Decolonisation and Localisation: Transforming global development
Adama Coulibaly
Transformative Leader | Social Justice Advocate | Champion for Decolonisation | Author, Blogger, and Certified Coach
(Veuillez lire la version française de cet article sur mon blog Positive Minds ici.)
The global development sector is at a critical juncture, grappling with the need to decolonise and localise its policies and practices. These efforts aim to dismantle the power imbalances that have historically characterised the sector and promote a more equitable and effective approach to humanitarian and development work. This blog explores the why, what and how of decolonisation and localisation, drawing on insights from recent discussions and initiatives.
The why: Uncovering the need for change
The impetus for decolonisation in global development is rooted in the recognition that the current system was built with a colonial mindset. This system perpetuates a power imbalance where those with resources and perceived knowledge dictate terms to those without. This long-standing imbalance has led to a disconnect between aid providers and recipients, often resulting in ineffective and culturally insensitive interventions.
Decolonisation is crucial to dismantling these outdated structures and building new, equitable partnerships. It means recognising the inherent power and agency of local communities and ensuring that their voices, rights and needs are at the heart of development efforts.
This shift involves procedural changes but also requires a fundamental change in the way power, agency and resources are distributed within the global development sector.
The what: identifying areas for change
Addressing the 'what' of decolonisation is a daunting challenge. It requires a comprehensive review of everything from funding models to programme implementation strategies. Just as a gardener needs to assess both the soil and the climate in order to cultivate a garden effectively, we need to assess various aspects of our operational environment to identify specific areas that need to be changed. This process requires a profound shift in mindset, initiating a deep, reflective understanding of coloniality in all its forms: power, race, knowledge, gender and socio-economic relations.
To support this exploration, Amitabh Behar, Oxfam's interim executive director, highlights four critical dimensions that global development must address to catalyse transformative change in his Devex opinion piece, "How to get from rhetoric to reality in decolonising development":
These dimensions are essential to creating a more balanced and effective development sector. They are the pillars upon which colonial legacies are built and must be addressed to achieve true decolonisation.
The How: Implementing Effective Strategies
Implementing decolonisation and localisation strategies requires strategic shifts within international non-governmental organisations (INGOs):
These strategic shifts are essential for INGOs to remain relevant and effective in a changing world. They underscore the need for INGOs to rethink their role and work in true partnership with local actors. You can read more about these shifts in my article "Future of INGOs | Part 2: the era of shifting the power [from 'Global North' to 'Global South']".
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Strengthening local voices
A crucial aspect of decolonisation and localisation is amplifying the voices of local actors. According to Mohamed Ali, founder and CEO of Iftiin Foundation, a local Somali NGO, this means ensuring that local communities have the agency to design, implement and evaluate development initiatives.
It underscores the importance of community agency and the need to recognise, value and strengthen the capacity, authority, influence and knowledge of local actors to ensure that those closest to the points of impact of development interventions are at the forefront.
It also means recognising and addressing inequalities within the Global South in order to create a truly inclusive and representative development sector.
Representation and accountability: Ensuring that local actors have a seat at the decision-making table and holding donors accountable for their commitments are essential steps towards achieving true localisation. Transparency and accountability are critical to turning rhetoric into reality and making tangible progress on localisation.
Ground-level insights: Understanding how localisation is playing out on the ground is essential to addressing gaps and challenges. Examples such as the ASAL Humanitarian Network in Kenya, where local responders lead decision-making processes, highlight the potential of localisation but also the need for continued efforts in funding and capacity building.
Moving forward: A call to action
The journey of decolonisation and localisation is a collective one, requiring commitment and action from all actors in the global development sector. As we embark on this journey, it is essential to
By addressing these areas, the sector can break down barriers and build a more equitable and just humanitarian and development landscape. Ongoing dialogue and joint efforts will shape a more inclusive future and demonstrate that global development can indeed be transformed through collective action.
The push for decolonisation and localisation in global development is not just a trend but a necessary evolution to create a more just and effective sector. By understanding the why, addressing the what and implementing the how we can move towards a future where local voices are amplified, power is equitably distributed, and development initiatives truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the communities they aim to serve. Together, we can make significant progress towards a more equitable and sustainable global development sector.
Acknowledgements
This blog draws on insights from the following three articles I wrote in-house
Special thanks to my Oxfam colleagues Aleema Shivji , Abby Maxman , Lute Kazembe , John Musoba Kitui , Helen Stawski , Amy Croome , Marta Valdés García , Gloria Isabel García-Parra , John Samuel , Kathy Richards (she/her) , Neelanjana Mukhia , Leela Ramdhani , Steve Price-Thomas , Francesc Cortada Hindersin and many more for sparking critical internal discussions on decolonisation and localisation; to our Interim CEO, Amitabh Behar, for insights on decolonising different dimensions of development; to Dr Salmah Eva-Lina L. for her course on 'Conceptualising Decolonisation for Development'; and to Mohamed Ali Diini , Founder and CEO of Iftiin Foundation, Kate Moger , Global Director of Pledge for Change, Degan Ali , Executive Director of Adeso , Rose Maruru , co-founder and CEO of EPIC-Africa , and Títílọpẹ Àjàyí, research and knowledge management consultant. etc for their contributions to the discourse on localisation and decolonisation.
Program Quality and partnership Advisor at Oxfam
3moInsightful article!
Director, Global HR, Culture & Talent Leader
6moAdama Coulibaly - your article is both poignant and insightful. It challenges international development professionals and INGO power structures on the need for reforms, the empowerment of local/national partners/groups, and improving policies & practices that value local knowledge, contribution and participation, while investing resources for ongoing learning, development, & growth.
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6moWhile recognising the inherent power and agency of local communities and ensuring that their voices, rights and needs are at the heart of development efforts, it is imperative that they become drivers and subjects of their own change process and destiny and not remain objects of neo-colonisers (the entrenched structures and systems that reproduce and reinforce the same colonial mindset through patriarchy and caste system).🙂 The oppressed becoming the oppressor.
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7moA very coherent and useful summary of the issue, as always, Coul. A question: to what extent is there a tension or trade-off between the aspirations expressed in points 1, 3, and possibly 4 in the How section and your point on democratizing governance and decision-making? We don't tend to want to face the fact that *sometimes* more of one thing means necessarily you will have less of another thing. If democratizing governance and delegation means truly delegating decision rights to the local level, there does not need to be a trade off, but too often democratising governance and decision making tends to result in everybody wanting to have a say on everything, lack of clarity about the difference between consultation and having an actual influence on decision making, long-drawn-out consultation processes leading in murky or lowest common denominator decisions - and all of this definitely does not turn us into speedboats or chameleons. What are your thoughts on this?
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7moEXTRACT: ‘’ Decolonising money: This involves redistributing financial resources to the Global South’’ When I joined Plan International, I was surprised to see EUROPEAN STUDENTS in the list of SPONSORS who contributed to SPONSORED CHILDREN in Africa. While in our countries, some celebrated their billions, but did not contribute a single cent for the children of their country. I think Africans need to stop thinking that they are poor across the board. They need to stop reaching out for any need. For example, there are African countries that experience floods every year and every year they ask for external help, without considering a long-term solution. This therefore means that the decolonization of financial resources also requires Africans to become aware of their potential and a desire to develop this potential for themselves and for the rest of the world. What do you think?