The international humanitarian, peacebuilding and development sector is rooted in colonial history. And while the sector constantly strives to do good, this history still shapes how things are done today. Racism shows up in common attitudes and practices – in mistrust of local partners, an unwillingness to listen to local expertise. And it all undermines local peacebuilders’ ability to create lasting change for their communities.
We are dedicated to systematic change in the sector. We work to decolonise, repair, and ultimately shift power towards global equality. Since 2020, we have researched the impact of these problematic practices, and worked with local experts to reimagine our sector: Read more about our decolonisation efforts here.
As well as highlighting that the sector needs to change, we have changed ourselves. We are funding more flexibly, and striving for truly equitable partnerships with the local peacebuilders we work with.
In our podcast series, The Problem with Partnerships, we delve into the problems undermining the good intentions of our sector. With expert speakers, we explore how the sector can change, and outline the work Peace Direct has been doing to become a better organisation for local peacebuilders.
