Internationalising ActionAid

1
Internationalising ActionAid
2
ActionAid InternationalOur Vision and Mission

• Vision
• A world without poverty in which every person
  enjoys their right to a life of dignity.
• Mission
• To work with poor and excluded people
• to eradicate poverty and injustice

3
ActionAid International Countries where we work
Countries where we work Africa 25 Asia
11 Americas 5 Europe 7 Burundi, Burkina Faso,
Congo, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea
Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia,
Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Somaliland, South Africa,
Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India,
Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand,
Vietnam, Sri Lanka. Brazil, Dominican Republic,
Guatemala, Haiti, United States. Belgium, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
People we work with Poor and excluded rights
holders women, children, PLHA, bonded labour,
sex workers, people with disability, farmers,
migrant workers, slum dwellers, landless people,
ethnic minorities, tribal people, internally
displaced people ..etc and their groups,
organisations and movements.
4
What is Internationalisation?

Transformation of country branches into national
organisations with governance, identity,
accountability and legitimacy
Founding ActionAid International as a federal
network, umbrella and platform of national
ActionAids
International Governance International
Secretariat International values, vision,
mission Core policies, positions, strategy,
systems
Democratic governance Equitable space to
influence the direction and strategy
Greater profile, programme and influence at the
national international level
Deeper accountability and legitimacy
Bigger and better sustainable changes at local,
national, regional and international
5
Why Internationalisation?

• External driver
• Our legitimacy was being challenged
• Our western and or UK identity restrictive
• Weak international identity, profile, agenda or
  impact
• Funds and space for purely northern NGOs
  shrinking
• Space for national fundraising in the south
  non-existent
• Limited ability to grow on our own to connect
  with and influence in more countries
  (particularly (G)
• Other organisation wanting to join ActionAid

6
Why Internationalisation?

• Internal driver
• Commitment to deepen accountability with the
  people and in the countries where we work
• Need to work on critical, difficult and sensitive
  issues
• Need to avoid splitting southern CPs to various
  northern funding countries
• Need to greater equity and democratisation of
  governance and decision making of the
  organisation
• Greater ambition of growth, coverage, influence
  and impact including at the international level

7
ActionAid International Organisational Design
VISION
VALUES
MISSION
Founding Affiliates ActionAid Azione
Aiuto ActionAid Ireland ActionAid
Hellas ActionAid Brazil ActionAid
USA Associates ActionAid Kenya ActionAid
Ghana ActionAid Uganda ActionAid India ActionAid
Nigeria ActionAid Malawi ActionAid Gtmala
Full New Affiliates
I N T E R N A T I O N A L S T R A T E G Y
B R A N D I D E N T I T Y
Associates New Organisation Existing
Organisation Existing Country Programme
International Board Representative
Trustees Independent Individual Trustees
International Secretariat Chief
Executive International Directors International
Staff Team
Directors Forum
Country Programmes
STATUTE STANDARDS
POLICIES
POSITIONS
8
Some key guiding principles

• Equality between funding and spending countries
  in governance
• roles
• Country as the primary strategic unit and the
  respect of the
• national territory
• Recognition of the international space distinct
  (national national,
• national x national, supranational)
• Federal structure with unitary values, vision,
  mission and strategy
• Recognition of the international role and
  authority treasury,
• resource allocations, brand, core strategy,
  positions
• International secretariats exist only because
  national organisations
• exist
• International secretariat should not aim to be
  self-sufficient.
• National organisations should also be able to
  do international
• work through accountable contract with
  International Secretariat
• Importance and mix of independent Board members
  in the
• International Board

9
Issues and challengesExternal

• Legal framework of accountability in the
  fundraising
• countries
• Donors framework of accountability for
  recipient
• organisations
• Apparent resentment from national and
  potentially
• also from the international NGOs
• Acquiring dual identity with clear national
  identity and
• profile

10
Issues and challengesInternal

• Uniform and single branding
• Standards of governance and associated tension
  with
• international organisation
• Tensions between international secretariat and
  powerful
• capable national organisation
• Impact of the culture of the non-ActionAiders
  joining
• the organisation
• The composition and roles tension between the
  larger
• General Assembly and the Governing Board
• Caucusing and block voting practices