Imagine having to forecast your every action, expenditure, and movement for two weeks, write it down, and then share it with someone else to get their approval for you to get any work done.
Or picture this – the communities you work with daily think you work for a different organisation because that organization’s logo is plastered on all your vehicles, uniforms, and publications.
I hear about these relationships and dynamics from friends working in local conservation organisations – people who are working closely with international NGOs (INGOs).
Ironically, these same local organizations are making a major impact on people, wildlife, and the climate. In the global arena, the unprecedented recognition of the critical role of Indigenous Peoples and other local communities (IPLCs) in delivering on the long-term stewardship of ecosystems is leading to a growing array of global and regional climate and conservation policy statements.
This includes discussions taking place this week during the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, in the lead-up to the New York Climate Week, and then COP28. These IPLC-led organizations are clearly the engine for impact, yet instead of propping them up and providing good funding and complementary support that could lead to an even more significant impact, INGOs often make their jobs much harder.