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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A woman teaching a class

Trust for local communities must be at the heart of transformation

20 January 2021
A call to action for the international development sector to trust local communities and the groups that represent them more: local communities and groups who are the first responders, the community mobilisers and other unsung heroes
Sana'a, the capital city of Yemen

The terrorism designation of Ansar Allah will only make the crisis in Yemen worse

19 January 2021
The US government have officially designated Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organisation, meaning that 23 million people in Yemen will be much harder to reach.
Sudanese women waiting in line to fetch water in Al Fashir, capital of North Darfur, Sudan.

Interrogating INGOs’ dual salary systems to address inequality

12 January 2021
How can pay structures be changed in ways that support equity, localisation and accountability, but ensure delivery of quality programmes? And how can organisations be confident changing their pay systems, without risking their own viability?
Forest fires in the Amazon

7 things we want to see in 2021

7 January 2021
A list of policy asks that we'd like to see in 2021, focussing on aid cuts, COP26 and the G7, climate change, poverty focused aid and civil society survival during and after Covid-19.

What might 2021 hold?

4 January 2021
A look at five themes that will likely dictate 2021 in international development such as Covid-19 recovery, aid cuts and the climate crisis.
Aerial view of empty streets in Cape Town, South Africa during the Covid 19 lockdown.

12 achievements we’re proud of from 2020

22 December 2020
Despite arguably the toughest year in our history, we have persevered through unprecedented upheaval. Here are some of our achievements we're really proud of in a year like no other.
General public in covid masks

Has Covid-19 made the public more aware of inequality?

16 December 2020
Is the general public aware of the inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic? Which types of inequality receive the most attention and support? And does increased awareness around inequalities mean anything for how the public engage with these issues?
Seesaws

Why INGOs need to put power analysis at the heart of governance

15 December 2020
Power analysis seeks to identify and understand overt, hidden, and invisible power dynamics that can perpetuate inequality and lead to staff not speaking up.
A woman teaching a class

Trust for local communities must be at the heart of transformation

20 January 2021
A call to action for the international development sector to trust local communities and the groups that represent them more: local communities and groups who are the first responders, the community mobilisers and other unsung heroes
Sana'a, the capital city of Yemen

The terrorism designation of Ansar Allah will only make the crisis in Yemen worse

19 January 2021
The US government have officially designated Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, as a terrorist organisation, meaning that 23 million people in Yemen will be much harder to reach.
Forest fires in the Amazon

7 things we want to see in 2021

7 January 2021
A list of policy asks that we'd like to see in 2021, focussing on aid cuts, COP26 and the G7, climate change, poverty focused aid and civil society survival during and after Covid-19.

What might 2021 hold?

4 January 2021
A look at five themes that will likely dictate 2021 in international development such as Covid-19 recovery, aid cuts and the climate crisis.
Aerial view of empty streets in Cape Town, South Africa during the Covid 19 lockdown.

12 achievements we’re proud of from 2020

22 December 2020
Despite arguably the toughest year in our history, we have persevered through unprecedented upheaval. Here are some of our achievements we're really proud of in a year like no other.
General public in covid masks

Has Covid-19 made the public more aware of inequality?

16 December 2020
Is the general public aware of the inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic? Which types of inequality receive the most attention and support? And does increased awareness around inequalities mean anything for how the public engage with these issues?
Women in Africa

Why re-examining “niche” issues is crucial to achieving gender equality

4 December 2020
Ending FGM/C will mean we can finally say goodbye to an act which is carried out needlessly on the bodies of 4.1 million girls each year, and continues to undermine the lives of millions of women daily. 
Woman on crutches

UK government can’t lose momentum on disability inclusion

3 December 2020
With the new FCDO, greater integration of foreign policy aims and a shrinking aid budget, how will people with disabilities fare in the government’s new foreign policy and development plans? 
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.

Race and representation in NGO storytelling: responses to 5 frequently asked questions

30 September 2020
Thoughts and ideas for how NGOs can move towards more authentic and ethical representation in their communications and fundraising.
People at a festival

How can we reconnect with audiences we’ve left behind?

31 July 2020
With support for aid in decline, new research into British public perceptions explores how a focus on “distant” audiences can help to turn the tide.
A man with his face covered cycles through London near parliament

How to talk about Covid-19: insights from the British public

1 June 2020
New research from the Development Engagement Lab sheds light on the British public’s receptivity to development cooperation in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic. 
COVID-19 Frontline Health Workers in Thailand

3 ideas to communicate sensitively in the Covid-19 crisis 

22 April 2020
How can the development and humanitarian sectors get their communications right at a time when everyone’s priorities have shifted and when the British public is being bombarded by Covid-19 related news? 
Delegates voting at the AGM

Bond members adopt ethical content principle and elect new trustee

19 November 2019
Laura Jump was confirmed as a trustee to the board, and new guidelines on the ethical collection of images and stories were added to Bond's charter at Bond AGM.
Runners on the street in the London marathon

5 communications tips for small NGOs to attract supporters

12 September 2019
With over 160,000 registered UK charities, here are communications tips to get your small NGO noticed and reach the right supporters.
People at a conference

How to make the most of party conference season

29 August 2019
Party conference season is back - here are some tips to get you through it and make the most of the advocacy opportunities.
Calculator

5 challenges to INGOs’ funding during and beyond Covid-19

28 October 2020
Crucial financial challenges that all organisations need to consider to survive the Covid-19 pandemic and plan for the future.
Terraced rice fields in Yuanyang county, Yunnan, China

The rise of Chinese development finance: risks or opportunities ahead?

20 October 2020
China’s position as one of the world’s largest development financers paves new routes to development, but there are worrying trends for civil society.

Falling income, redundancies and programme cuts: can NGOs survive the next two years?

7 October 2020
48% of NGOs may not survive the next two years, according to the worrying findings from our latest survey on NGOs' finances and staff cuts.
Illustration of young woman protesting

3 ways INGOs can support young feminist movements

11 August 2020
How NGOs and funders can adapt to work more collaboratively with young feminist activists, groups and organisations.

Transform or die? Existential questions and ways forward for INGOs

6 July 2020
Now is the time for boards and executive leadership teams to make the tough decisions that have been looming for the last five years.

5 existential funding challenges for large INGOs

2 July 2020
A look at the long-term income trends of seven of the larger INGO families, and the five main challenges to INGOs’ sustainability in a post-Covid world.
People fundraising in the UK before Covi-19

Adapting your public fundraising for the Covid-19 crisis

12 May 2020
As traditional fundraising events and activities are cancelled, here are some ideas to change how your charity raises money from the UK public.
Abigail Smith, a volunteer from Covid Relief Bangkok

5 ways to combat the Covid-19 crisis in the global south

8 April 2020
With millions in low and middle-income countries facing devastation from the coronavirus pandemic, we outline what is needed for an effective global response to combat the crisis.
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.
Pound coins stacked up

Cost transparency for DFID grants: improvements and obstacles 

3 July 2019
DFID's new cost templates and guidance will allow NGOs to recover more grant costs, but barriers to full cost recovery still remain.
A woman teaching a class

Trust for local communities must be at the heart of transformation

20 January 2021
A call to action for the international development sector to trust local communities and the groups that represent them more: local communities and groups who are the first responders, the community mobilisers and other unsung heroes
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.
The British public

Can the public really be taken on a “journey” to engage with global poverty?

18 November 2020
Research from the Development Engagement Lab suggests that the public don’t move in a straight line from low to more meaningful engagement. People jump around the various engagement categories, and often stick to certain categories more than others.
Covid response in Nepal

5 ways we've put adaptive management to the test during Covid-19

11 November 2020
How small NGO, Toybox, adapted its approach to remain effective during the pandemic.
Refugee Camp İn Somalia

4 lessons for building an agile NGO

15 October 2020
Agile working can make organisations resilient enough to withstand unpredictability. Here are four lessons for building an agile non-profit organisation. 
Young entrepreneur Buram promptly changed the focus of her sewing business to produce face masks for her local community in Mongolia.

Innovating in times of crisis: lessons from entrepreneurs

16 September 2020
In times of uncertainty, both entrepreneurs and organisations have the ability and impetus to experiment and innovate with new ideas and approaches. What can civil society learn from the business world?
Startup

How startups and NGOs can work together for stronger impact

27 July 2020
A new report highlights the different ways NGOs are collaborating with startups to be more innovative and effective.
Aerial view of empty streets in Cape Town, South Africa during the Covid 19 lockdown.

12 achievements we’re proud of from 2020

22 December 2020
Despite arguably the toughest year in our history, we have persevered through unprecedented upheaval. Here are some of our achievements we're really proud of in a year like no other.
General public in covid masks

Has Covid-19 made the public more aware of inequality?

16 December 2020
Is the general public aware of the inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic? Which types of inequality receive the most attention and support? And does increased awareness around inequalities mean anything for how the public engage with these issues?
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. 
Zoom meeting

Bond members elect new trustees at AGM

20 November 2020
Stella Opoku-Owusu, Rainatou Sow and Monowara Gani were elected to the Bond board of trustees by members at our annual general meeting yesterday.
Refugee Camp İn Somalia

4 lessons for building an agile NGO

15 October 2020
Agile working can make organisations resilient enough to withstand unpredictability. Here are four lessons for building an agile non-profit organisation. 

Falling income, redundancies and programme cuts: can NGOs survive the next two years?

7 October 2020
48% of NGOs may not survive the next two years, according to the worrying findings from our latest survey on NGOs' finances and staff cuts.
Young entrepreneur Buram promptly changed the focus of her sewing business to produce face masks for her local community in Mongolia.

Innovating in times of crisis: lessons from entrepreneurs

16 September 2020
In times of uncertainty, both entrepreneurs and organisations have the ability and impetus to experiment and innovate with new ideas and approaches. What can civil society learn from the business world?
Mergers

Is a merger the right step for your NGO?

3 September 2020
The crises this year has placed many NGOs in financial difficulty. Mergers have become an option considered by charity leaders and trustees alike from a position of financial necessity, but they may not be the only option.

Members' tweets

@TheHALOTrust
3 years ago

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

@IAPB1
3 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
3 years ago

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