ODI live events podcast

Better recognition, funding and support of local humanitarian responders is long overdue. Many humanitarian organisations have not waited for global-level reforms within the Grand Bargain to drive the agenda forward. Instead, individuals, peer networks and organisations large and small have corrected the sector’s imbalances in their own ways. Away from the often technical or policy debates within the Grand Bargain, there are dynamic, new developments and new opportunities for hyper-local initiatives, survivor-led activities, civil society activism and South–South cooperation. These developments and opportunities are shaping the ‘localisation’ agenda beyond the Grand Bargain.

The formal conclusion of the five-year phase of the Grand Bargain this year, raises questions for the humanitarian sector on how best to continue to make progress on localisation. To explore these issues, HPG and HPN convene a conversation exploring the activities and activism on local humanitarian action that are occurring outside of the formal policy processes, and how the landscape is adapting and changing to tackle old problems not being addressed by the wider humanitarian system.

Climate change is a major driver of humanitarian need, alongside conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. Weather events are becoming more extreme and more frequent – with huge consequences for people already living in humanitarian contexts. Despite the resilience and adaptability of communities living with climate emergencies and related insecurities, they are being hit hard.

Join Mark Lowcock and Fonteh Akum for a discussion hosted by Sorcha O'Callaghan about the impact of climate change in the world’s most vulnerable places, and what needs to be done about it.

A stronger and more equal partnership between Africa and Europe has never felt more critical. With the blow dealt by Covid-19 to both continents and the inequalities it highlighted, we need to find common solutions to global challenges, from pandemics and climate change to migration. New forms of cross-border cooperation are needed – and fast.

ODI hosts a ‘Green Talk’ ahead of the High-level European Union-Africa Green Investment Forum co-organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Investment Bank.

We explore how cities can support the green transition and reinvigorate the partnership between Africa and Europe in the lead up to the long-awaited AU-EU Summit. Cities are decisive players to accelerate the shift to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies needed to sustain the green recovery. Their practical approach to cooperation across borders has much to offer policy-makers at the national and regional level.

African and European mayors are already working together to meet these challenges. Our discussion highlights innovative initiatives and city-to-city partnerships, brokered by the Mayors Dialogue on Growth and Solidarity, which harness human mobility within and between Africa and Europe to tackle core shared challenges and find solutions.

A stronger and more equal partnership between Africa and Europe has never felt more critical. With the blow dealt by Covid-19 to both continents and the inequalities it highlighted, we need to find common solutions to global challenges, from pandemics and climate change to migration. New forms of cross-border cooperation are needed – and fast.

ODI hosts a ‘Green Talk’ ahead of the High-level European Union-Africa Green Investment Forum co-organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Investment Bank.

We explore how cities can support the green transition and reinvigorate the partnership between Africa and Europe in the lead up to the long-awaited AU-EU Summit. Cities are decisive players to accelerate the shift to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies needed to sustain the green recovery. Their practical approach to cooperation across borders has much to offer policy-makers at the national and regional level.

African and European mayors are already working together to meet these challenges. Our discussion highlights innovative initiatives and city-to-city partnerships, brokered by the Mayors Dialogue on Growth and Solidarity, which harness human mobility within and between Africa and Europe to tackle core shared challenges and find solutions.

Global poverty increased dramatically in 2020 with the impacts of Covid-19 reversing two decades of progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals. The demand for development finance continues to grow as governments and policy makers work to build back their economies, however, development finance is undergoing extreme pressure and is at risk of decline.

Adopted in 2015, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda provides a multilateral framework for financing sustainable development. It acknowledges the role public and private finance can play in creating new markets, jobs and reducing poverty, and the unique ability to mobilise finance in low-income and middle-income countries. However, five years on, progress has been slow and is at risk of steering further off course.

Informed by ODI’s new report, “ Development Finance Institutions (DFIs): need for bold action to invest better ” we investigate what has and hasn’t worked in mobilising private finance for development. We explore how development finance institutions, multilateral development banks and their shareholders, can re-evaluate their business models, investment approaches and collaborative initiatives to better support the vision of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and support the global effort to ‘build back better'.

On August 1, 2018, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared a new outbreak of Ebola in North Kivu. By November 2018, it had become DRC’s largest Ebola outbreak, and the second largest in the world after the 2014-2015 West Africa outbreak. Combatting the outbreak in a region that has experienced decades of armed conflict and ongoing acute humanitarian needs proved a major challenge.

The Humanitarian Policy Group’s (HPG) new report finds that international leadership and coordination was slow to adapt to these challenges. Failure of international leadership to analyse risks from the outset, and to plan to adapt to them, contributed to profoundly negative impacts on outcomes related to community engagement, security approaches and sound financial management. This is likely to have lasting negative implications for future responses in the region.

This webinar draws on the lessons learnt and recommendations from HPG’s report, considering the implications for future responses and changes that need to be enacted, to better respond to new outbreaks of Ebola and other public health crises.

On August 1, 2018, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared a new outbreak of Ebola in North Kivu. By November 2018, it had become DRC’s largest Ebola outbreak, and the second largest in the world after the 2014-2015 West Africa outbreak. Combatting the outbreak in a region that has experienced decades of armed conflict and ongoing acute humanitarian needs proved a major challenge.

The Humanitarian Policy Group’s (HPG) new report finds that international leadership and coordination was slow to adapt to these challenges. Failure of international leadership to analyse risks from the outset, and to plan to adapt to them, contributed to profoundly negative impacts on outcomes related to community engagement, security approaches and sound financial management. This is likely to have lasting negative implications for future responses in the region.

This webinar draws on the lessons learnt and recommendations from HPG’s report, considering the implications for future responses and changes that need to be enacted, to better respond to new outbreaks of Ebola and other public health crises.

Chair

Nicola Jones @njonesODI – Principal Research Fellow, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, ODI

Speakers

María del Carmen Calle – Executive Secretary, Pan-Andean Health Organisation

Prerna Banati @pbanati – Regional Gender and Adolescent Girls Advisor, West and Central Africa, UNICEF

Kenan Madi – Programme Manager, UNICEF Jordan

Selin Ozunaldim @SOzunaldim – Founder, Girls Who Code Turkey

Closing remarks

Arlette Mvondo @ArletteMvondo – Policy Advisor, UN Women

Description

As governments roll out Covid-19 response plans, a critical window of opportunity arises to reshape adolescent girls’ programs, anchoring them in girls’ voices, leadership and ambitions. Dedicated strategies to reach and support adolescent girls have been advocated, however challenges to scaling up approaches include sustainable financing, and weak systems with limited integration. Policymakers and community leadership also tend to be resistant and sceptical of meaningful adolescent girls’ engagement.

As part of the broader conversations around the sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women and in partnership with ODI’s GAGE and UNICEF, we explore empowering girl-intentional approaches to policy and programming. We also share experiences from promising practices in low- and middle-income countries, including lessons in light of the pandemic.

This webinar is the second in a three-part ODI series on empowering women on their journey from adolescent girls, to young feminists, through to future political and judicial leaders.

Chair

Carmen Leon-Himmelstine @C_Himmelstine – Senior Research Fellow, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, ODI

Opening Remarks

Zainab Hawa Bangura @ZainabHawa – Director-General, United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON)

Speakers

Erika Yamada @ErikaYamada – States and Projects Coordinator, Equidad de Género

Javiera Manzi @JavieraManzi – Sociologist and Researcher, Coordinadora Feminista 8M

Yara Hawari @yarahawari – Senior Policy Analyst, Al Shabaka

Description

The last five years have been the backdrop to a global renewal of feminist movements. From Mexico, Chile and Argentina, to India and Taiwan, the urgency to mobilise for women’s rights and against violence has gained momentum. Female-led organisations are changing legislation and shaping public discourse on the structural influence of patriarchy, racism, and colonialism in their daily lives. Feminism has become a popular movement for many young women outside of the 'Global North'. These leaders are currently leading efforts to deconstruct relations of inequality and provide an alternative feminist future.

Ahead of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and as part of broader conversations towards delivering the sustainable development goals during this decade of transformation, we convene a conversation with activist leaders to understand the power of collective action. We hear from key voices that can help guide future strategies for all those working to realise a more equal world.

This webinar is the first in a three-part ODI series on empowering women on their journey from adolescent girls, to young feminists, through to future political and judicial leaders.

Chair

Barnaby Willitts-King @barnabywk – Senior Research Fellow, Humanitarian Policy Group, ODI

Contribution

Zoe Hamilton – Insights Manager, GSMA

Speakers

Mahamud Abdirahman – Director, Business Development and International Relations Division, Telesom

Justin Colvard – Country Director, Mercy Corps Haiti

Adelina Kamal @AdelinaKamal – Executive Director, ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre)

Description

Digital tools and approaches are at the forefront of global responses to Covid-19, including in humanitarian contexts. While it’s too early to tell whether the initial hype around the potential of digital tools to solve new challenges has lived up to the reality, several initiatives, such as mobile money to deliver cash assistance, have proven their ability to work at scale in humanitarian responses.

Yet stubborn ‘digital divides’ between people with and without the means to effectively use these new technologies are widening. Digital interventions also come with new risks to affected individuals and communities that aid providers must navigate. With digital tools and systems designed and used now likely to outlast the pandemic, these actions will have a lasting relevance, and makes careful consideration of their uses critical.

Drawing on recently launched reports by ODI HPG and GSMA M4H, we explore the digital trends and risks emerging in the Covid-19 context. We delve into some of the themes from the reports including: successful examples of digital technology in Covid-19, like mobile money for cash assistance; risks exacerbated by the crisis, including the digital divide; and changes to the ecosystem and how humanitarian actors engage with other actors.