Published on 4 July 2023

A conversation on whether progress is being made towards an accountable and locally-led aid system.

On 28 June 2023, Christian Aid convened a webinar with other leaders from Pledge for Change 2030 and a representative for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, where the panellists reflected on current efforts to shift power in the aid system.

Catch up on the webinar

The event was chaired by Sarah Champion MP, chair of the International Development Committee and featured:

  • Degan Ali, Executive Director, Adeso and Pledge for Change 2030 convenor
  • Aleema Shivji, Oxfam Chief Impact Officer
  • Patrick Watt, Christian Aid CEO and Pledge for Change 2030 signatory
  • Jenny Bates, FCDO, Director General for Indo-Pacific and Board Sponsor for Race in FCDO

What is 'Pledge for Change'?

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd, discussions within the aid sector about the need to shift power from official donors and INGOs to national and local actors have gathered momentum.

The International Development Committee’s inquiry into the Philosophy of Aid, which began in 2021, led to the publication of their 2022 report on Racism in the Aid sector. It sets out a series of challenges and recommendations to aid organisations and to the FCDO, about the way they work with partners, the stories they tell to the UK public, and how they tackle racism in the sector.

In this context, a group of leaders from International NGOs, convened by Adeso, the Nairobi-based humanitarian organisation, launched the Pledge for Change 2030 in October 2022. The Pledge recognises the need to build a development and humanitarian aid ecosystem based on genuine partnerships with local and national civil society organisations, that moves decision-making and money closer to communities affected by crisis and poverty, changes the images and stories used to communicate that work, and influences wider change across the sector.