What is power
Power is the ability to influence decision making, mobilise resources and implement policies. Power more than often results in achievement, also in development cooperation. However, the distribution of power in current partnerships is often very uneven. Those with the most power, usually the donors, and to a lesser extent the INGOs, are not always the most knowledgeable about the local situation or about the change needed and how to achieve this. Shifting power to a Southern-based civil society organisation is important in order to realise lasting and locally-led social change, and to build partnerships that are effective and based on trust.
Partos ‘shifting the power’
For multiple years Partos has been a driver of change within the ‘shift the power’ movement pushing for more equal power relationships within development cooperation. Below you can find an interesting collection of projects and initiatives that Partos has led or supported:
- The Power Awareness tool assists development organisations to make internal power imbalances more visible.
- The Decolonisation of Aid series where international thought-leaders explore the decolonisation debate from different perspectives.
- The Future Brief on Shift the Power guides readers in the vast amount of information out there related to shifting the power.
- The Publication: Joining Forces, Sharing Power, Civil society collaborations for the future.
- The Re-imagining the INGO (RINGO) is a two-year social lab where international thought-leaders develop and launch prototypes to transform INGO institutions and systems in which they function.
In the upcoming years, Partos will scale its efforts to accelerate the shift of power dynamics within international development cooperation. Together with our members and constituency, we aspire to:
- Co-create policy recommendations for Partos members and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign affairs through our Community of Practice Shift the Power and Strategic Partnership Lab.
- Pilot practical solutions for systems change with the RINGO social lab
- Co-create more inclusive narratives and communications approaches for the sector with communication experts
- Develop an Inclusion & diversity benchmark to support Partos members in their journey to become more inclusive & diverse
- And continue to improve the ‘Power Awareness tool’, create knowledge products like the Future Brief and organise dialogues and debates like the Decolonisation of Aid series.
Transparency note
This partnership is financially supported by the Civil Society Strengthening Program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the strengthening of southern ownership is a shared ambition.