|
Our recommendations in September:
Briefing Book on international partnerships
This leaked briefing note from Brussels highlights relevant current developments at the EU level. With the new EU Commission being selected and new priorities being set, humanitarian and development actors fear that their goals may be overshadowed by economic and geopolitical interests, particularly since the launch of the ‘Global Gateway’ initiative. This leaked draft from DG International Partnerships (formerly DG Development) confirms this scepticism, stating, among other things, that the EU should offer its strategic partners a policy mix ‘driven by economic interest, and less so by more traditional and narrow development and foreign policy approaches’ in the future.
“For them it’s not the work, it’s the life”
The humanitarian sector needs more local leaders, yet leadership training is often more readily accessible for expatriates and HQ staff. Manika Saha, Nazanin Zadeh-Cummings, Mary Ana McGlasson, and Sonia Brockington offer seven recommendations for organisations interested in supporting the professional development of their locally hired employees.
From ecocide to resource-stripping: War’s collateral damage on the planet
War inflicts long-term and sometimes irreversible damage to the environment, complicating post-conflict reconstruction and contributing to new climate-related disasters through the accumulation of excess CO2 emissions. In this important piece, Obi Anyadike analyses the environmental footprint of the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Ethiopia, and Myanmar.
Changing the world, one innovation at a time
In this blog post, John Bessant explores how social innovation is transforming global challenges. He highlights how international organisations are using cutting-edge strategies, incubators and innovation labs to combat global crises such as hunger and poverty, and how effective solutions can be scaled up to achieve sustainable change.
Innovation for the people
Paul Remic from IFRC challenges the myth that innovation is solely for ‘geniuses’ or tech moguls. Inspired by The Simpsons, he shares how the Global Innovation Summit in Nairobi changed his perspective on innovation, emphasising that diverse ideas and teamwork drive real innovation and encouraging us to continually ask: ‘Can we do it differently?’
Museum of Failure
The Museum of Failure illustrates that innovation often involves setbacks. The exhibitions showcase more than 200 products and projects that did not succeed, reminding us of the importance of learning from failure.
Passing the Buck: The Economics of Localizing Aid in Ukraine
This study by Sharetrust concludes that Ukraine could save USD 256 million by achieving the target of 25% locally-led aid, as locally-led projects are 15.5% more cost-effective than those led by the UN or INGO, primarily due to lower overheads and salaries.
Committed to Change: USAID Localization Progress Report
Contrary to its title, the USAID report unfortunately shows a decline in the percentage of funds awarded to local organisations, with only 9.6% allocated in 2021 compared to 10.2% the previous year.
Too Southern to be Funded
Unfortunately, Germany cannot shine either. Germany performs poorly in direct ODA expenditure for civil society organisations in the Global South, ranking second last in the comparison.
How to Decolonise the Humanitarian–Development–Peace Nexus?
The authors (including Meininghaus, E. and Suárez, R.B.) argue that the current implementation of the HDP nexus fails to recognise power asymmetries and structural inequalities in the international aid system. Beyond a bottom-up approach to localisation, they call for a decolonial approach that analyses and acknowledges how the colonial legacy affects funding flows, the distribution of staff and decision-making power, and the norms and behaviours within the aid sector.
Coloniality and the inadequacy of localisation
In ‘Humanitarian Leader’, Farah Mihlar discusses how colonial perspectives and methods reinforce and perpetuate the subordination of organisations in the ‘Global South’. She argues that while localisation aims to recognise knowledge and experience from the ‘local’, this knowledge and experience must largely be produced through the methods and systems of the ‘Global North’. This is self-defeating, as the institutions of the ‘Global North’ control the methods and practices and maintain a capacity gap that prevents effective localisation.
Gaza is hell for aid workers – and it is doubly difficult if you are a woman
Buthaina Subeh, director of the Wefaq Association for Women and Childcare, shares her harrowing testimony of living and working in Gaza, dealing with the constant fear for her loved ones, losing her home, and feeling incomplete.
Embodying change: Transforming power, culture and well-being in aid organisations
This podcast, hosted by Melissa Pitotti, is “for humanitarians who want to work in closer alignment to core values like compassion, accountability, solidarity and equity”. It covers topics such as wellbeing, feminist leadership, shifting power structures, mental health, and so much more – it is a great source of inspiration!
|
