The announcement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) that he has cancelled the two funds available to New Zealand-based international development non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is a tragedy, according to Rae Julian, National President of UNIFEM NZ .

The funds, KOHA-PICD (Partners in Community Development) and HAF (Humanitarian Assistance Fund) were used as a model internationally. They were an excellent example of the Government working in partnership with civil society organisations. They were scrupulously monitored, NGOs had to be approved for accreditation and the performance of the NGOs was reviewed both in New Zealand and in the field. A recent review of the KOHA scheme by an independent consultant gave it a positive report.

It will take the former NZAID – now the International Development Group of MFAT - some time to design the new funds. What will happen to the partners in developing countries in the meantime? Some have had multi-year funding and will have been supported for a wide range of activities.

The NZ NGO partner programmes include income generation leading to sustainable economic development, the Minister’s key target area. The reality of work with people at the grassroots, however, is that it is often necessary to focus on social and environmental development in order to progress to economic development.

If children do not get to school, if families have major health or disability concerns, if the women are regularly beaten by their husbands, if communities are divided into violent factions, if minority groups have no rights, then economic development is not their immediate priority.

The humanitarian help through HAF is equally urgent. This goes to people in crisis, often in life-threatening situations, such as the recent tsunami in Samoa. Yet HAF is also awaiting a redesign.

Both funds were managed by a committee of elected NGO representatives with an independent Chair and an NZAID representative. The grants were finally approved by NZAID. It is very sad that the Minister does not value the dedication and objectivity of the NGO committee members.

The administration of the scheme was contracted to the Council for International Development, (CID) the umbrella body for over 90 international development NGOs. CID has also suffered from the Minister’s axe, with a loss of at least 6 positions.

Our challenge is to prove to the Minister that NGOs can deliver sustainable development that empowers people in developing countries to control their own destinies, concluded Rae Julian

Contact
raejulian@paradise.net.nz
Ph: (04) 934 3447 or 021 708 288