Two women talking

Is the international NGO system broken?

Bondcast episode 8

17 September 2019

Only 1% of official aid and humanitarian assistance goes directly to local organisations in developing countries or the “global south”.

Despite a commitment to sustainable and locally-led development, international NGOs have still not redressed the imbalance of power, resources and funds that exists between northern NGOs and southern civil society organisations.

INGOs have been talking about localisation, resourcing and shifting the power for a while. So why have we not made progress in supporting and empowering those organisations that can best help the people in their communities? Is there a fundamental problem with the INGO system and its complicated funding dynamics?

This podcast episode brings together both sides of the system to discuss how INGOs can truly shift the power. Bond’s Zoe Abrahamson talks to Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of Oxfam GB, Bolor Legjeem, programs director at Mongolian Women’s Fund, and Jennie Richmond, social impact strategy consultant and former head of international grants at Comic Relief.

Listen to the podcast below, on Apple podcasts or on your Android player.

We’ll be discussing how INGOs can support localisation and shifting resources at the Bond Funding for Development Conference on 7 October.

Listen to more podcasts on our website

Or sign up to our newsletter.