Comments

Thanks for the insightful comments Sarah; there have been many calls to 'do development differently' over the years (<a href="https://www.ids.ac.uk/projects/the-big-push-forward/" rel="nofollow">Big Push Forward</a> and <a href="https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/11199.pdf" rel="nofollow">doing development differently</a>) and of course the lifetime work of Robert Chambers, who you rightly mention. But it seems to me change in the sector is stubbornly resisted. I think it helps to call out the power dynamics at play and support reflective work, as you have done here, so that helps change. Thanks for your contribution to important conversations, and perhaps change!

I support you 100 % on three points you raised: 1. For continued support in capacity building and institutional strengthening for leadership and good governance. 2. International NGOs to not compete with indegenous NGOs for funding. How do you ensure this does not happen when DFAT, especially, works through third party contractors who are mostly the same few companies it has been working with forever, it seems. Maybe we can have a list of PNG based national NGOs who have directly and successfully received direct funding from DFAT and are facilitating for other indigenous organically grown NGOs? 3. Men's involvement in violence against women program. I see positive change in the effort by civil society supported by INGOs (and others) through trainings attended by Police and Village Court magistrates. This effort needs continual funding support. I attended a few court cases in two Districts and witnessed magistrates standing up for wives of co-workers and Police who sought redress from the courts against abusive husbands who are law enforcers. I attribute this change to trainings conducted on human rights, law, and referral support system. A gap I see: too many international trips taken by leaders of organisations 'to show face' about good work they are doing with support for the international development partner. Who gets credit, and who gets funding? How can this 'friendship' idea be supported 60% for indigenous NGOs and 40% funding to international NGOs? I am of the view that donor aid gives less than 5% to groups they support and much of the slice goes to institutional strengthening for themselves.

Thank you for the blog Sarah. It explains some of the issues that face women's NGOs and women's leaders so eloquently. It is great that you have shared these experiences. It is definitely time for donors to be doing development differently, I agree wholeheartedly. If we want effective outcomes, more thought needs to be given to the many issues you raise by multilateral agencies, bilaterals and INGOs. It is a challenge for the sector, and it is something that needs to be front and centre in all development debates, conferences and policies.

Very interesting analysis of the two prime ministers.

I share your scepticsm regarding international donors and their use of funds. On the other hand, resources can obviously be helpful to strengthen and accelerate transformative processes. So gold standard would be to provide funding in a way that avoids the power money has on shaping and prioritizing the development work, with respect for the concerns and the energy of the people Is that possible? I think so.

Vanuatu is not alone in this.

Very much so, Michael - when they come to the UK from Timor, their extended family network comes with them! One agency told me that they can't employ Timorese interpreters to do work for some clients like police forces or courts because they know the people they're translating for from back home, so there's a conflict of interest. My joke is that Oxford (or Blackbird Leys) is twinned with Lospalos and their children speak Fataluku as well as Tetum despite having been born and raised here.

Time for donors to do development differently - I appreciate your reflections on donor assistance to organic Indigenous movements and make no claims to understand the dynamics of collaborative partnerships to achieve your movement's objectives and donors' expectations. However, in reading your article, I sense that the reliance on donor funds and expertise may be counter productive. Is it also time for organic Indigenous movement to do development differently and perhaps obtain the bulk of their funding organically and rely less on donor agencies? Donor fatigue may also be an issue. I wish your movement all the best in the 2022 elections.

This is a very interesting blog on an important subject. Sandra provides good insights. Once again, it is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation helping to generate useful and usable knowledge products through commissioning and funding these and other studies. As it turns out, Professor Sophie Witter and colleagues (including me) recently did a complementary study, also for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, titled "What, why and how do health systems learn from each other: insights from eight low and middle income country case studies". The article, published earlier this year, is available <a href="https://health-policy-systems.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12961-018-0410-1" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Also available <a href="http://devpolicy.org/pdf/blog/quotable-quotes-about-political-economy-analysis-in-the-health-sector.pdf">here</a> is a collection of what I personally found to be thoughtful, well-written, and in some cases juicy, "quotable quotes" from the international literature about the political economy of decision making and use - or abuse - of evidence in the health sector of low and middle income countries.

Good start for our young people thinking about this important issue that undermines our human development efforts. At the same time we need to be cautious when using 'culture' in our narrative. For a long time culture or some aspects of it has been used as a factor or an excuse for this issue, however it is not the same for the whole country. What is typical for a region, or part of PNG should not be generalised for the country. In some culture, women are valuable, backbone to a family and community and are overprotected. Outside observers, advocates and writers on this issue have over emphasised culture which in itself is reinforcing a culture mindset amongst our young people.

I think critics and comment will never eventuate maybe he has a version for this nation, let us abide by his government to see the next event. Every prime minister has their own policies for the nation. We can only spectate and see where the wind blows. Our voice will never make any impact changes unless you are politically mandated by people's choice.

Thanks Michael. Interesting article. Particularly interested in your last paragraph.