The Fifth Wave: Fuel or Extinguisher for the Future of INGOs
PositiveMinds | Positive Stories | Edition 059
Image generated using DALL-E | The Fifth Wave: A powerful metaphor for the challenges and transformative opportunities facing INGOs.
Ahmed dreams of becoming a teacher. But in his remote village, displaced by conflict, this dream feels impossibly distant. His family lives in extreme poverty, struggling to survive on meagre food supplies, with six siblings sharing what little is available. The opportunity for education, healthcare, or stability is out of reach, leaving Ahmed trapped in a cycle of vulnerability and despair.
Ahmed’s story is not an isolated case—it is the stark reality for millions of people worldwide. His situation reflects the systemic inequality, entrenched injustice, and extreme poverty that continue to define the lives of the world’s most marginalised. INGOs like Oxfam exist to address these interconnected challenges. Oxfam’s mission is clear: to fight inequality and end the injustice and poverty it perpetuates.
Yet today, as inequality deepens and global crises multiply, INGOs find themselves at a critical juncture. The Fifth Wave—a call for decolonisation, power redistribution, and systemic transformation—offers both an opportunity and a challenge. It demands urgent action to reimagine how INGOs operate and ensure they remain effective in the fight against injustice and poverty.
The Evolution of INGOs: A History of Waves
Since their creation, INGOs have undergone waves of transformation, each shaped by the crises and demands of their time.
During the Second World War, INGOs emerged as emergency responders, focused solely on addressing immediate humanitarian needs. This first wave was defined by urgency, with a singular goal of saving lives in the moment.
By the 1970s and 1980s, INGOs expanded their role, entering the second wave of development assistance and poverty reduction. This era saw the rise of large-scale aid programmes, often closely aligned with donor priorities. While impactful, these programmes risked alienating local communities and entrenching top-down approaches.
The third wave in the 1990s marked a shift toward rights-based and advocacy approaches. INGOs championed systemic change through bold campaigns like Jubilee 2000, which led to over $100 billion in debt cancellation for the world’s poorest countries. However, despite these successes, INGOs struggled to dismantle their Northern-dominated structures, limiting their ability to foster equitable partnerships.
By the 2010s, the sector faced a fourth wave: a crisis of legitimacy. Calls for localisation and accountability—epitomised by the Grand Bargain of 2016—pushed INGOs to reflect on their relevance in a rapidly changing world. This period demanded deeper engagement with local actors and a rethinking of power dynamics.
Today, the fifth wave calls for transformative action. Defined by decolonisation, power redistribution, and equity, this wave challenges INGOs to reimagine their role in tackling systemic inequality. Progress, however, has been fragmented and slow. The storms we face today are a wake-up call, urging INGOs to move faster, deeper, and further.
The Storms Fueling the Fifth Wave
An unprecedented convergence of global crises is shaping the Fifth Wave. These overlapping challenges form a hurricane effect, pushing INGOs to their limits and redefining the conditions of their work.
First, civic and democratic spaces are shrinking globally. Over 70% of the world’s population lives in countries where civic freedoms are restricted or suppressed. This erosion of rights undermines INGOs’ ability to advocate for justice, defend human rights, and amplify the voices of marginalised communities. It presents not just a challenge but an existential threat to INGOs’ mission.
Second, the decline in Official Development Assistance (ODA) has placed immense financial pressure on INGOs. In 2022, ODA to developing countries fell by $4 billion. Concessional loans now increasingly replace grants, exacerbating debt burdens for fragile economies. Aid to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) fell by 4%, and ODA grants now represent just 63% of total aid—the lowest level in decades.
Recent decisions by conservative governments have intensified this economic storm. Across several donor countries, cuts to development assistance budgets and restrictions on funding criteria have jeopardised key initiatives, including those focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). These reductions not only shrink the pool of available funding but also impose conditions that make it less accessible and attractive for initiatives aligned with decolonial, feminist, and transformative approaches.
Third, climatic and humanitarian crises are intensifying. The United Nations reports that over 114 million people were displaced by the end of September 2023—the highest number on record. Climate disasters such as prolonged droughts, floods, and hurricanes, coupled with armed conflicts and economic instability, are creating a spiral of vulnerability and suffering.
Finally, global inequality is the underlying storm that fuels all others. According to Oxfam’s Inequality Kills report, the wealth of the world’s ten richest men doubled during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, while over 160 million people were pushed into poverty. Such disparities are systemic injustices that exacerbate poverty, vulnerability, and power imbalances.
The Survival of the Richest report highlights that the wealthiest 1% captured nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020, while billions struggle to access basic healthcare, education, and clean water. Tackling inequality is not just an organisational priority—it is a moral imperative for INGOs.
A Narrowing Window of Opportunity
The storms fueling the Fifth Wave are a stark reminder of what is at stake. INGOs cannot afford to rely on incremental changes. Bold, transformative strategies are needed—strategies that place equity, decolonisation, and justice at the heart of every decision.
Ahmed’s story is a microcosm of the challenges we face, yet it also serves as a beacon of hope. His dream of becoming a teacher reminds us of what INGOs strive for: a world where opportunity is not a privilege but a right. The time to act has long passed, but the window for action has not yet closed. However, it is narrowing rapidly.
A crisis is both a test and an opportunity. The Fifth Wave can extinguish the flame of INGOs or reignite it to burn brighter than ever.
Footnote: This image represents "The Fifth Wave," symbolising the cumulative impact of converging global crises—inequality, shrinking civic space, declining aid, and escalating climate and humanitarian emergencies. The towering wave reflects the transformative forces shaping INGOs, urging bold action to harness these challenges as opportunities for systemic change and resilience. The ship at the forefront embodies the determination to navigate these turbulent waters and adapt for a stronger future.
Further Reading
Below are articles I have written that expand on the themes discussed in my reflections on INGOs:
Can INGOs Survive the Looming Financial Crisis? Only Through Strategic Growth and Collective Action
Decolonising Aid Through the Pledge for Change: The Imperative for a Paradigm Shift
Steering the Ship of Change: Transforming INGOs for a Decolonised Future
Untangling the Web: Understanding the Complexities of INGO Dilemmas
