Aid agency actions on racial injustice inadequate, aid workers say

Several aid agencies have reported taking action to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion since last year’s renewed push for racial justice, but aid workers say they haven’t felt the effects, according to two questionnaires circulated by The New Humanitarian. 

The questionnaires assessed changes made within aid agencies since the Black Lives Matter movement re-emerged in 2020, driving a debate about decolonisation within the aid sector. They included questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the staff of aid agencies, but also asked about the broader localisation agenda.  

The nine international NGOs whose management responded said they had introduced new policies, provided training, reviewed salary scales, and/or made DEI central to their strategies.