Inquiry into aid in the Pacific, public donations decline, FB’s Libra and more

+ Inquiry into aid in the Pacific - have your say

Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee is holding an inquiry into New Zealand’s aid to the Pacific.
 
You can read more about it here. The inquiry is seeking public submissions. The closing date for submissions is 30 August 2019. You can make your submission, and read more about what the inquiry will focus on here.
 
This is a great opportunity for our sector to engage directly with parliament, and be the ‘policy-makers’ not just the ‘policy-takers’. We can analyse what we think is working and what’s not under the framework of the Pacific Reset, and propose ideas and approaches to improve impact.
 
Make a submission and have your say. CID will make a submission too. If you’d like us to include your views, please get in touch directly with any of the CID team.

Director@cid.org.nz
Office@cid.org.nz
 

+ PNG volcano erupts

Last week more than 5,000 people had to flee their homes after a volcano erupted in a remote part of Papua New Guinea's West New Britain, local media have reported.

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape has visited the area, and promised disaster relief in the form of financial assistance and will also send the country's defence force in to help.

Ulawun is the highest and steepest of all the volcanoes in PNG and is considered to be one of the six 'high-risk' volcanoes in the country, according to the Papua New Guinea Geological Survey.

The government has sought help from Australia. 

Papua New Guinea does not have the airlift capacity to get the supplies to the island fast enough and has requested that PNG's Foreign affairs ministry seek assistance from Australia.

"We need to get containers full of tents, tarpaulins, and water purification equipment over there as fast as possible," said Dr Bill Hamblin, Papua New Guinea's Emergency Controller.

+ Public donations decline - survey preview 

The CID Annual Sector Survey will be launched July 16th at a 5pm event at the Backbencher in Wellington, with a robust panel discussion on the final results.

The panel will include CEOs, MFAT and media commentators.

The survey will be available from July 16. What we can say is that there is no let up on the slow decline in public donations. Although the figure hasn't dropped from last year, it has remained static, and continues the 15-year decline.

This funding pattern is confirmed across the world, and in the JB Were Support Report of New Zealand's charitable sector, (LINK TO JOHN'S SLIDES) out later this year. 

A Roy Morgan poll of Australia aid, for example, confirmed a continued decline across the ditch. 66% of Australians donated to a charity in 2014. Today that is only about 60%, and the amounts donated are less.

"The current funding of charities is largely reliant on the over 35 age groups, with the highest average amount given being from those aged 50 and over. While it is likely that the younger age groups have lower incomes and other priorities which impacts the amount they could give, their incidence of giving is generally well below average..." says Roy Morgan Comms Director, Norman Morris.

In the UK the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) found in tis survey that   a clear downward trend for public donations continues.

We will discuss this and other findings in the CID Annual Sector Survey at the launch on July 16.

Register here to attend
Entry fee of $10
 

+ MFAT briefings on funding - REMINDER

Following on from the Ministry’s earlier briefing sessions on the new approach to partnering with NGOs, they are now holding a series of update meetings this week. The briefings will be held on the following dates:
 
·Wellington: 9am-12pm, 4 July
·Auckland: 12.30-3.30pm, 5 July 
·Christchurch: 1pm-4pm, 8 July 
 
The sessions will include an update on the negotiated partnerships process, information on the new fund Manaaki, as well as further advice on the New Zealand Aid Programme’s priorities.
 
Please register if you plan to attend, or have any questions, by emailing here.  partneringforimpact@mfat.govt.nz.

 

+ Facebook does social good? Maybe

Facebook, together with 27 partners that range from Visa to MercyCorps, has created a new global currency built on blockchain -  the Libra (a reference to the Roman measurement for a pound, once used to mint coins). The new cryptocurrency also shares its name with a horoscope sign that represents balance and fairness, a fact that Libras and astrologists are taking issue with!

At the core of Libra, there's the idea that blockchains and cryptocurrencies have a number of unique properties that can potentially address some of the problems of accessibility to funds, and trustworthiness.

It's also an attempt to 'clean up' their image after numerous allegations of privacy breaches, including the unacceptable interference with the UK Brexit referendum in September 2016. 

Facebook has established the Libra Association, an independent nonprofit entity based in Geneva, Switzerland, that will handle the design and release of the Libra network, oversee the blockchain, and manage the digital token.

Among the nonprofits that joined the Libra Association are MercyCorps, Kiwa and Women's World Banking, who hope to create bigger access to better, cheaper and open financial services for everyone.

“All of our work is about how we can serve low-income women with the financial products and services they need,” said Karen Miller, from Women’s World Banking.

"This seemed like an opportunity not only to expand financial access to the unbanked and underserved women but also to ensure that as this was getting developed, there is a voice at the table representing the majority of the unbanked and underserved people around the world — which are women.”

Democratic congresswoman and House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters however, has called on Facebook to press pause. 

“Given the company’s troubled past, I am requesting that Facebook agree to a moratorium on any movement forward on developing a cryptocurrency until Congress and regulators have the opportunity to examine these issues and take action,” she said.
 

+ Book now! Launch of Annual Survey

A panel of CEOs, MFAT, academics and commentators will discuss the latest fundings of the CID Annual Sector Survey.

The Survey will be available after the event. Join us for a fun and informative evening of data and networking.

+ Artificial Intelligence - OECD report

Last month 42 countries adopted the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence, the first international standards agreed by governments for the responsible stewardship of trustworthy AI.

A new OECD report on ‘Artificial Intelligence in Society’ examines AI's influence on the policy landscape.

"AI is transforming societies and economies. It promises to generate productivity gains, improve well-being and help address global challenges, such as climate change, resource scarcity and health crises. Yet, as AI applications are adopted around the world, their use can raise questions and challenges related to human values, fairness, human determination, privacy, safety and accountability, among others."
 

+ Ethical comms - ACFID guide

ACFID has published new guidance to help members create and implement their own ethical decision-making framework for communications.

A fantastic resource for those involved in communications, marketing or fundraising at any level of an organisation, as well as those looking to better understand the ACFID Code of Conduct requirements.

+ China's 'Big Development' model

The annual meeting of Scanning the horizons too place last month and the outcome document is available here.

25 global organisations attended, with about 13 leaders and managers from international NGOs, including Oxfam, ADRA, Mercy Corps, World Vision and many others.

Scanning the Horizons is a collaborative platform to help INGOs 'prepare for disruption and benefit from change.'

The key topic this year was the implications of China’s rise on the future work of ICSOs, and how to work with China's ‘big development model’.

Here are eight articles on China's aid, compiled by Linda Calabrese at ODI.

One report looks at the variety of ways in which the 'Digital Silk Road' can support the Sustainable Development Goals.

"There are examples of ICT infrastructure (such as fibre-optic cables and data centres) built in remote areas, usually deemed unprofitable by ICT companies."

Another article examines the role of the Chinese SOEs which might be more inclined to take risks  - a good thing for development - because they have guaranteed state support. 
 

+ UN reflects as 75th birthday looms

While OpenDemocracy reflects on the anniversary of the Great War’s end -  its causes, consequences and lessons for the future, a year from now (2020 June 26), the international community will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter.

That doesn’t leave much time to hammer out a “concise, substantive, forward-looking and unifying declaration” that captures member states’ commitment to multilateralism, before the world leaders summit meeting in September 2020.

Anniversaries invariably put the UN in a state of reflection, giving it a chance to assess achievements, renew commitments and — where there’s will — strengthen systems and mechanisms for global governance, a boat that was missed on the 50th anniversary, in 1995.

Taking the lead, the Stimson Center, an international policy research group, offers 20 global ideas for the United Nations’ 75th anniversary and Leaders Summit, in 2020, with the goal of renewing our system of global governance to better meet twenty-first-century threats and opportunities.

The new report presents a bold, yet practical “Roadmap to 2020” designed to mobilize a wide range of actors and constituencies and to produce results at the intersection of global security and justice – preventing violent extremism, mitigating and adapting to climate change, governing our hyperconnected global economy, and safeguarding human rights – to make the world a little more just and secure.

+ Gender and faith the Pacific way - webinar

ACFID is hosting a webinar on 16 July on gender, faith and dealing with gender-based violence in the Pacific.

Women and girls in the Pacific face alarming levels of gender-based violence, in particular violence in the home. Three in five women (60%) who have ever been in a relationship have experienced either physical or sexual violence (or both) by a husband or intimate partner.

Hear from local based development practitioners and their Australian partners on faith-based approaches to tackling gender-based violence in the Pacific.

Register here for the webinar.
 

+ New development podcasts for you

The Lowy Institute have launched a new podcast series - Rules Based Audio - which will attempt 'to make sense of a changing world order'.

Other useful podcasts:

Oxfam's Duncan Green on 'How Change Happens'. And for a weekly summary of Duncan's blog, go here. 

And for 'six global development podcasts you must listen to', go here. 

That should keep you awake on those long drives to and from work.

+ CID Talk: Developing Resilience in a crisis

Red Cross's John Dyer will use his first-hand experiences from recent natural disasters and examples from history, to identify some of the key elements that build resilience.

Learn how to cope with changing and challenging environments.

"To be resilient you need to develop the ability to live in the moment while being comfortable with uncertainty. It is about being agile," says John.

John has over 30 years’ experience leading and developing people in Red Cross and other organisations.

CID talk
July 10 12.30pm
CID Offices, Level 4, 26 Brandon St, Wellington.

 

+ Grand Bargain annual report released

The Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) has just published the 2019 independent report on progress towards commitments made in the 'Grand Bargain'

The ‘Grand Bargain’, signed in May 2016 at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul by 18 donor countries and 16 aid organisations, represents a milestone in the direction of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of international humanitarian aid.

The signatories agreed to a voluntary self-reporting mechanism, supported by an annual independent report, in order to measure their collective progress against the agreed commitments. One of the biggest commitments for donors and aid organizations is to provide 25 per cent of global humanitarian funding to local and national responders by 2020.

While most signatories continue to invest, there is general consensus that the Grand Bargain potential has yet to be realised, and that the investments made thus far need to be sustained for at least a further two to three years before returns will be fully apparent.

The report makes recommendations in the following areas of action:

• Adopt a strategic approach for  remaining challenges to make greater progress
• Undertake concerted high-level political dialogue to navigate challenges
• Define more clearly what ‘success’ looks like
• Get the bargain back on track
• Consolidate efforts to lighten the bureaucratic burden
• Empower existing governance structures to deliver
• Strengthen political leadership.

+ Eye ops are humanitarian relief too

Historically, eye organizations have operated outside the humanitarian space, in more stable environments where there's room to build local capacity to provide eye care services, writes Jenny Lei Ravelo in Devex this week.

But in Cox's Bazar, currently the world's largest refugee camp, there's now a consortium of aid agencies working to address the eye health needs of both the host population and Rohingya refugees. 

 

+ PIANGO - new Executive Director welcomed

Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO) announced the appointment of Emeline Siale Ilolahia as their new Executive Director.

Siale will be known to many of our members, as a dedicated, tough and passionate advocate for the Pacific, and for locally led development. 

Former Executive Director, Emele Duituturaga leaves big shoes to fill, but we know Siale will stamp her own mark on PIANGO and continue to grow the organisation so it can do even more to strengthen its community of National Liaison Units (NLUs) across 24 countries and territories in the Pacific.

Siale is a long time Tongan civil society leader with over 10 years of experience and a track record in promoting sustainable growth and social development in the region and globally. 

CID would also like to pay tribute to the leadership and passion that former Director Emele Duituturaga has shown the New Zealand sector. She is not only a global ambassador for the Pacific, but a good friend and supporter of New Zealand INGOs as we embrace the challenges and opportunities of the localisations agenda, and what it means to work in real partnerships with the Pacific.

The good news is that Emele isn't going away! Watch this space for more details on her new role.

+ Members collaborate  - Trade Aid and CWS

+ Reminder to complete the CID Code Review Survey
 
Please complete the CID Code survey so we can capture your ideas to develop the Code further.

Complete and submit the survey by Wednesday 3 July, 2019. You have received the survey by email.

If you have any questions, please contact Josie Pagani on director@cid.org.nz

Thank you very much in advance for your feedback.