This paper is about the data and evidence that we – a team of researchers and practitioners from organisations in Asia and the Pacific – believe is needed to support a more equitable and impactful humanitarian sector. Our vision is for a sector that recognises the value of different perspectives, respects the contributions of different people, and understands how ethical choices reflect and affect the communities it serves. Our belief is that research that holds our everyday practices to the spotlight and shares evidence that can empower and encourage improved practices will help the sector advance towards that vision. This paper maps out how we intend to tackle the challenging space of power, people and local leadership in our sector. It provides a research platform to ask and uncover answers over the next three years.
This paper was developed in partnership with Humanitarian Advisory Group (Australia), GLOW Consulting (Pakistan), inSights (Bangladesh), the Pujiono Centre (Indonesia), CoLAB (Fiji), and the Pacific Island Association of NGOs (PIANGO, a regional organisation linked with national organisations). The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade funds the program, and is a partner invested in exploring how the findings from this research can better inform them and other international actors to make practical progress on the aid reform agenda, particularly on localisation.
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