News and views

The latest news, blogs and opinions from across the international development and humanitarian sectors.

Bond experts, members and thought leaders from civil society provide the latest insights and trends across a range of topics, including: aid, funding, politics, Brexit, the SDGs, communications, public support, project management, leadership and civic space.

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Black Lives Matter - Protest is Progress - Kill the Bill

Government amendments to Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill defeated in House of Lords

18 January 2022
Last night the Government suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords over its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, including the Serious Disruption Prevention Orders, which targeted protesters.
Vertical garden on an office building

Creating a sustainable, digital NGO in 2022

12 January 2022
Building sustainable NGOs, projects and practices, rooted in a digital platform, is the only viable path to take if we want to continue making an ongoing impact in the years to come. 
Deforestation fire in the Amazon

NGOs need to include indigenous philosophies and values in humanitarian innovation

12 January 2022
Organisations are being challenged to reflect on how they are perpetuating a system of inequity and structural racism, and what they can do to change it. Could indigenous philosophies help change attitudes and change the way we work?
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss arrive in Washington DC ahead of a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden.

What’s in store for 2022: politics, principles, policies and the pandemic

10 January 2022
2021 was a titanic year for the development community in the UK, but what is 2022 likely to hold regarding how the UK government approaches Official Development Assistance (ODA), and how could and should the sector respond? 
#School4All Supported by EU funding, Norwegian Refugee Council ensures access to school in Heart, Afghanistan, for children from different regions of the country who had to escape conflict or drought. The majority of them have never received any education

What's next for the development and humanitarian sectors in 2022

6 January 2022
It’s going to be a tumultuous year, but we're hopeful that we can capitalise on the opportunities that it brings – to build a system of international solidarity and equity that is fit for the future with our partners and members across the world.
Wind farm

How the Bond working groups spent 2021

21 December 2021
This year has seen the highest member engagement with working groups in Bond’s history as we’ve observed members embracing the benefits of the virtual environment. Despite challenges, our working groups have gone above and beyond in 2021.

Sustainable economic development and the SDGs in 2021

20 December 2021
The challenges faced by the sector in 2021 – the merger of DFID and the FCO, the pandemic, and the aid cuts – have had serious implications for the world’s most marginalised communities and for the SDGs and sustainable economic development.
Police clash with protesters at an anti-austerity rally in 2011

Civic space in 2021: The good, the bad and the ugly

15 December 2021
We review the good, the bad and finally, the downright ugly developments that took place this year for for those campaigning for human rights and civic space in the UK and globally, before looking at opportunities for change in 2022.  
Black Lives Matter - Protest is Progress - Kill the Bill

Government amendments to Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill defeated in House of Lords

18 January 2022
Last night the Government suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords over its Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, including the Serious Disruption Prevention Orders, which targeted protesters.
Boris Johnson and Liz Truss arrive in Washington DC ahead of a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden.

What’s in store for 2022: politics, principles, policies and the pandemic

10 January 2022
2021 was a titanic year for the development community in the UK, but what is 2022 likely to hold regarding how the UK government approaches Official Development Assistance (ODA), and how could and should the sector respond? 
#School4All Supported by EU funding, Norwegian Refugee Council ensures access to school in Heart, Afghanistan, for children from different regions of the country who had to escape conflict or drought. The majority of them have never received any education

What's next for the development and humanitarian sectors in 2022

6 January 2022
It’s going to be a tumultuous year, but we're hopeful that we can capitalise on the opportunities that it brings – to build a system of international solidarity and equity that is fit for the future with our partners and members across the world.
Wind farm

How the Bond working groups spent 2021

21 December 2021
This year has seen the highest member engagement with working groups in Bond’s history as we’ve observed members embracing the benefits of the virtual environment. Despite challenges, our working groups have gone above and beyond in 2021.
Police clash with protesters at an anti-austerity rally in 2011

Civic space in 2021: The good, the bad and the ugly

15 December 2021
We review the good, the bad and finally, the downright ugly developments that took place this year for for those campaigning for human rights and civic space in the UK and globally, before looking at opportunities for change in 2022.  
2021

9 achievements we’re proud of in 2021

15 December 2021
What this year has reminded us is that as a sector, time and time again we will rise to the challenge, working together to support the most marginalised people in the world. At Bond, we’re proud of the work we’ve done with all of you. 
UK aid logo Credit: DFID / Rich Taylor

UK Aid in 2021: Another difficult year, but there are green shoots

13 December 2021
It has been a difficult year for UK Aid with cuts, reprioritisation and a lack of transparency. But it has also been a year of discovery and reflection, of solidarity and of laying the groundwork for the future away from government decisions.  
Speech

Is now the time to rename "aid"?

7 December 2021
Last week, the Kampala Initiative hosted an event asking whether now is the time to rename "aid”. Bond's Head of Media and Communications, Maryam Mohsin, shares her reflections from the thought-provoking session.
Speech

Is now the time to rename "aid"?

7 December 2021
Last week, the Kampala Initiative hosted an event asking whether now is the time to rename "aid”. Bond's Head of Media and Communications, Maryam Mohsin, shares her reflections from the thought-provoking session.
A screenshot of the communities platform

Bond launches new communities platform for members

1 December 2021
Our communities platform is a new and improved online space to help colleagues from across Bond’s membership connect with any of Bond's 40 working groups, manage your registrations for our events and training courses, and recruit the best talent.
Snippet from the "Talking Disabilities" animation

Talking Disability: The new animation for those who dare to do it differently

1 November 2021
What makes a “good disability story”? How can we embrace authentic voices for inclusive storytelling and journalism? Bond’s Disability and Development Group have launched a new animation which provides some solutions to these questions.
Illustration created by Vidushi and her team for Urgent Action Fund Asia and Pacific

Challenging harmful visual narratives through images

10 September 2021
In order to stop perpetuating white saviourism, we need to strategically shift the narrative towards love, hope, solidarity and connection. We need to re-imagine our choice of images to represent people in their power.
Speech

Devspeak: are the words we use doing more harm than good?

25 August 2021
Development and NGO clichés can be problematic for a variety of reasons. So how can we encourage people to put a bit more thought into how they communicate, without being too prescriptive?
Examples of the largest collection of free and open source hopeful human rights art from TheGreats.co

How can we use images of hope to campaign for human rights?

14 April 2021
What is the picture we want people to see when they think of human rights? This new project from Fine Acts and hope-based communications sought to answer the question with a series of new images.
Stack of newspapers in a Kiosk, London, United Kingdom

How to get media coverage and influence people

4 February 2021
In the context of growing challenges to the sector, it is perhaps worth returning to the basic rules and tips around how to use media and comms to advance our causes and make the world a better place.
Speech bubbles

Taking British politics, jargon and colonialism out of our language

10 December 2020
When it comes to language, we need to practise what we preach, if we are to have legitimacy and influence at Bond, and it is important that we aim to set the bar high for ourselves and encourage others to do the same.
Money arranged into a world map

Are INGOs ready to fundraise responsibly and achieve locally-led development?  

24 November 2021
Bond's funding policy manager, Zoe Abrahamson recently convened a group of UK and international fundraisers to find out how Bond can better support NGOs to fundraise in ways that support locally-led development. Here are her reflections.
Proposal planning documents

10 tips for writing better project proposals

17 November 2021
Writing successful proposals is essential to the work of every aid and development organisation. Here are some of the most important tips for creating proposals that are more likely to stand out to key decision makers.

Shifting to locally-led development starts with how we transform ourselves

19 October 2021
Locally-led development has shot back up the international development communities’ agenda but what does this mean for our approach to funding community-led programmes?

Six tips for success with institutional fundraising in 2021

31 August 2021
This blog offers expert advice on how you can make your organisation stand out to keep your institutional funding pipeline growing.

What does good funding look like?

2 August 2021
With so much riding on the international development strategy, we will be anxious to see whether ODA remains focused on delivering long-term, sustainable and community-led programmes, for the people who need them the most.

Diversifying income streams – emerging lessons from the Enterprise Development Programme

28 July 2021
With the recent aid cuts and an increasingly volatile donor situation, is it time for NGOs in the international development sector to embrace and utilise enterprise income?
Money

Building financial reserves as we recover from the current financial crisis

6 May 2021
As NGOs grapple with grant cuts and other pressures, financial reserves and building sustainable income streams are more important than ever.
A woman with the British Red Cross takes a day away from the office to solicit for donations in front of the Liverpool Street Tube Station in London

Is 2021 the end of ‘business as usual’ public fundraising models?

15 April 2021
In an age of “adapt to survive”, the post-Covid-19 world is an opportunity to make big transformative changes which reimagine our public funding models.

5 programmes putting women and girls at the centre of development

8 March 2021
This International Women’s Day, Bond members celebrate just some of the many programmes that are putting women and girls at the heart of development.
COVID Relief volunteers in Bangkok

5 ways NGOs are working with local partners to respond to Covid-19

29 April 2020
International NGOs are working with local partners to reassess and adapt how they support the world's most vulnerable communities through the Covid-19 crisis.
Margaret Klonzo of Amref Health Africa

Community health workers: the first line of defence against Covid-19 in Africa

23 April 2020
As seen from the Ebola outbreak, community health workers are essential to ensuring communities stay healthy as coronavirus spreads in Africa.
Nana Afadzinu holding a workshop on #ShiftThePower

Going beyond Western models of value to shift the power

16 January 2020
NGOs in the global south often have to jump through hoops for foreign donors. They are bereft of power in many ways. How can we shift the power to make it more balanced?
"Ava" and her newborn baby at the IDP Camp, Bunia General Hospital, Democratic Republic of Congo 

Why we need to keep talking about inequality

15 October 2019
If we want to eradicate global poverty, we need to tackle the political and structural factors that are driving inequality.

Tapping into local knowledge to diversify income

12 September 2019
ChildHope UK drew on the expertise of local partners to build a consultancy to deliver their mission and financial value.
Children from World Vision peace club in Kenya

Listen to children and young people in policy making

12 August 2019
Children and young people have the right to participate in policy decisions that effect them. How can we facilitate this?
Satellite image

6 ways artificial intelligence is being used in international development 

8 August 2019
A look at some promising ideas and projects showing how artificial intelligence can potentially help with international development.

Shifting to locally-led development starts with how we transform ourselves

19 October 2021
Locally-led development has shot back up the international development communities’ agenda but what does this mean for our approach to funding community-led programmes?
Speech

Devspeak: are the words we use doing more harm than good?

25 August 2021
Development and NGO clichés can be problematic for a variety of reasons. So how can we encourage people to put a bit more thought into how they communicate, without being too prescriptive?
Volunteers load supplies outside town hall in Antigua, Guatemala to take to area affected by eruption of Fuego (fire) volcano

Grand Bargain 2.0: Tinkering or transformation?

8 July 2021
Without a more audacious vision, a more efficient and effective humanitarian system will remain out of the Grand Bargain’s reach.
Hands and flowers

Locally-led development: putting plans into action

8 July 2021
Understanding the problem is an important part of creating change. But there are also moments when we want things to move more quickly, to see real action and transformation in response to need.
Two activists embrace in KwaMashu, an informal settlement north of Durban, South Africa. Christian Aid’s partner, Church Land Programme, works closely with the shackdweller movement (Abahlali baseMjondolo) so that people in KwaMashu can live without fear

Leaving and learning: 3 things we learned collaborating with local partners

1 July 2021
As national and local actors will increasingly hold the purse strings in the future, we need to rethink how we add value to and support local partners.
"Speaking out: Peer educators advocate for an end to FGM/C" by DFID - UK Department for International Development is licensed under CC BY 2.0

5 ways development consortia have adapted to Covid-19

8 February 2021
Amid the Covid-19 crisis, consortia of development organisations have found different ways to adapt to ensure progress, maintain relevance, and deliver impact. 
Syrian primary school children attending catch-up learning classes in Lebanon

From aid to public investment: 5 shifts to transform development cooperation

14 December 2020
This new approach builds on the best of the traditional understanding of aid, as well as the main critiques of it, and responds to the new global reality we all face. 
Crowd of people composing a world map

Is investing in a global public the future of aid?

7 December 2020
While we need solid emergency leadership in the short term to respond to Covid-19, we need visionary thinking as well, to build a new idea like a global public.
Vertical garden on an office building

Creating a sustainable, digital NGO in 2022

12 January 2022
Building sustainable NGOs, projects and practices, rooted in a digital platform, is the only viable path to take if we want to continue making an ongoing impact in the years to come. 

Mergers: The dog that didn’t bark

9 December 2021
As the pandemic hit the charity sector, much was said about the likely consolidation of NGOs through merger and acquisition. Is “merger” still a dirty word in the charity sector and what are the actual risks and benefits?
Volunteers load supplies outside town hall in Antigua, Guatemala to take to area affected by eruption of Fuego (fire) volcano

Grand Bargain 2.0: Tinkering or transformation?

8 July 2021
Without a more audacious vision, a more efficient and effective humanitarian system will remain out of the Grand Bargain’s reach.
Hands and flowers

Locally-led development: putting plans into action

8 July 2021
Understanding the problem is an important part of creating change. But there are also moments when we want things to move more quickly, to see real action and transformation in response to need.
The Great Barrier Reef, which is under threat from climate change effecting sea temperatures and water acidity.

How green pensions can help NGOs do better on climate change

30 June 2021
There is currently £2.6tn circulating in the UK pension sector alone, much of which is invested in companies such as fossil fuel giants, tobacco firms, arms producers, and companies with links to harmful practices such as deforestation.
Money

Building financial reserves as we recover from the current financial crisis

6 May 2021
As NGOs grapple with grant cuts and other pressures, financial reserves and building sustainable income streams are more important than ever.
A life preserver at sea

Safe organisational cultures only thrive under committed leadership

22 March 2021
A healthy safeguarding culture has to be everybody’s responsibility, but it will only succeed when leaders step up to the challenge and lead by example.
Nurses taking a break in Uganda

3 ways NGOs and donors are shifting power through governance

25 February 2021
Governance structures that perpetuate inequality are key barriers to promoting locally-led development. How can INGOs change their governance to address power imbalances?

Members' tweets

@TheHALOTrust
4 years ago

Mine clearance is transformative. That's why we're campaigning for a #LandmineFree2025 https://t.co/Nw4hK5XhR7

@IAPB1
4 years ago

The IAPB Standard List @IAPB_SL is working on updating an Essential List for #DiabeticRetinopathy. Until then, here… https://t.co/vmmHJUVyAH

@WorldHabitat
4 years ago

‘On the table’ conversation = likely to draw previously silent citizens into a discussion of problems and potential… https://t.co/Vo2DeqgLm6