PositiveMinds | Positive Stories | Edition 058

Disclaimer: This article is inspired by various real-life contexts; however, the names used are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

When I was 14 and attending secondary school in Mali, a man I'll call Bakary left an enduring mark on my understanding of power and privilege. Bakary, a community facilitator in his early 30s, worked for a prominent international NGO. He was a familiar figure in our village, always seen astride his Honda CB125 motorbike—a mythical symbol of freedom, influence, and status. For young people like me, it was the kind of bike everyone dreamed of owning one day.

For our community, Bakary embodied the promises of progress and development that INGOs brought. Yet, his role also carried unchecked power. Bakary exploited his position, forming inappropriate relationships with underage girls, including some of my classmates. Families, reliant on the NGO for basic services, felt powerless to challenge him. Saying no could mean losing access to aid that the entire village depended on.

Bakary's actions revealed how dependency and unchecked authority can subjugate the most vulnerable, a harsh reflection of the imbalances within INGOs during that era.

By the 2000s, in another country, a similar story unfolded with a man I'll call Christophe. Like Bakary, Christophe was a community facilitator, this time riding a Honda DT125—a legendary symbol of mobility and status in its own right. Christophe's position gave him considerable power and authority, but when rumours emerged that he had formed an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old schoolgirl, an investigation followed. The allegations were substantiated, yet the organisation issued only a warning, citing 'consent' as a mitigating factor.

While Christophe faced more accountability than Bakary ever did, the lightness of the sanction reflected how INGOs in the 2000s still struggled to balance power and ethics.

Fast forward to 2020, and another case emerged. Philippe, a senior INGO leader, operated with a different symbol of power: a Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4, an emblem of prestige and authority in development work. Philippe was accused of having a clandestine relationship with a young trainee. The investigation that followed led to his dismissal, reflecting the sector's evolving safeguarding frameworks.

Unlike Bakary and Christophe, Philippe faced zero tolerance for his actions, illustrating the significant shifts in INGOs' accountability practices over the decades.

Accountability: The Evolution of a Framework

The evolution of INGOs mirrors the transformation of a ship, from one built for exclusivity and hierarchical command to one that increasingly seeks to balance its crew's roles and responsibilities. While the vessel still navigates turbulent waters, its compass is now more attuned to justice and equity.

The Era of Impunity: Bakary's Time (Pre-2000s)

In the early years, INGOs were like large, unyielding ships powered by the wind of good intentions but steered without a moral compass. Accountability mechanisms were virtually non-existent, and INGOs operated with a saviour and paternalistic mentality. Figures like Bakary, with their Honda CB125s, were symbols of unchecked power, delivering aid on their terms with little consideration for ethical consequences. Communities were passengers in a vessel over which they had no control, dependent on the goodwill of captains like Bakary, who often wielded authority with impunity.

The Beginnings of Reform: Christophe's Time (2000s)

As the world changed, the INGO ship faced increasing scrutiny, and its captains could no longer operate without accountability. By the 2000s, the ship began to introduce basic navigation tools—codes of conduct and rudimentary accountability systems. Christophe's story reveals this transitional phase: while his inappropriate behaviour triggered an investigation, the resulting warning reflected the uneven enforcement of these new standards. INGOs had begun to retrofit their ships with instruments for ethical oversight, but these changes often lacked the depth needed to address systemic imbalances.

The Age of Scandal and Reckoning: Philippe's Time (2010s)

The 2010s brought a storm of reckoning. High-profile scandals, such as the Oxfam in Haiti case in 2018 and movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter, exposed the deep flaws in the INGO ship's design. This period was akin to a mutiny, where crew members and passengers alike demanded structural changes. Philippe's dismissal reflects the sector's heightened safeguarding policies, which now prioritise survivor-centred approaches. INGOs were forced to rebuild their ships to withstand not just external scrutiny but also the internal demands for equity and justice.

The Transparency Imperative: The 2020s and Beyond

Today, the INGO ship sails in an era where transparency is no longer optional but essential. Investments in internal reporting systems, safeguarding mechanisms, and participatory governance reflect this shift. Yet, with the rise of social media, communities and even staff now bypass these internal mechanisms, opting for real-time, public accountability. Platforms like X (former Twitter) and Facebook have become lighthouses, shining a spotlight on misconduct and inefficiencies. While these tools empower communities to hold INGOs accountable, they also present challenges, including the spread of misinformation. INGOs must navigate this new era by embracing transparency as a core value, ensuring that their ship remains resilient in the face of changing tides.

Reimagining the Role of INGOs in a Decolonised World

As INGOs navigate the uncharted waters of decolonisation, their roles must evolve. They must transform from captains steering their own ships to crew members on a shared vessel, collaborating with local actors to reach common destinations.

From Gatekeepers to Connectors

Historically, INGOs have acted as gatekeepers, controlling access to resources and decision-making processes. This gatekeeping often sidelined local actors, reinforcing power imbalances. In a decolonised world, INGOs must act as connectors, linking local organisations directly to funding opportunities.

In Somalia, for instance, Oxfam facilitated relationships between local actors and donors, ensuring that their proposals were refined without compromising their autonomy.

From Power-Holders to Equal Partners

Decolonisation demands a shift from hierarchical power structures to equitable partnerships. INGOs must embrace shared leadership and collaborative decision-making.

The ASAL Humanitarian Network in Kenya demonstrates this approach, where INGOs, like Oxfam, support governance systems while allowing local actors to lead on strategies and priorities.

From Leaders to Complementary Supporters

The era of INGOs leading from the front must give way to a model where they complement local leadership.

In Myanmar, the Durable Peace Programme (DPP) exemplifies this shift. INGOs provide technical and advocacy support while respecting local priorities, ensuring that solutions reflect the unique needs of communities.

From Bystanders to Advocates for Systemic Change

To drive systemic change, INGOs must shift from advancing their own agendas to amplifying local voices. Advocacy should prioritise localisation, challenge donor-driven restrictions, and promote equitable resource distribution.

Oxfam's Inequality Report exemplifies this approach, spotlighting structural inequalities and influencing the global discourse on wealth distribution. By aligning its advocacy with local realities, Oxfam has shaped policy debates while amplifying the perspectives of communities most affected by inequality. This demonstrates how INGOs can elevate local voices to address global injustices effectively.

From Risk-Averse to Risk-Adaptive

Decolonisation requires INGOs to embrace strategic risk-taking. Empowering local leadership means creating accountability frameworks that balance donor trust with space for innovation and local autonomy.

The Start Network's "Start Fund" is a prime example, offering rapid, flexible funding for locally led humanitarian responses. By entrusting decision-making to local actors, the fund embraces calculated risks, enabling timely and context-sensitive interventions. This adaptive approach underscores the importance of trusting local expertise while maintaining robust oversight, fostering resilience and equity in crisis response.

From Reactive to Proactive Accountability

To transform accountability, INGOs must shift from reactive responses to systemic approaches that address root causes and prioritise equity. This evolution requires embedding participatory governance and redistributing power to local actors. Several transformative frameworks illustrate this shift:

• Community-Led Monitoring (CLM): Initially developed in public health, CLM empowers communities to monitor and evaluate service delivery, ensuring interventions are locally relevant. By institutionalising feedback loops, CLM decentralises decision-making, placing it closer to those directly impacted.

• Charter for Change (C4C): This initiative advocates for increased direct funding to local actors and a redefined role for INGOs. By reducing overhead restrictions and promoting localisation, C4C offers a clear roadmap for equitable resource distribution and partnership models.

• Pledge for Change Accountability and Learning Mechanism (PALM): PALM provides measurable benchmarks for INGOs' commitments to equitable partnerships and locally led programmes. It supports INGOs in tracking progress toward shifting power to Global South actors, fostering transparency with both donors and communities.

• Global Standard for CSO Accountability: This framework sets shared principles of accountability, transparency, and participation for civil society organisations. INGOs adopting these standards can build trust with stakeholders and demonstrate a commitment to ethical practices and inclusive governance.

• Adaptive Management Framework: Emphasising flexibility and learning, adaptive management enables INGOs to respond dynamically to local needs. Through iterative planning and monitoring cycles, this approach fosters inclusive, community-driven solutions while maintaining alignment with local priorities.

• Equity-Based Budgeting (EBB): By analysing budgets through an equity lens, EBB ensures funding is allocated to support the most marginalised. This financial framework aligns INGOs' resources with their decolonisation goals, promoting fairness in resource distribution.

By embracing these frameworks, INGOs can transition from addressing symptoms to implementing proactive, systemic solutions that prioritise justice, transparency, and equity. This shift positions INGOs as enablers of sustainable, locally driven change while reinforcing trust and collaboration with the communities they serve.

The Path Forward

The evolution of INGOs from Bakary's time to today reflects significant progress, but the journey is far from complete. The stories of Bakary, Christophe, and Philippe remind us that while overt colonial power dynamics have diminished, subtler forms of inequity and injustice persist. To navigate the complexities of decolonisation, INGOs must commit to proactive accountability, equitable partnerships, and systemic change.

Decolonisation is not merely about dismantling old systems; it is about rebuilding them with equity, trust, transparency, accountability, and collaboration at the core. INGOs must embrace the urgency of this transformation, recognising that their relevance, legitimacy, and impact depend on their ability to evolve and adapt. As Audre Lorde famously said, "The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house." This journey demands that INGOs abandon colonial tools and adopt new approaches that genuinely put local actors and communities at the centre.

It's time for us to pick up new tools and build a better future—together. By centring local voices, fostering genuine partnerships, and embedding equity into their frameworks, INGOs can move beyond their colonial legacies to become authentic agents of global solidarity and justice. Only through this commitment to shared power and collective progress can INGOs fulfil their promise of creating a more just and equitable world.

#Decolonisation #INGOs #GlobalDevelopment #Accountability #Equity #Transparency #Localisation #SocialJustice #PowerShift #GlobalSolidarity

References

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