Decolonising our work is a necessary process for achieving genuine, lasting, transformational change in a sector that colonial power dynamics have shaped. We need to understand first how colonialism shaped our organisations and ways of working, and how those ways continue, to help undo them and make reparations.  

Colonialism continues today in the European-centric approaches we work, from the foundational definition of what our sector is supposed to do, and how we engage with each other. What does development mean after all, and who defines that ultimate vision? The effects of colonisation of course continue, including the external impositions of economic, political, and social systems on colonised regions, often exploiting local populations and resources for their gain. This doesn’t apply just to the former colonial powers – the US-ification of our work is cultural imperialism, a form of colonial expansion and exploitation. Think about how our work exacerbates structures of inequality, and creat significant wealth for the colonisers while leaving the colonised regions impoverished and dependent.

These colonial structures did not disappear with the end of formal colonisation. Instead, they have been maintained and adapted in various ways, continuing to shape global power dynamics. For instance, the binary split of our world into the ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’. Organisations providing ‘aid’ are based in the former, and through their practices are continuing processes of dependency, a remnant of colonisation. Think also about how our policies and practices often reflect Eurocentric values and priorities. This can lead to projects that, while well-intentioned, fail to address the root causes of inequality and may even perpetuate existing power imbalances.

One of the most insidious legacies of colonialism in the development sector is the devaluation of local knowledge and expertise. During the colonial era, the knowledge systems of colonised peoples were often dismissed as primitive or inferior. This mindset persists today, with ‘Western’ knowledge and expertise frequently being privileged over local perspectives. Just look at the language this post is written in, and the one I have to use in my work.

Undoing this involves a few steps:

1. Reevaluate Power Structures: This involves critically examining who holds power, whose voices are heard, and whose knowledge is valued. Organisations should work towards creating more inclusive and equitable decision-making processes that involve a diverse range of perspectives, particularly those from the places where we work.
2. Centre Local Knowledge: We should actively seek out and integrate local knowledge into programs and policies. This involves not only consulting with local actors but centring their expertise, and ensuring that they have a meaningful role (rather than performative) in decision-making processes. It also means being open to alternative ways of knowing and understanding the world rather than imposing ‘Western’ frameworks.
3. Shift Resources and Power: This means providing more funding directly to local organisations and communities rather than through large INGOs or large institutional funders. It also involves supporting locally-led initiatives and ensuring that local actors have control over how resources are used.
4. Challenge Eurocentric Narratives: Rethink whose knowledge is perceived of as superior and truly question why. We need to challenge these narratives and creating space for alternative stories and perspectives. This might involve amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, rethinking the way success is measured, or reframing the goals of our work to prioritise justice and equity.
5. Commit to Ongoing Learning and Reflection: Decolonisation is not a one-time process but an ongoing journey that requires continuous learning and reflection. We should commit to regularly assessing our practices and policies to ensure they are aligned with decolonial principles. This might involve seeking out feedback from local partners, engaging in critical self-reflection, and staying informed about developments in decolonial thought.
6. Support Structural Change: Finally, we need to advocate for broader systemic and structural change, including unlearning our own and our organisation’s values.  This also means advocating for policies that address the root causes of global inequality, such as reparations