July 2020 News HEADLINESAlliance members call for merged DFID and Foreign Office to make four key pledges to the world’s poorestThe Alliance has published a briefing that sets out 4 key commitments that are necessary in order for the UK Government’s new Foreign and Development Office to maintain its leading role in meeting the pledge to ‘leave no one behind’. The call comes following the widely opposed merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The Alliance is sending an open letter to the Prime Minister asking that his Government ensure that these commitments are made. Please sign on to this letter by adding your name to this Google Doc before 9am on Monday 13th July. Let’s do more than stand in solidarityThe heightened attention to institutional and systemic racism across the world following the tragic murder of George Floyd at the hands of police in the USA, must challenge us in the international development and humanitarian sector to examine our own practices, organisations and structures. We are now looking at ways of enabling our own staff and the wider Alliance membership to identify the presence of racism in our sector and the means of addressing it. In the coming weeks, we will be convening our members to discuss how best we can support the objectives of the movement and change our approach to international development in Scotland. Help shape our 2021 Scottish Election Policy PrioritiesThroughout spring, members of the Alliance Policy Committee have been working collaboratively on the Alliance's key policy priorities for next year's Scottish Election. It may seem far away, but now is the time to develop our shared vision for how the next Scottish Government can build on its positive international development contribution. All Alliance members are now invited to feedback on the draft document using this simple form. FOCUS ON CLIMATEGCU Centre for Climate Justice 2020 announce their public engagement calendarThe Centre for Climate Justice at Glasgow Caledonian University are delighted to announce their 2020 Public Engagement Programme, the focus of which is to foster deep and challenging conversations on the injustices of climate change around the world. OPINIONTaking time to share learning as an organisationLink Community Development International introduced its innovative School Performance Review work to Rwanda for the first time in 2018. Chris Martin, Knowledge and Impact Manager at Link, tells us how they got round the challenges of COVID-19 to effectively share learning from this project when normal evaluation techniques weren't possible. Time to change international development?In the context of Black Lives Matter, decolonisation movements and the threat to international aid in the recent DFID / FCO merger, is now the time for “development” to change? Alliance Policy Committee member, Ben Wilson, drawing on his recent research and practical experience, offers his reflections. Want to write a blog for us? Find out more. IN OTHER NEWSRenalda Kimaro of CARE Tanzania responds to PM speech on UK Aid spendOur story map: What can Scotland learn about policy coherence from other places?UNA Scotland's new guide for bringing the SDGs homeODI on why the COVID-19 recovery must be greenGlobal poverty: coronavirus could drive it up for the first time since the 1990sConcord on who is championing the least developed countries in the EUUPCOMING EVENTSDigital Summit: Global Development beyond Covid-1924 September Open to all, this interactive online event will bring together Scotland’s diverse international development and humanitarian sector to consider how we can work collaboratively to progress beyond Covid-19. Attendees can look forward to an engaging day of inspiring and informative presentations and interactive sessions on a range of relevant topics. Members' Meeting with Scottish Government Officials28 July As part of the ongoing series of meetings, this digital round-table will give attendees the chance to raise issues directly with Scottish Government International Development Team. Digital Round table with the Slave-Free Alliance30 July Join us for a digital round table to discuss how to identify and tackle modern slavery. We will hear from the Slave-Free Alliance about the issue and how it relates to COVID-19. GET INVOLVEDThe Alliance CommunityOver 100 different member organisations and more than 200 individuals are signed up to the Alliance Community our online forum. Here is a summary of this month’s activity, have you joined the conversation yet? Registered Scottish Charity No. SC035314 |