What will it take to decolonize global development?
About This Special Report
However well meaning, global aid has long been fraught with paternalism and colonialism. But there’s a movement to completely rethink the way this work is done: to reorient toward resource sharing in real partnership, to end undignified “white gaze” fundraising practices, to work with the goal of independent communities. In other words, to decolonize.
There are 30 locally-run ActionAids all over the world. Secretary-general Julia Sanchez opens up about what they’ve learned about shifting power.
Allowing INGO country offices to operate independently is one way of shifting power within humanitarian agencies, but there are a host of other power dynamics to consider.
White saviourism is still prevalent in fundraising practices. Here are four simple ways to avoid it.
White saviour fundraising isn’t just paternalistic and racist. It can condition donors to believe that humanitarian issues in the Global South are unsolvable. Fundraising campaigns that promote solidarity can be just as effective as traditional ads, if not more so.
Full video: What will it take to decolonize global development? Devex founder Raj Kumar weighs in
Global inequality is at a high, and so, therefore, is the relevance of humanitarian aid and global development work. But many argue this work has a colonial power imbalance that perpetuates the very inequity it aims to dissolve.
In-depth conversation: Are the SDGs relevant anymore? Devex editor Raj Kumar weighs in
Global inequality is at a high — vaccine inequity is a salient example. As the Global North begins to recover, much of the Global South is still grappling with the pandemic’s social, health, and economic devastation. How NGOs, agencies, and governments engage in global development will be crucial for global recovery.
Canadian charities say building partnerships with local organizations is tough. This new Senate bill may change that
If passed, Bill S-222 could undo a decades-old rule that Canadian charities say prevents them from building fair, equal partnerships with grassroots organizations, rather than hierarchical and colonial relationships.
This national humanitarian sector organization asked its members about their anti-racism practices. Here’s what it found.
Humanitarian and international development are still home to colonial viewpoints, practices, and values. Meaningful anti-racism work, including the acknowledgement of racism within the sector itself, is a way of undoing this ongoing and harmful legacy.