Thread by @sssingh21

1. Last week I was invited to address a NGO platform in a European country to speak and challenge them on #localisation agenda.

#localisation is a term referred to strengthen local NGOs who are often first responders to disasters.

2. The term became a buzzword after the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, when it was realised that less than 0.3% funding was reaching to local/national actors. Hence a commitment was made to pass on at least 25% to them by 2020. #localisation

3. Anyways, while addressing them I asked, I am seeing 15 organisations part of this NGO platform. What if I was addressing platform of any other European country, or North America, or Japan. Would I see different NGOs there or same?

4. Leave that aside, what would I see if I attend a NGO network meeting in India. Would I find the same set of NGOs or different?

The answer is, by and large, I would find the same organisations in different countries including India.

5. Therefore, with this tendency of expansion and globalisation, it is a huge paradox to also talk about #localisation. In India, situation is much worse. Go to any state level, and you will find the same set of INGOs dominating there also.

6. The reality is, most of the INGOs have made their reason of existence secondary. Mobilising more funding has become a priority. This is why, they keep setting country and state offices wherever they find opportunity to raise funds. #localisation

7. And this is happening at the cost of local NGOs. Our Indian NGOs are being marginalised even within the country as everywhere we see expansion of INGOs and faith based NGOs.

And this is the new phase of #colonisation - colonisation of aid.

8. Many people feel happy that the new #FCRA rules will eliminate foreign NGOs. They obviously don't know how these INGOs operate. They have already devised the methods to survive and further marginalise Indian NGOs. Let me explain. #localisation

9. First understand how these country based INGOs function. They have the capacity to raise funds - from foreign sources, from Indian corporate houses and people. They have expensive fundraising desk to do that. Then they partner with local NGOs to do ground work.

10. New #FCRA rules prohibit transfer of foreign funding to another organisation. So, would these INGOs close down operation? Obviously no. They have adopted two mechanisms to survive and further marginalise Indian homegrown NGOs.

11. Firstly, they have started acquiring local NGOs by asking their existing board members to resign, to be replaced by their own people. Now the foreign funding will directly go to such local NGOs, which are now surrogates of the INGOs. #localisation

12. Secondly, they are taking staff of local NGOs on their payroll and entering into non-financial partnership with these NGOs.

The business continues as usual. #Colonisation of aid gets further strengthened.