Speakers at a conference of BDCSO Process, a forum of around 700 local CSOs/NGOs, on Thursday urged the international agencies to shun the practice of colonial dominance in partnership with NGOs.
“Colonialism is a past issue but the practice is still alive in some partnership between the NGOs and the international agencies that must be eliminated,” said Shireen P Huq, founder member of Naripokkho.
She also said the international agencies altogether should come up with similar compliance and must provide overhead cost to the local NGOs.
Shireen bemoaned that women-headed organisations hardly get any advantages and positive encouragement although everyone talks about it.
BDCSO Process organised the 2nd session of their 2nd Annual Conference titled ‘Partnership and Process to Promote Sustainable Local CSO/NGOs’.
About 250 participants, including 20 guests from Bangladesh and abroad, attended the session virtually with Shireen P Huq in the chair.
Igancio Packer of Switzerland’s ICVA reminded the Principle of Partnership (2007) and said all UN agencies and NGOs have to work in complementarity and inclusiveness, which requires empathic and equal relationships for promoting sustainability of the local NGOs.
Howard Mollet of the UK’s CAFOD emphasised the issue of risk-sharing in partnership between the NGOs and the international agencies, and said local NGOs can perform well regarding the climate change issue if they are provided with the necessary support.UNB
