Organization defines that sector as businesses, organizations and entities carrying out economic, social and environmental activities of collective interest, while putting people and social goals ahead of capital.

They are not commercial companies and do not treat profit as their main purpose. They generally have no shareholders or members in the strict corporate sense. Their financing depends largely on voluntary contributions from members and associates, donations from third parties, and national and international cooperation. Many also operate projects with deadlines and budgets they do not fully control themselves.

The article says these organizations are neither marginal nor secondary to national economic and social life. In Argentina, they contribute more than 3.64% of GDP, a figure comparable to the contribution of the entire mining or construction sectors. They employ more than 650,000 formal wage earners, equivalent to 12.5% of registered employment, and bring together more than 1.75 million volunteers.

Argentina's NGOs have varied legal structures: 61.8% are civil associations, 25.3% foundations, 1.5% federations and 1.9% simple associations. Churches and religious entities account for 0.3%, neighborhood development organizations for 0.1%, informal entities for 8.7%, and Indigenous communities for 0.4%. Geographically, 50.6% are registered in Buenos Aires City, 22% in Buenos Aires province, 7% in Santa Fe and 5.8% in Córdoba, while the remainder are spread across other provinces.

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A set of businesses, organizations and entities that carry out economic, social and environmental activities of collective interest, under a model that puts people and the social purpose above capital.