Your Starter Kit for Getting Involved in US Foreign Aid Reform

We've covered here a few of the nuanced challenges of US foreign aid reform and hinted at how the legislation will likely unfold over the next weeks and months. It's time to follow through for the sake of millions of people who can benefit. Be forewarned, you might need a poncho and goggles, if not a strong coffee, to get through the gory details.

What is being considered for change in Washington?

Broadly, most participants foresee aid getting a higher profile, public health having a higher priority, and systems getting streamlined in the coming year. But specific debates focus on Bush-era changes like the "militarization" of aid (see Una's and my previous posts here), the increased "colonialisms" in policies about how local organizations and staff are permitted to participate in aid to their countries (post coming), and priority-setting among topics which are all vital: peacebuilding and conflict mitigation, democratization, civil society, public health, education, emergency preparedness (post coming), and on and on...

How is the legislation evolving?

President Obama requested a government-wide review of aid to be ready in the coming weeks. Secretary Clinton expects a review on State to be completed around the same time. Both houses of the US Congress have expressed their willingness to reform how the US engages with the world. And the US Agency for International Development looks like it wil have a new leader with a a modern view on the use of aid in Rajiv Shah.  But the time is upon us to begin writing petitions with recommendations, so let's get started bringing the voice of Change.org to Washington, DC.

The first, most important thing to understand about how US foreign aid reform will evolve in Washington, DC, is to get to know the spheres in which US-based nonprofit humanitarian and development organizations debate issues and act collectively. This is not only a good place to start in terms of direct engagement with policy-makers, it is also the rally point for many diverse actors to agree on the first broad themes...before then splitting into cliques to debate the details and nuances.

Who speaks for the global beneficiaries and non-governmental practitioners of US aid in Washington?

Interaction, along with it's partner the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN), represents many non-governmental aid agencies and has an office about a mile north of the White House. Every week they hold topical meetings with aid agencies including all-stars like the International Rescue Committee, CARE, Oxfam, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, and many others.

People arrive with very diverse opinions on, say, what to do about collective efforts toward preventing a cholera outbreak, rebuilding houses damaged in an earthquake, or civilian security in a fighting area. Together they find common ground then arrange meetings for some of their members to discuss issues with people in the US government. So these efforts are THE non-governmental voice on aid.

What are my options for getting involved in the reform movement?

1. SUPPORT AN AID OR RIGHTS AGENCY DIRECTLY. Your best bet for helping in aid reform is to rally your group around a particular aid agency from the Interaction participant list doing the kind of work that you agree with. Have your group write a letter of support to them or contact and ask if they need volunteers on advocacy. You could also do the same for a leading human rights advocacy group like Human Rights First, Refugees international, Human Rights Watch, or Amnesty International. Each will likely weigh in separately from the humanitarian and development practitioners.

2. RALLY BEHIND EXISTING ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO ADDRESS POLICY-MAKERS. Aid agencies, listening to their donor-base, act collectively with Interaction to set up face-to-face meetings with state and congressional leaders (or their staffers) regularly. Look on their websites to find out what they're currently doing. Sometimes they'll have a petition or call for opinions right there. If you haven't already above, take a look at the MFAN's collective nongovernmental aid agency effort here. You'll notice that the larger the number of participants, the more broad and vague the recommendations are. Right now, if you have time, I'd recommend taking a look at this and then signing their petition here.

3. RALLY YOUR OWN EFFORT TO ADDRESS POLICY-MAKERS. If you're an ardent advocate for pressuring the Myanmar government to allow aid into the Chin minority region after the cyclone, for example, a more specific way to devote your energy would be to directly write those state and congressional leaders on foreign affairs committees who look at issues in Asia. Over the next weeks, if you care about these issues then follow-up with a more specific petition along with your colleagues or a favorite aid agency addressing the issues which are more controversial.

4. JOIN CHANGE. While we at Change.org encourage you to follow the steps above to act on getting aid set as a priority in broad terms, we're considering with your participation which specific recommendations to make. Please write below what you think is a top priority for US foreign assistance reform. Una, Michael, and I will be discussing it and hopefully will present a unified petition with recommendations for you to consider signing very soon.

Currently, I'm leaning strongly toward recommending that a) humanitarian aid impartiality be restored, b) that the US military operate separately from aid in places where the US is a belligerent, c) reducing "colonialisms" in terms of giving local people more say and power over the use of aid in their own communities, and d) prioritizing mother and child health, emergency preparedness, and conflict mitigation (i.e. "preventive peace") higher than they have been.

Peace.

[Photo: DfID, World Food Day, Somalia]