NGOs that reach consensus have more power to negotiate. In the same way that business people, farmers and industrialists form 'Chambers' or 'Association' to defend their interests, NGOs form umbrella organizations and forums to build an institutional framework with the legal backing and power to negotiate and contest other public and private powers.
Several NGO umbrella organizations have been launched with mixed success, including the Environmental Liaison Centre and the Centre for Our Common Future. The UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) spurred the creation of national forums that attracted wide participation and energized existing groups to mobilize around its agenda issue. In countries where these groups have continued campaigning on the issues after UNCED, they have gained a new legitimacy in the eyes of government officials. Regional models that succeeded throughout UNCED were loose networks that spread out promoting positions on substantive issue -- among them the Japan NGO Forum, the Brazil Forum and the US Citizens' Network. These networks continue to promote awareness of sustainable development issues in their regions.
The General Arab Women Federation is the umbrella under which is concerted the efforts of Arab women's organizations for improving social conditions in general and women's in particular. It maintains a relation of coordination and interaction with member organizations in order to identify their needs and capabilities; to provide them with technical assistance; to enable them to play their national and pan-Arab role; and to undertake projects would consolidate their efforts and render them more effective and economical.