NGO is the acronym for Non-Governmental Organization. These are all non-profit organizations created by people who work voluntarily in defense of a cause, be it protection of the environment, defense of human rights, eradication of child labor etc.
The expression "Non-Governmental Organization" was first used in 1950 by the UN (United Nations), to refer to civil organizations that had no links with the government.
From the 1960s and 1970s onwards, the issue of environmental degradation became a concern of many people around the world. As a result of this, movements emerged that gave rise to non-governmental organizations. In the 1970s, there were already more than 10,000 NGOs in Brazil.
The NGO is part of the Third Sector of society, which are private, non-profit institutions whose purpose is to complement public order services. These organizations must work legally, with registration in the registry, CNPJ and state registration.
The NGO is financially supported by individuals, private companies, foundations and in some cases with the collaboration of the State itself. The work is carried out by contracted employees and mainly by volunteers.
Many NGOs around the world were organized to defend the environment. Among them stands out Greenpeace (from the English green=green, and peace=peace), which operate in many countries. When the environment is threatened, Greenpeace and other NGOs publicly protest so that the population becomes aware of environmental disasters.