CID Weekly: World Humanitarian Day and save the dates

+ Urgent call for YOUR Expressions of Interest

We are urgently calling for more New Zealand members to host a virtual session during the first ever regional conference, in partnership with ACFID and PIANGO.

Join our Australian and Pacific colleagues to share your ideas, experiences and expertise to help achieve the SDGs in a COVID world, at the first ever regional conference.

The deadline has been extended so more New Zealand members can join Australia and the Pacific, and put forward expressions of interest.
 

*Urgent Call for Expressions of Interest - deadline now extended to 21 August*

You could do this on your own, in partnership with other CID members, or with ACFID and Pacific partners. 

To learn more please read the Concurrent Session Information Pack and download the EOI form to apply.

CID is co-hosting its annual conference as an Oceanic regional effort in partnership with ACFID in Australia and PIANGO in the Pacific - Oceania Connect: Our Region, Our Development. 

The 2020 Oceanic Conference will be held on-line from 27-30 October and has now been officially launched.

+ Tomorrow is World Humanitarian Day

World Humanitarian Day (19th August) marks the eleventh year that this day has been set aside to honour the work of humanitarians across the world. 

The theme this year is #reallifeheroes. This is an opportunity to commemorate all who have committed their lives to helping others in the most extreme circumstances throughout the world. The campaign this year focuses on what drives humanitarians to continue to save and protect lives despite conflict, insecurity, lack of access and risks linked to COVID-19.

CID will launch the new 'Global Giving Day', to mark World Humanitarian Day - as a day of action for the New Zealand public to give to forgotten crisis and existing appeals. 

Tomorrow will be a way of marking the important role that New Zealand's 'team of five million' plays in supporting the the important work of humanitarian New Zealanders working in aid agencies.

We hope to build on this collective day of action next year.

The press release will link to a CID webpage highlighting a number of member appeals for both COVID and the Beirut Explosion. (This will go live tomorrow morning)

+ Save the Date: CID Annual Dinner and AGM - 5 Nov

CID's Annual General Meeting (AGM) is planned for 5 November 2020. 

Please save the date!

CID's AGM and dinner event will take place on 5 November - the week following CID's annual conference (this year held in partnership with ACFID in Australia and PIANGO in the Pacific).

The day and evening will comprise of the AGM, a keynote speaker, an event focusing on the results of the 2019/2020 Membership Survey, and a dinner with the annual photo and collaboration awards. 

Save the date! 

+ Save the Date: Health of the Sector Panel Event - 24 Sept 

There will be an early evening panel event (around 5pm)  to discuss the results of CID's Health of the Sector Study on 24 September. 

This event will reveal the health of the sector post COVID-19 and recommendations to weather the storm. 

Save this date too! 

+ Save the Date: Strategy Consultation - 1 and 3 Sept

CID's Revised Strategy 2020-23 is in development with the CID Board

We are planning to hold two 1 hour zoom sessions for members, one on 1 September and one on 3 September (with another planned later in September), and an extra session with CEOs.

The  sessions will be facilitated as an on-line 'focus group' and the purpose is to collate further input and feedback to assist in the development of CID's revised strategy for 2020-2023. Further details and invites to be issued shortly.

Save the dates! 

+ 'More transparency and better communication' - Select Committee

A Select Committee inquiry into the Government's flagship Pacific aid policy last year has released its findings (many CID members submitted to the Select Committee at the time).

The final report backs up the importance of New Zealand's development work in the region, and the Pacific Reset, but as Laura Walters in Stuff reports, the committee is calling for increased transparency, more policy coherence, and better public communication.

The committee made 15 recommendations, including a call to improve the transparency of the aid programme and better communicate its challenges and successes with the public.

"One submitter to the inquiry recommended MFAT shared its country strategies, four-year plans and the inclusion action plan with the public.

"The committee said transparency was raised as an important part of ensuring cohesion of priorities between MFAT and the NGOs it funded to deliver programmes."

Also the need for the ministry to broaden public understanding and support (often referred to as ‘social licence’) for how and why it worked in and with the Pacific was a recurring theme during the inquiry, the report said.

“Submitters recognise that publicly highlighting the deep link between New Zealand’s prosperity, security, and identity and the Pacific Islands region is critical to build a social licence.”

+ Pacific Humanitarian Pathway finally lands

In April the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders evoked the Biketawa Declaration - a 2000 agreement on potential coordination frameworks to be used during a regional crisis such as the COVID pandemic response. Pacific Forum Foreign Ministers established a Pacific Humanitarian Pathway as a priority. The key was to make sure supply-chain for medical good and essentials remained while traditional or commercial routes were no longer available to bring humanitarian good into the Pacific. 

A flight carrying protective masks, ventilators and other essential medical supplies for COVID-19 response, landed in Papua New Guinea on Thursday, 6th August (finally) marking the start of a humanitarian air service for the Pacific region. The supplies were transported on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, the region’s premier political and economic policy organisation.

“The humanitarian air service flights are a welcome demonstration that the Pacific Humanitarian Pathway on COVID-19 is doing what leaders intended - protecting citizens and supporting health systems”, says Dame Meg Taylor, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General.

+ Is storytelling in development unethical?

Listen to this BOND podcast of how to gather and deliver content more respectfully and ethically when telling your development stories.

"NGOs rely on the images and stories of the people they work with to communicate the importance and impact of their life-changing work....

"But many of the stories NGOs share perpetuate stereotypes about the developing world and portray these people as disempowered."

Bond's Michal Blaszczyk talks to Ernest Randriarimalala, communications specialist at WaterAid Madagascar, Rachel Erskine, communications manager at Amref Health Africa UK, and Jess Crombie, senior lecturer at University of the Arts London.

Here are BOND's ethical guidelines on the collection and use of content.
 

+ The social stigma and misinformation of Covid-19 

With Covid-19 spreading to every corner of the globe, there has been a rise in social stigma associated with the virus. In some vulnerable communities, those affected have admitted to hiding symptoms instead of seeking healthcare, which puts the rest of the community at risk.

A Devex investigation in Somaliland found evidence of this, with a family developing symptoms of Covid-19 and the community treating them as outcasts, claiming that it was a 'divine punishment'. In turn, this prevented the family from making a living because they couldn't participate in the community.

“This sickness destroyed my income. I’m worried about how I will support my children,” said the mother. “COVID is a problem here, it exists everywhere in Somaliland and Somalia, but people don’t want to admit that it’s here. Because of that stigma, people don’t want to say that they have COVID, they are instead saying that they have the flu, or something else.”

In an effort to counter this, the WHO and UNICEF produced a report preventing and addressing social stigma associated with Covid-19.

+ Virtual Concert unites Pacific with the world

The United Nations' Pacific Unite: Saving Lives Together televised and streamed concert held last week featured heads of State, international celebrities and artists in the inaugural regional COVID-19 concert.

The theme of the concert was to call of regional leaders and citizens 'to unite in the global fight against COVID-19', and was accessible to audiences in the Pacific and beyond.

The two hour show featured video messages from Prince Charles, Forest Whitaker, and our very own Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, all expressing messages of solidarity and unity.

This first of its kind virtual Covid concert can be watched here.

+ Watch: how best to support people in fragile states

How can the aid and development sectors better serve and support some of the world's most vulnerable populations in fragile settings? Jonathan Papoulidis, executive adviser on fragile states at World Vision, explains.

Watch the video here (you may have to sign up with Devex, but its free).

+ COVID in Afghanistan - 'horrendous'

The COVID situation in Afghanistan is looking horrendous with nearly 10 million infections and a health sector under serious strain. With high levels of poverty and no welfare system to support them, most Afghans can’t afford to follow the kinds practices that have been effective in containing the virus in other countries, writes NZIIA in their recent newsletter.

The article quotes Andrew Quilty from the Lowy Institute.