Gilberto Morishaw

Evelien van Roemburg, PhD Thank you for your thoughtful response on the recent announcement by the Dutch government to cut the development budget and the associated shift towards increased private co-financing. I wanted to share some reflections on the implications of this decision, especially the new requirement for 50% ‘own income’. There seems to be a fundamental misconception here: the government classifies private money from individual donors or foundations as 'own income' for INGOs, yet this isn’t accurate. These funds are often restricted by the specific objectives of private funders, not truly unrestricted or 'own income' in the sense of organisational independence. The term 'own income' implies unrestricted control, but private money usually comes with designated purposes, reducing the flexibility CSOs need to deliver their mission effectively. Furthermore, the expectation that CSOs must co-finance 50% of projects with 'own income' raises a few concerns: 1. Credit Allocation: There’s a risk that despite requiring CSOs to raise half of the funding, the government may publicly take full credit for supporting the outcomes, which can misrepresent the actual shared financial commitment. 2. Restricted Funding: By setting such a high co-financing requirement, the government risks turning what could have been flexible, unrestricted funding into project-specific, restricted funding. This move can severely constrain CSOs' capacities to undertake advocacy and campaign work that are vital to holding power to account and achieving sustemic change in line with their missions. 3. Access and Equity: Few CSOs, particularly those based in the Global South, can readily mobilise 50% co-financing. This effectively excludes smaller or grassroots organisations that lack the networks or capacity to secure significant private funding, creating a subtle but effective barrier to access to funding. As a result, it may be seen as a strategy to reduce government funding to CSOs in a way that indirectly cuts support, especially to those unable to meet these stringent criteria. Suzi Faye Monica Maassen Marta Valdés García Sally Abi Khalil Fati N'zi-Hassane John Samuel Gloria Isabel García-Parra

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If we are serious about the transition towards a nature positive economy, we need more finance for biodiversity! Thats why it's great to see the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development Origination Facility featured by Finance Resources (FIRE) for Biodiversity. The TA and Grant based Origination Facility of the DFCD is a mechanism to de-risk investible projects and make them more attractive to investors. Our worldwide economy is dependent on the services provided by healthy ecosystems, by mobilizing private finance for these critical ecosystems, we pave the way for a nature-positive economy. Bankable Nature Solutions

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UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director of Partnerships, Kitty van der Heijden, launched the report on "Finance for Children in Fragile and Humanitarian Settings", in a side event conducted today, Dec 5th, 2024 during the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in the UN Headquarters. The report is reinforcing UNICEF's Humanitarian Action for Children-2025 (also launched today), which estimates that 213 million children are in need for humanitarian assistance. The "Finance for Children in Fragile and Humanitarian Settings" reiterates that it is more urgent than ever to scale up investments in children living in fragile and humanitarian settings and calls for collaborative efforts between Governments, Private sector, Civil Society, and International Development and Humanitarian Partners to prioritize the rights of children living in complex settings, and to: 1.      Safeguard social spending for children and address the debt crisis facing countries in fragility and conflict. 2.      Raise Sufficient, flexible, and multi-year finance to invest in anticipation, preparedness, and equitable response to address root causes of fragility and conflict. 3.      Leverage and align all sources of finance (public, private, domestic and external) across Humanitarian, Development, and climate programming. 4.      Strengthen Finance Systems that allow for agile and rapid response at national and local level & augment PFM risk management and contingency financing. More details in the link to the report below. #ChildRights #FfD4 Kitty van der Heijden, George Laryea-Adjei, Natalia Winder Rossi, Orria Goñi Delzangles, Ulugbek Olimov, Seda Karaca-Macauley, UNICEF, Valentina Buj, Francesco Saverio Ambrogetti, Juan Santander, Carlos Acosta Bermúdez, Diana Vakarelska, Thomas George, Lina Jalouqa

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Are you an #invsetor with a conscience? Do you want your investment to be a #forceforgood, stewarding us towards a #sustainable future, making #positiveimpact for #people and #planet on behalf of #futuregenerations? I do. Triodos Bank is leading the way in the #sustainability #thrivingeconomy #postgrowth conversation. They recommend you ask your #financecompany to: 1. Not invest passively in an index. The index represents the business-as-usual pathway. 2. Only invest in the real economy. 3. Only invest in value creation that helps society thrive 4. Be in there for the long term 5. Invest in impact first, then risk and financial returns. Because, as they say "businesses in general simply cannot pursue only financial profit as an end in a sustainable economy. Financial actors must see themselves as stewards of the future, making conscious investments in the transitions that we and future generations need. Positive impact for people and planet, should come before risk and return... This transformation is a long-term process. Only when the financial sector looks beyond shortterm gains and focuses on the long term, can it successfully contribute and become part of a postgrowth economy... Post-growth offers investing opportunities with financial returns for investors. But only if [we] dare to choose." For more: https://lnkd.in/gG99vxbE Forsyth Barr Limited Kiwibank Pathfinder Asset Management Limited

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The Second of October I will be talking in this Webinar, about how to end violent conservation in the DRC. The intense militarization of conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is violating people's rights, and actually contributes to process of armed mobilization. We need to think about how to demilitarise conservation. Some argue that this is "naive" especially in the conflict-ridden east of the DRC, and think militarisation is the only option. Based on extensive research in the area, I argue that this is not the case - and that alternative forms of conservation are possible, better for people, and biodiversity. Development donors financing militarised conservation, play an important role here, and also need to be held to account. Join us in the discussion on the second of October! See details below

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Here's a great op-ed by my colleague Anita van Breda explaining why natural occurrences become "disasters", and how making nature a core part of recovery strategies can make communities stronger and more resilient. https://lnkd.in/eTcSeht3

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We need radical collaboration to tackle the climate 🌍 and biodiversity 🦋 crises - collaboration between grassroots organizations, collectives, families, and academia is essential. Yesterday, Tannya Pico, co-founder of PACHA AYLLU - Familias por el Futuro Ecuador, met at Erasmus University Rotterdam, with Professor Paul Rabe, Master's student Nicole Ponce from the IHS (Institute of Housing and Urban Development), and maribel pasquel, representative of the Colectivo Rescate del Río San Pedro, to encourage the collective to join the global River Cities Network. This network aims to share knowledge and find solutions to the challenges faced by urban rivers 🌊. Rivers are the lifeblood of ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, agriculture, industries, and communities. However, they are facing severe threats due to pollution, over-extraction, and climate change. The degradation of rivers is an often-overlooked crisis that directly impacts both natural environments and human well-being 💧. The path forward is not in isolated efforts, but in building strong, collaborative networks committed to restoring and preserving our rivers. By investing in the health of these vital ecosystems today, we are not only safeguarding resources for future generations but also ensuring clean water, abundant wildlife, and resilient communities for the children of today 👧👦. Let’s come together and commit to the long-term health of our rivers. The future of our planet—and our children—depends on it 🌱. #CleanRivers #Collaboration #Networks

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🌍🌱 Driving Resilience: Dutch Companies Tackling Climate Change Adaptation 🌱🌍 The climate crisis is at the forefront of many Dutch companies' agendas, as they actively work to reduce emissions. Yet, for many, adapting to climate change remains "uncharted territory," even though it plays a critical role in ensuring future business resilience. The new report by the Netherlands Red Cross, titled "Adapting to the Consequences of Climate Change: Touchpoints, Practical Tools, and Recommendations for Your Company," underscores this challenge. It provides invaluable insights and practical tools to help companies navigate this essential aspect of sustainability. A key takeaway? Embracing climate adaptation not only strengthens our businesses but also offers a pathway to support resilience efforts in the Global South. Let's lead the way in climate action and adaptation! 🌍💪 #ClimateAction #Sustainability #BusinessResilience #GlobalImpact #NetherlandsRedCross #ClimateAdaptation

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The Dutch people have spoken and this is the context in which the Netherlands Africa Strategy 2023-2032 will have to be implemented for the next few years. Check out the analysis of a leading Dutch development scholar on the perspective for Dutch development cooperation. But how do African thinkers see this? What does Africa expect from NL? How can we connect Dutch needs and interests with those of the people(s) of Africa? How can we (with more limited means) build a shared future?

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💡 🌱 Very proud of the work we did on this report. It comes at a time when worldwide biodiversity loss has escalated significantly, with 32% of terrestrial land experiencing land use change, primarily driven by deforestation. Malawi and Zambia, heavily reliant on forestry, fisheries, and wildlife sectors, face increased deforestation due to urban and agricultural expansion, mining, and unsustainable practices. Within this context, it is crucial to pin down and divulge biodiversity-positive enterprises. 📢 Come take a look at some of Lina's and my findings:

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With the pilot scheme for reading promotion, the Dutch Foundation for Literature (Nederlands Letterenfonds) stimulates and supports projects in the field of reading promotion, which, due to their innovative nature, complement the existing range of activities. Organisations may apply for grants for a wide range of activities: from reading clubs to digital projects and from creative writing or performance workshops to activities aimed at intermediaries. Or even projects that we have not thought about yet, so don't be afraid to surprise us in your application. For whom Organisations that produce or are involved in reading-promoting or literature-educational activities. For what Non-commercial projects that focus on reading promotion. Deadline 1 November 2024 (may be submitted continuously from 23 July). This scheme applies to institutions in both the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and applies to the languages Dutch, Frisian, Papiamento, Papiamentu and Dutch Sign Language. Applicants based in Aruba, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba may also submit for projects in English. Information in Papiamentu: https://lnkd.in/dnRY8wbB Information in Papiamento: https://lnkd.in/dZ7Z2xsA

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𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗥𝗛𝗥 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵-𝗟𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 The recent news about the Dutch government’s decision to reduce the development budget 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 €1 𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 and 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙡 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙉𝙂𝙊𝙨 has raised serious concerns in the international development sector. As someone working in meaningful youth participation and #SRHR, I see significant challenges that this decision poses to many of the critical programs that have been making a difference globally. The requirement for 𝗡𝗚𝗢𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝟱𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 will be a significant bottleneck for many organisations, especially those that operate at a grassroots level or focus on marginalised populations. It risks creating an environment where only large, well-established organisations survive while smaller, community-driven initiatives struggle to sustain their impact. Reducing funding diversity could mean losing tailored, localised approaches key to effective SRHR and youth-led programs. Additionally, narrowing the funding to specific areas where the Netherlands has established expertise, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. Many issues, like gender equality, education, and comprehensive SRHR services, require a holistic approach—𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀. Without sufficient funding, the flexibility to respond to urgent and emerging needs in the field is greatly diminished. I worry that these changes will reduce NGOs’ capacity to innovate, build local ownership, and sustain long-term impact. For those of us in meaningful youth participation and the SRHR field, this means fewer opportunities to advocate for and with young people, particularly in regions where Dutch NGOs have been pivotal. Moving forward, 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. We must work together to ensure that the voices of young people, women, and marginalised communities are not left behind in this changing landscape. I’d love to hear thoughts from others in the development and SRHR sectors: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆–𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲? Full news: https://lnkd.in/eKSJGqR6 #BudgetCuts #CivilSociety #ODA #Dutch #MoFA #YouthPartnership

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EU commissioner Wopke Hoekstra: On the UN text to strengthen climate mitigation “If you look at the part on mitigation, it basically did not do what we promised ourselves. We cannot accept that the previous COP did not happen. What we have on our agenda is a restatement ,but what we need is to actually enhance that, and operationalise that and this text is actually going in the opposite direction. so that is not acceptable.” The #mitigation dialogue had been hamstrung by oil-rich countries led bu Saudi Arabia, that vehemently opposed including language on phasing out fossil fuels. Big coal users including India and China have also hampered progress towards a stronger commitment on phasing out fossil fuels. #wecontinuetoburn

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This article by Saskia Brechenmacher is not to be missed, especially the part about building sectoral solidarity. It’s one thing to say this is needed, it’s another to actually prioritize and fund the connective tissue and mediating work this requires. The Horizons Project mission in a nutshell. “Reinforcing this form of sectoral solidarity should be an important priority. Like in many countries, the nonprofit sector in the United States is fragmented and diverse. Organizations are divided by issue area, and advocacy groups often are disconnected from those focused on charity work and service provision. Divisive issues such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza have created fissures. Moreover, even among advocacy organizations, few currently have the bandwidth to focus on the legal and political environment for civil society in addition to their core areas of work, be that elections, workers’ rights, criminal justice reform, or other topics. In the coming months, funders can support greater coordination and knowledge-sharing by resourcing cross-issue working groups, convenings, and resource platforms focused on threats to civic space in the United States. Existing civil society networks and infrastructure organizations like InterAction, Independent Sector, and the Council on Foundations can play an important role in these coalition-building efforts and help connect groups with experts that can provide guidance and advice (or with activists and organizations that have navigated closing civic space in other countries). Importantly, such efforts should bring in civil society stakeholders beyond the narrow circle of prodemocracy and civil rights actors, including professional and business associations, labor unions, media outlets, community foundations, and religious organizations. Key goals should be to raise greater awareness of current and potential future threats and to foster a shared understanding that these challenges imperil civil society and civic freedoms, not just left-leaning and progressive organizations and activists.” 🔗 in the comments

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I concur! Gender mainstreaming doest start during implementation. Planning, formulation, evaluation...at every stage, a gender lens must be applied.

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Recent developments such as the planned closure of the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund and drastic cuts in Dutch funding for NGOs has created a sense of alarm among human rights organizations worldwide. There is another, broader threat to our organizations, and the NGO sector generally: philanthropic giving is increasingly the province of a shrinking number of wealthy donors, but as climate change worsens, it will pose a stark psychological challenge to maintaining this level of generosity. I wrote something out today on the dual threat of inequality and climate change for the nonprofit sector: https://lnkd.in/d4smV5xM

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Must read for those who want to understand current developments in the Netherlands on development cooperation, and its impact on human rights. "Women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and human rights are under threat worldwide. In a world where conservative forces are – often successfully – countering the progress that feminists have made, with less and less funding and means, it is important to shed light on those working at the forefront of feminist movements, striving for an equal and just world for all. In this interview, Lilith Magazine talks to feminist and former diplomat To Tjoelker and Mama Cash co-executive director Saranel Benjamin about why feminist funding is so important. Finally, they speak to each other for the first time and discuss better and more feminist ways of funding."

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