Aid charities must “go beyond technocratic solutions” to challenge colonialist, sexist and racist behaviour in international development, according to umbrella body Bond.
The organisation made the call in a guide published today, which aims to help aid charities share power and decision-making with local partners.
The guide is intended to “incite action” inside organisations, Bond said, five weeks after it warned the aid sector against “dragging its feet” over anti-racism work.
The paper, Becoming Locally Led as an Anti Racist Practice, offers charities a framework for internal discussions about changing power structures, as well as for conversations with funders.
It invites charities to rate their progress on becoming more locally led organisations, covering every aspect of the work from HR and governance to policy and communications decisions.
Charities are also encouraged to think about the impact of external factors such as the culture across the entire aid sector and the role of the Charity Commission.
The guide says: “Commitment from international NGOs towards locally led development must go beyond technocratic solutions to ensure organisations reflect on what needs to happen to challenge colonialist, sexist and racist behaviours and practices that still dominate the international development system, as well as reflect on how international NGOs have benefited from the ‘aid’ system.”
It adds later: “There is a recognition among Bond’s members that while there is widespread acknowledgement of the importance of centring development on the lived experiences of people of colour and on locally led development, there are still barriers to reaching this goal, including the need for practical guidance.
“Bond members recognise the need to ensure communities have the power to make their own choices and the importance of supporting the skills and resources they need based on those choices.
“However, the shift needed to ensure local actors have the power and resources to own their development is significant, and the pace of change is slow.
“This draft guide is designed to support organisations to make significant steps in the journey towards becoming anti-racist and locally led.”
Stephanie Draper, chief executive of Bond, said: “Locally led development is crucial if we are to create a more equitable and sustainable development system.
“We hope this guide will incite action from NGOs and the wider international development community to make the necessary changes within their organisation.”
Decentralising aid work “is an urgent issue facing the sector”, Draper added.