Decolonising humanitarian action: Shifting power, voices, and resources - VOICE key highlights
Colonial legacies continue to shape the global humanitarian sector, with power and decision-making still largely concentrated in the Global North. In an effort to challenge these structures and foster a truly equitable humanitarian system, VOICE organised the event Decolonising Humanitarian Action: Shifting Power, Voices, and Resources on 28 November 2024 in Brussels.
Panellists stressed that decolonising humanitarian aid is not about superficial adjustments but about fundamentally reshaping the system. Tammam Aloudat (The New Humanitarian) highlighted that the humanitarian system is deeply rooted in colonial power dynamics, perpetuating hierarchies and prioritising certain lives over others. Abimbola Ogundairo (Africa No Filter) discussed the powerful role of narratives in perpetuating harmful stereotypes, which limit agency and investment opportunities for entire regions. Marie-Rose Romain Murphy (The Haiti Community) and Michael Vincent Mercado (Center for Disaster Preparedness) spoke about how the humanitarian system is often dominated by external actors, marginalising the voices and needs of affected communities. They called for deeper community leadership, solidarity-based funding models, and the dismantling of internalised oppression within affected societies. Meanwhile, Alessandra De Guio (Mercy Corps) emphasised the need for INGOs to undergo internal cultural shifts, prioritising humility, equitable partnerships, and language reform.
The discussions underscored that decolonising humanitarian action demands more than rhetoric: it requires sustained, systemic change.
