Aid, NGOs and the Realities of Women's Lives explores how international NGOs are navigating changes that challenge their role and legitimacy, their values and their overall purpose. The writers explore alternative ways of conceptualizing development, and of bringing about improvements for the most marginalized and increasingly "unheard" women. The book calls for a re-examination of theories about change and a refocus on ideas of complexity and feminism and on learning from past NGO experience.

Aid organizations have their origins in a desire to help the world's poorest and most marginalized people--but are they reaching these people? Several factors are coming together that put pressure on NGOs working in international development: the economic crisis, the growing conditionality of aid, and increased competition for funding between NGOs. This creates "a perfect storm" driven by a new language of aid, policies and procedures established in Europe and the US which is leaving poor women behind.