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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World Humanitarian Day: the power of collective action

17 August 2022
The African proverb ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ is the theme of this year’s World Humanitarian Day. This reflects the power of collective action. And it's only collective action that will bring about the change the humanitarian sector need.

13 must-read books on international development 

17 August 2022
Here at Bond, staff have come up with book recommendations that may help broaden your horizons and influence your perspective on the world.  

The FCDO’s Annual Report: another blow to transparency and more pressure on ODA budgets

11 August 2022
The 2021-22 FCDO Annual Report and Accounts proved to be a missed opportunity to deliver on transparency and provide public data on planned ODA spending, as well as for which departments. So, what did we learn and what should we keep an eye out for?

Why is people-led storytelling now more important than ever?

10 August 2022
Clare Kiely from On Our Radar shares her top 4 recommendations on why lived experience storytelling needs to be more widely adopted and what this looks like in practice, as well as highlights some of the challenges and rewards.

Is it time to radically rethink "capacity building"?

8 August 2022
Amid talk of decolonising "international development", there has been a discernible scrabble to change our language. This is useful but needs to be accompanied by radical changes to our practices, particularly when it comes to "capacity building".

Responsible fundraising: moving from discussion to action

3 August 2022
As we come to the end of our Responsible Fundraising series, what have we learnt and what next for our work to help support INGOs to become better partners and allies to grassroots activists and local organisations when fundraising?
Communication strategy

A new era for INGO communication strategies?

2 August 2022
Greater alignment across communications builds a more coherent position, organisationally. But how should INGOs go about developing a central communications strategy that everyone can rally behind?

On sausages and challenging collaborations with NGOs

27 July 2022
Collaboration across the local organisations and NGO divide is both required and important. But, as part of this collective work, local organisations have to contend with, at times, excessive demands from bigger NGOs.

13 must-read books on international development 

17 August 2022
Here at Bond, staff have come up with book recommendations that may help broaden your horizons and influence your perspective on the world.  

The FCDO’s Annual Report: another blow to transparency and more pressure on ODA budgets

11 August 2022
The 2021-22 FCDO Annual Report and Accounts proved to be a missed opportunity to deliver on transparency and provide public data on planned ODA spending, as well as for which departments. So, what did we learn and what should we keep an eye out for?

From leader to laggard? Time for the G7 to protect human rights and the environment from corporate abuse

1 July 2022
Despite decades of struggle, progress toward stopping powerful corporations profiting from human rights abuses has been slow and focused on voluntary action. What should G7 leaders, particularly the UK, be doing to hold them accountable?
Youth activists with the grassroots group Youth4Parliament, in Zambia, after a local dialogue where they discussed their resourcing challenges and visions for change as part of the Grassroots Solidarity Revolution activities. The group is also organising

Are you a good grassroots ally? Think twice about it

22 June 2022
We are witnessing a widespread recognition of the importance to shift power to local communities. But does this mean that we are really becoming better allies of grassroots groups? Maybe not.

The forgotten generation: as the war continues and civilians flee, millions of older people are still trapped in Ukraine with limited help

20 June 2022
A new survey from HelpAge International provides important evidence of, and insight into the challenges and specific needs of people over 60 in Ukraine who have been displaced from their homes by the conflict. 
Former Development Secretary Justine Greening speaks at the Youth Summit, hosted by DFID, in 2015.

Does DFID have a future or is it well and truly a thing of the past?

17 June 2022
Will we ever see a decoupling of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development? In what would have been the 25th anniversary of DFID, we ask: does the former department have a future at all? 

Campaigning during the clampdown

15 June 2022
Draconian legislation. Culture Wars. Attacking NGOs. The UK government is using a clear playbook to undermine civil society action. So, what can we do about it? 

All time highs: The Global Report on Food Crises 2022

8 June 2022
Climate shocks, conflict, Covid-19, and spiralling costs of food and fuel are creating a perfect storm, driving millions closer to starvation, and threatening global stability, all laid out in the new Global Report on Food Crises.

Why is people-led storytelling now more important than ever?

10 August 2022
Clare Kiely from On Our Radar shares her top 4 recommendations on why lived experience storytelling needs to be more widely adopted and what this looks like in practice, as well as highlights some of the challenges and rewards.
Communication strategy

A new era for INGO communication strategies?

2 August 2022
Greater alignment across communications builds a more coherent position, organisationally. But how should INGOs go about developing a central communications strategy that everyone can rally behind?

How to land media coverage: a guide for small NGOs

10 May 2022
Landing media coverage for your organisation can help expand your influence, raise awareness of your work with the public and donors, highlight success or pressing issues and campaign for change. Here are a few tips to help you along the way
Hands together

Meeting people where they are at? Sure, just don’t leave them there

16 March 2022
It’s a laudable aim to engage groups who have lost faith in international institutions and “meet them where they are at” as the We The Helpers campaign set out to do. But we have a duty to move towards greater understanding and global solidarity.
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.

Responsible fundraising: moving from discussion to action

3 August 2022
As we come to the end of our Responsible Fundraising series, what have we learnt and what next for our work to help support INGOs to become better partners and allies to grassroots activists and local organisations when fundraising?

We need to start putting communities in the driving seat of successful fundraising

12 July 2022
Amref Health Africa recently found that fundraising appeals led by the people they intend to help can raise more money and be more effective than those created by the charity itself. What can we learn and adopt into our own fundraising?
Workers picking tea on a farm in Southern Tanzania.

Regional Public Investment and the future of financing

6 July 2022
There are barriers to solving global crises such as insufficient and ineffectively targeted public finance and a financing architecture which is not responsive to these challenges. Could building a Regional Public Investment mechanism help?

What should you consider when you are thinking about generating income?

23 May 2022
Our latest work on funding looks at whether generating income can not only help with the financial sustainability of organisations, but also support a shift in power to social activists and communities. What have we learned so far?

Time to level the funding playing field for local partners?

10 May 2022
During the first of our Responsible Fundraising sessions we heard a fascinating and informative insight into how Restless Development have embraced and implemented their responsible fundraising strategy. Here is what we learnt.  
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?

The Ukraine crisis has exposed the urgent need for joined-up responses to cross-border trafficking

26 July 2022
More than 5.4 million people have fled Ukraine to other parts of Europe since the outbreak of war and have become refugees. What can we do to ensure they get the support they need and do not fall victim to people traffickers.

Skills for a brighter future on World Youth Skills Day

15 July 2022
On World Youth Skills Day, small NGO Build It tell us what they are doing to tackle the global issue of youth unemployment and underemployment, and what we should all be doing to help young people realise their potential.

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.

We can only transform the lives of animals and people with systemic change

20 April 2022
A look at the new strategy from Brooke, who has evolved their strategy beyond just eradicating equines’ suffering, to addressing the systemic problems that affect these animals, their communities and our shared environment.
Woman harvesting sea weed on a sea plantation in Tanzania.

The Participatory CLD Assessment Tool: Helping INGOs shift power

10 March 2022
The Participatory Community-led Development Assessment Tool was created to enable non-profits to deliver on their commitment to locally-led development. Here's a look at how it was made, and what the tool has helped INGOs achieve around the world.
Collecting water at the Kitongi spring

Women and water

9 March 2022
Unequal power and decision-making within families is one of the factors that mean women are more affected by the impact of climate crisis. Send A Cow are working to redress the balance with their projects in Kenya.
Interpol headquarters

Project Soteria: A long-term solution to the puzzle of safeguarding

23 February 2022
In the next decade we hope to see more survivors be able to come forward. We hope to see aid workers and those who commit sexual violence across the globe to come to justice. Project Soteria will help this happen.
Loop logo

Is “Talk to Loop” the answer to getting feedback from the communities we work with?

3 February 2022
An overview of the Talk to Loop platform, which is a mechanism using existing phone and computer technology to allow people receiving aid to give feedback safely, easily and without having to wait to be asked.

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.
Restructuring your organisation

NGO restructuring – embrace the change

11 May 2022
MzN consultants help NGOs with remodelling and restructuring. Here they share some of their experiences in restructuring, looking at the challenges, as well as the opportunities, they have encountered.

We can only transform the lives of animals and people with systemic change

20 April 2022
A look at the new strategy from Brooke, who has evolved their strategy beyond just eradicating equines’ suffering, to addressing the systemic problems that affect these animals, their communities and our shared environment.
Workforce

How racism manifests itself in NGO culture and structures - part two: The pitfall of EDI

12 April 2022
An active intersectional practice against racism and white supremacy in all their manifestations and across all areas of work is required, including across EDI practices. Part two of our blogs looking at culture and structures inside of NGOs.
Discrimination depiction

How racism manifests itself in NGO culture and structures - part one: Deep structures

6 April 2022
In the first of our series looking at racism in development, this blog is part one of two pieces looking at culture and structures inside of NGOs and the discrimination it exacerbates.
Directory screenshot

Bond launches new Services Directory

10 February 2022
Our members often ask us to recommend suppliers and service delivery organisations so, based on the types of advice we are asked for, we created the Bond Services Directory. Find out how to use it, and how you can advertise on it.
Recycling bin

How to build a climate-resilient NGO in 2022

9 February 2022
We can all help build climate resilience. There are many ways to incorporate resilience-building into non-climate focused development work and how we run our organisations. Here are some tips for your organisation.
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?

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