Background: There is a huge problem across the developing world from Western-funded NGOs interfering in the internal affairs of nations in order to spread Western-style immorality. SEE HERE
Foreign Interference
Such NGOs attempt to add to the lobbying from Western governments and UN bodies by engaging in ‘strategic litigation’ with the aim of overturning bans on unnatural activities, lobbying politicians, health officials, school boards and teachers.
They also produce propaganda in the form of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) materials, designed to corrupt young people into depraved Western ways of thinking about sexuality and morality.
Others spread climate alarmism, or interfere with agriculture, or promote innovative, untested medical procedures in order to benefit Western corporate interests at the expense of ordinary people in developing nations.
Yet others, the abortion providers, seek to overturn legislation prohibiting abortion, under the banner of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), in order to advance their financial interests.
Human Rights
It should be noted that, contrary to the claims of vested interests, there is no ‘human right’ in international law to commit unnatural acts. There is no ‘human right’ to sexual pleasure. Neither is there any ‘human right’ to end the life of a child in the womb in any international human rights instrument whatsoever.
(The so-called ‘Yogyakarta Principles’ have been cobbled together by activists claiming to be ‘experts’ and have no legal force whatsoever.)
Transparency Acts Worldwide
A small number of jurisdictions have enacted transparency acts or similar legislation. They include: the United States, Russia, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and, most recently, Georgia in the Caucasus.
This briefing paper considers each in turn, together with the lessons that jurisdictions in the developing world can learn from them.
United States
The United States Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) was enacted in 1938. It targets those specifically acting on behalf of and under the control of foreign principals. FARA applies mainly to professional lobbyists and political consultants working for foreign governments.
The term ‘agent of a foreign principal’ means:
‘(1) any person who acts as an agent, representative, employee, or servant, or any person who acts in any other capacity at the order, request, or under the direction or control, of a foreign principal or of a person any of whose activities are directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed, or subsidized in whole or in major part by a foreign principal, and who directly or through any other person–
‘(i) engages within the United States in political activities for or in the interests of such foreign principal; …’
It does not apply to those receiving funds from foreign philanthropic foundations. However, it is US-based foreign foundations which are to the fore in funding anti-family NGOs in the developing world. It remains that the US FARA recognises that foreign interference in the internal affairs of the United States of America should not happen. That, above all, is our ‘take-away’.
Russia
The Russia Foreign Agents Law entered into force on 21st November 2012. It was last amended on 1st December 2022.
It requires any person or organisation receiving any form of support from outside Russia or deemed to be under foreign influence to register as a ‘foreign agent’. The Russian legislation affects a broad range of civil society actors including NGOs, media organisations, journalists, and private individuals.
Designated Foreign Agents are prohibited from holding public office, participating in election commissions, serving on public advisory boards, and nominating candidates for prison monitoring boards. They are also barred from making political donations, organising public events, and supporting election campaigns.
Designated Foreign Agents are prohibited from educating minors, holding positions in state or municipal educational institutions, or producing content for minors. They are ineligible for state financial support or arts grants, and cannot participate in public procurement.
Hungary
The Hungarian transparency law simply deals with registration. Adopted on 13th June 2017, it designates an organisation receiving more than $1,300 of foreign money in any calendar year as an ‘organisation receiving support from abroad’.
It does not prevent such entities from participating in the internal affairs of Hungary. Furthermore, it does not apply to:
‘a) associations and foundations that do not qualify as non-governmental organisations;
‘b) associations that fall within the scope of Act I of 2004 on Sports;
‘c) organisations that perform religious activities;
‘d) national minority organisations and associations representing the interest of a national minority, or directly connected to the cultural autonomy of a national minority.
United Kingdom
The UK Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) was introduced as part of the National Security Act 2023. It has two ‘tiers’, the second dealing with ‘enhanced’ security risks.
FIRS ‘strengthens the resilience of the UK political system against covert foreign influence’. It is also concerned with ‘the activities of certain foreign powers or entities that are a national security risk.’ The aim is that ‘the UK will be better informed about the nature, scale and extent of foreign influence in UK.’
It requires ‘registration of arrangements to carry out political influence activities in the UK at the direction of a foreign power.’ It exempts ‘news publishers, lawyers and diplomats’. Failure to register is a criminal offence. ‘FIRS does not prevent any activity from taking place’, but compels transparency.
Charities also need to register ‘if they are directed by a foreign power to conduct political influence activities, or if their activities are directed by a country or state-controlled entity that the Secretary of State specified in regulations because they believe greater transparency is necessary to protect the safety or interests of the UK.’ That is exactly what is happening in the developing world.
Georgia
The Law of Georgia on Transparency of Foreign Influence’ was enacted on 28/05/2024.
It aims to ‘ensure the transparency of foreign influence’. It ‘regulates the registration of an entity as an organisation pursuing the interests of a foreign power’. It ensures ‘the transparency of activities of organisations pursuing the interests of a foreign power’ but ‘shall not restrict the activities of an entity registered under this Law’.
It applies to a ‘non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal person’ where ‘the source of more than 20% of the total income of which during a calendar year is a foreign power.’
It exempts ‘administrative bodies’, the National Sports Federation of Georgia and blood establishments. It includes broadcasters, print media and digital media. There is monitoring to check compliance and penalties for non-compliance.
Our proposed Transparency Act
There are similarities and differences between the current proposed Transparency Act and those of the other five jurisdictions. We shall explain them:
1 Hungary’s law sets a registration threshold of $1,300 in a year. Georgia sets a percentage-of-income threshold (20%) instead of a cash threshold. Our proposed cash level to initiate reporting is $1,000, comparable to that of Hungary. Our percentage of income for an NGO to be regarded as a foreign agent is 33% rather than 20%, which we consider to be too low. Legislators may choose to enact thresholds as appropriate.
2 The Georgia law compels the NGO to designate itself a foreign agent. We regard that as punitive. In our transparency act, it is the government body which supervises NGOs which will make the designation. The NGO is then obliged to declare it.
3 Most of the existing laws include media. Our proposed Transparency Act applies to NGOs and not media. That is to keep it simple and to deal with one problem at a time. Foreign-funded media organisations can easily be covered by separate or future legislation.
Sports, Religion and Politics
4 The Georgian law excludes sports bodies and blood establishments. We see no point in excluding blood establishments. Sports, particularly youth sports, can however be used by NGOs for other purposes. A Kenyan NGO, ‘Moving the Goalposts’, was ostensibly set up to encourage girls to take up football, but quickly began to challenge cultural norms. Therefore we do not exempt sports.
5 The Russian Foreign Agents Law excludes religious organisations. Our proposed Transparency Act does not exclude religious organisations. That is, firstly, because some of the Western funders of NGO are themselves religious organisations, For example, both the American Jewish World Service and the World Council of Churches fund anti-family NGOs. Secondly, because, given such a loophole, and given human nature, NGOs will quickly hide behind a ‘religious’ banner. The courts will take forever in sorting out the mess.
6 The Russian Law also excludes political parties. We consider political parties are under little threat from infiltration by foreign powers and their funding tends to be transparent. However, political parties could easily be covered by an amendment to an existing act covering their activities.
Interfering in Internal Affairs
7 Only the Russian Foreign Agents Law actually prohibits designated Foreign Agents from interfering in internal affairs by lobbying or engaging in education. This is essential. Our proposed Transparency Act will also stop Foreign Agents from lobbying. It will stop them bringing in counter-cultural educational materials such as that produced by Plan International for the Rwanda Ministry of Health in March 2023. SEE OUR ARTICLE HERE
7a Nor may they engage in propaganda directed to teachers or school boards. There have also been reports of NGOs going in to schools and carrying out medical procedures, such as contraceptive injections and injections of vaccines for STDs. Our proposed Transparency Act will prevent all of that, together with advertising in or on any media.
8 Our proposed Transparency Act does what no other transparency law does and prohibits designated Foreign Agents from participation in court action to change laws and constitutions. This is essential in the developing world, where foreign-funded NGOs are constantly trying to go behind the backs of legislators and overturn laws upholding public morality through the courts. The Transparency Act proposed herewith will bring ‘strategic litigation’ and ‘lawfare’ by NGO Foreign Agents to an end, in every jurisdiction where it is enacted.
9 Lastly, it will readily be seen that our proposed Transparency Act is written with simplicity in mind. No doubt there are lawyers in every jurisdiction who can make it more complicated if they consider it is not waterproof enough.
Stephen Green (author) Christian Voice UK 17th May 2025
Note: The author is married to Judith, a Kenyan national.
