Study Notes on 'Time to Decolonise Aid'

Time to Decolonise Aid

Insights and lessons from a global consultation

Local activists express concerns about unequal power dynamics in the international aid system, particularly the dominance of Global North organizations.
No significant progress has been made in addressing funding imbalances since the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit.
The Black Lives Matter movement has prompted a reevaluation of structural racism in aid work, necessitating a discussion on decolonizing aid.
Key findings include:
- Many attitudes and practices in the aid system reflect colonial ideologies.
- Decision-making power continues to be largely held by organizations in the Global North.
- Language used in the sector often reinforces discriminatory perceptions.
- Practitioners of color, especially from marginalized groups, face additional challenges.
Recommendations emphasize accountability, inclusion of local communities in decision-making processes, and adopting new, inclusive terminologies.

Activists advocate for the localization of humanitarian aid and development efforts.
Despite commitments to ‘shift the power’ towards local actors, implementation has been inconsistent.
The racial injustices highlighted by recent uprisings have pushed practitioners to confront and address the realities of structural racism in the aid sector.

Conducted an online consultation from November 2-4, 2020, engaging 158 participants across 6 continents.
Aimed to discuss the colonial legacy of the aid system and explore practical solutions for decolonization.
Emphasized ensuring gender balance, age diversity, and representation from marginalized groups in participant selection.

Local: Pertains to initiatives led by individuals working within their own contexts but can vary in nuanced meanings depending on systemic power dynamics.
- Anonymously noted that many 'local' organizations may still be run by elites that reinforce existing hierarchies.
Structural Racism: The normalization and legitimization of practices that advantage White individuals while disadvantaging people of color; deeply rooted in historical colonial structures.
Decolonization: Initially defined as the withdrawal of a state from a colony but encompasses critically deconstructing colonial ideologies today.
Decoloniality: A framework focusing on understanding and addressing the matrix of power that emerged during and after colonialism.
White Gaze: The tendency to view societies through a White ethnocentric lens, perpetuating notions of White superiority.

Participants examined how past colonial attitudes continue to inform current aid practices, challenging the notion that contemporary aid is neutral.
Emphasis on needing to address the moral dimensions of aid as reparative rather than simply philanthropic.
Highlighted historical parallels between colonial distribution of aid and current dynamics where aid is often funneled through elite channels.

Discussions included how international aid mirrors former colonial dynamics, with decision-making power centralized in the Global North, while local actors often remain excluded.
Key findings indicated that language and procedural norms within the aid sector reinforce existing imbalances.
Organizational structures favor expatriate staff over local staff, undermining the skills and knowledge of local practitioners.

Administrative complexities in program design often disadvantage local organizations and complicate access to funds.
Local practitioners face significant hurdles due to overly rigid bureaucratic expectations.

Participants shared ideas on how to practically implement decolonial approaches, including:
- Funding and Program Development: Emphasize courageous funding practices that allow for flexibility and local-led solutions.
- Attitude of Practitioners: Encourage humility, active listening, and building reciprocal relationships with local actors.
- Monitoring & Evaluation: Redefine success metrics based on community impact rather than classic donor expectations.

Stress the need for institutional reform and the active inclusion of local knowledge in defining the future of aid.
Recommendations for all stakeholders include:
- Acknowledging existence of structural racism in the sector.
- Encouraging dialogue about power dynamics with grantees.
- Creating avenues for marginalized voices to lead the conversation around changes in the aid structure.

Structural Racism: Systematic discrimination within an organization or institution that privileges certain races over others.
White Privilege: Societal advantages that benefit White people over non-White people in daily life.
Neocolonialism: Control of a country through economic or political pressures rather than direct military control.

Acknowledgement of contributions from a diverse group of activists, researchers, and practitioners from various backgrounds, indicating a collaborative effort towards the decolonization of aid.

Suggested readings on structural racism, the impact of COVID-19 on aid practices, and intersections of race, gender, and identity in the humanitarian sector.

Cited key references throughout the document to summarize the major discussions, findings, and theoretical frameworks.