ABSTRACT
The debate about political conditionality has largely taken place vvithin official donor circles, and bilateral aid policy in this area has been the prerogative of aid agencies and foreign ministries in the donor countries. Little consultation has taken place vvith NGOs and human rights agencies in the formulation of bilateral policy on condi tionality, even though such organisations have long pressed for stronger linkage betvveen human rights performance and aid commitments. Moreover, in the fevv cases vvhere political conditionality has been ap plied to particular countries an NGO perspective has not generally been taken into consideration.
