Enabling environment

ES - Sobre dinámicas de poder y transformaciones con Pina Huamán

Acompañándonos en este episodio está Josefina Huaman. Pina es secretaria ejecutiva de la Asociación Nacional de Centros de Investigación, Promoción y Desarrollo en Perú y secretaria Técnica de la La Mesa de Articulación de Asociaciones Nacionales y Redes de ONGs de América Latina y el Caribe que es un espacio de articulación de las ONG de la región. Hoy conversaremos con ella sobre el movimiento "Shift the Power" y las visiones para un cambio transformador.

EN - MAKAIA: How development can be shaped to fit different contexts

As part of our #Shiftthepower series, we are pleased to talk with Catalina Escobar, from Colombia, Co-founder and Strategy Director of MAKAIA, about the shift the power movement.

EN - Equitable partnerships with LOCALliance

Joining us for this podcast episode are three guests actively engaged in this work representing LOCALliance, a consortium working on localisation advocacy across multiple platforms. Welcome to Anaïs Tamani and Marie Berra from Coordination SUD and Abdulqawi Hajeb a leader in the localisation initiative and movement in Yemen.

Regional & National Approaches to civil society Capacity Strengthening

Forus adopts a collective learning approach to capacity strengthening of civil society organizations. Rather than a top-down approach, Forus values the expertise and knowledge of its members and acts as an enabler to facilitate learning and collaboration within the network. This approach includes guidance, workshops, peer support, and the exchange of information and resources. Forus conducts assessments to identify the specific capacity strengthening needs of its members and develops tailored strategies accordingly. Recognizing the diverse resources and needs among its members, Forus provides financial support as part of its capacity strengthening. By establishing partnerships with national platforms, Forus facilitates the implementation of concrete capacity strengthening projects aligned with the specific priorities and needs of its members. Joint projects are encouraged to strengthen connections, foster synergies, and promote mutual learning among members. Forus advocates for sustainable resources and improved funding schemes for CSO capacity strengthening at national and regional levels, aiming to strengthen civil society globally.

Forus focuses its analysis on examining how governments address CSO capacity strengthening in their VNRs. The goal is to identify the extent to which this important aspect is acknowledged or overlooked by the governments in their voluntary reports. By assessing the inclusion or exclusion of civil society capacity strengthening, Forus aims to provide valuable insights into the progress made and identify areas that require further attention. The objective is to offer observations and recommendations that can foster enhanced collaboration and effectiveness in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the international development sector, there is a growing recognition of the need for transformative reform in aid and development practices to address power imbalances and promote equitable outcomes. Unequal power dynamics perpetuate the perception that certain actors possess superior skills and resources while relegating others to passive recipients. Donors and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) must reconceptualize their relationships with partners in the Global South valuing their knowledge and expertise and centering their voices in development initiatives. The report looks at a crucial aspect of this power shift which is fostering locally-led and locally-driven development, with communities having ownership over the development processes concerning them.

Decolonization challenges the colonial attitudes and inequalities that persist in language, thought, relationships, and social and economic structures. Development research highlights that colonialism has profoundly influenced the mindset of actors in the international cooperation sector. Genuine decolonization requires a fundamental shift in thinking, valuing the diversity of knowledge and supporting civil society organizations through capacity strengthening. Language, imagery, and compliance systems tied to funding also need to be decolonized. Current communication may reinforce stereotypes, and current compliance systems often burden Global South-based organizations because of their association with risk. This report looks at how recognizing the agency of local communities is vital for meaningful social change. Investment in organized civil society and its sustainability is crucial beyond isolated projects to foster broader social transformation.