The Weekly

CEO Top of Mind

Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?

ACFID is working with members preparing to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and liaising closely with DFAT and the Ministers.

ACFID is working with several peak bodies on how to better support our charity members on preparing for cybersecurity risks.
If you would like to dicuss either of these important issues, please don’t hesitate to contact me: [email protected]

To Attend

ACFID Connect: Climate COPs 101 (ACFID member-only event)

Learn about the basics of the international climate negotiations that happen at the annual Climate COP (Conference of the Parties), and how NGOs can engage.

What happens at a COP? Who is there? What does it mean for climate action? How do NGOs engage?

Join a range of ACFID members who will share their experience participating in previous COPs and break down what can seem like a complicated mechanism.

When: Monday 13th November 1:30-2:30pm (online)

Register here.

To Action

Registration for Locally Led Action Community of Practice

ACFID is activating a Locally Led Action Community of Practice in the MyACFID Communities Platform. We welcome any interested staff of ACFID members to join this CoP.

For the first 6 months, the focus will be on

• Providing input and feedback on DFAT’s Locally Led Guidance and related resources
• Engaging with piloting aspects of a Locally Led Action Toolkit that ACFID is developing
• Providing input to ACFID’s positioning on DFAT’s proposed Civil Society Fund
• Supporting the collation of case studies and examples of good practice from ACFID members and their partners.

If you are not sure of how to register for this CoP in MyACFID contact [email protected]

For more information about the Locally Led Action CoP contact [email protected] or [email protected]

To Action

Webinar – Shifting power: championing rights at the intersection of gender equality and disability equity

In the lead up to International Day of People with Disabilities, the Australian Disability Development Consortium (ADDC), CBM Australia and Disability Rights Fund invite you to join a conversation on engaging and partnering with women and people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) with disabilities in development and human rights initiatives.
 
Please register here to attend the webinar on Tuesday 21 November 10:30am – 11:30 am AEDT.
Auslan sign interpretation and live captioning will be provided.

To Action

Deadline extended: Join the call for DFAT’s forthcoming Disability Equity and Rights strategy to be ambitious and accountable

The Australian Disability Development Consortium and ACFID would like to invite your organisation to join a Joint Call for action for the Australian Government’s forthcoming disability equity and rights strategy to be ambitious and resourced. The joint statement includes a call for targets and resourcing for disability equity in Australia’s development program. If your organisation would like to support and add its logo to the Joint Call, please contact [email protected] by November 17. The Joint Call can be accessed via the link here.

To Note

Pacific Partnership Fiji 2023

Pacific Partnership has returned to Fiji to conduct the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific.

The Australian Civil Military Centre (ACMC) is supporting its Humanitarian Assistance Response Training (HART) for Disasters in Suva, Fiji,  as a component of Pacific Partnership.  ACFID’s secondee to the ACMC, Jules Frost, is teaching 2 modules: i) The role of the Affected State in Humanitarian Crises and ii) Strategic Communications in Disaster Response.

Course faculty include members of the: US Coast Guard, 364^th Civil Affairs Brigade, CFE-DM, and Australian Defence Force, GENAD advisor, and ACMC

50 individuals from the following Fiji government agencies and ministries are participating in the training course from 30 October – 3 November 2023.

• Fiji Airports
• Fiji Police Force
• iTaukei Affairs Board
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration
• National Disaster Management Office (NDMO)
• Republic of Fiji Military Forces
• Republic of Fiji Navy

To Note

DFAT’s Disability Equity and Rights Strategy

DFAT’s Disability Equity and Rights Strategy

As committed in the International Development Policy released in August this year, DFAT are developing an International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy which will involve a submissions process. Public submissions are open until the 15^th December 2023. If you would like to be involved in providing input to ACFID’s submission to the Strategy or have any questions, please reach out to [email protected] 

To Action

AP4D Dialogue | Media, Youth and Civil Society in the Pacific

Speaking to students at the Solomon Islands University in July 2023, Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy said that “Your generation will shape the future of your country, and our region. Your voice and your aspirations matter.” Yet despite the potential to be powerful agents of change, young people, civil society and media in the region face many challenges and barriers to meaningful participation.

This interactive dialogue will explore the power and responsibility of media, civil society and youth in shaping the future of the Pacific region. Discussion will focus on challenges and opportunities and how Australia can proactively partner with these sectors to shape a shared future.

Who: Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue
When: Wednesday 15 November
Time: 11am – 12pm (AEDT)
Where: Online – register here via Zoom

To Attend

Virtual Roundtable with Ms Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Francesca Albanese is a highly respected human rights lawyer, researcher, and author. She has worked for over twenty years as a human rights expert for the United Nations, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees.

This virtual roundtable on November 17th from 10:00-11:30am AEST. The roundtable is open to all INGO staff and presents the opportunity to connect with Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For access to Ms. Albanese’s biography, please click here. 

Date: Friday 17th November  
Time: 10:00-11:30 am AEST 
Registration link: https://wkf.ms/3FFRf8u

Please note that a zoom link will be sent 24 hours prior to the event date to those that have registered. 

To Action

Applications for Australia Awards Fellowships- Closing 7 November

Round 19 of the Australia Awards Fellowships officially commenced on 11 October.

Please start by reviewing the Application Fellowship Guidelines, and consider applying in Round 19 online via Smartygrants before the closing date of 7 November 2023. 

Applications submitted must align with only one of the following key priority areas and provide evidence of partnership with an overseas counterpart organisation(s) from eligible country/ries:

• Climate change, adaptation, resilience and green energy transition
• Gender equality, disability equity and social inclusion
• Health
• Digital economy including cyber, critical technology and media engagement
• Maritime and the Blue Economy
• Infrastructure and connectivity (also incorporating the Quad Fellowships)

For further details on eligibility can be found in the application guidelines and here.

Please note:  all submissions will be assessed on their merits as part of a transparent and equitable competitive grant selection process. All grants remain subject to DFAT approvals.

* Only Australian-based organisations with an ABN can apply

To Read

Support for Vanuatu in response to Tropical Cyclone Lola

The Australian Government will provide an initial $800,000 to support the Government of Vanuatu’s immediate response to Tropical Cyclone Lola, and is liaising closely with the Government of Solomon Islands on its needs following the cyclone. Read the government’s media release here.

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