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

This week marked the launch of the ‘Safer World for All’ campaign by Micah Australia and ACFID Public Engagement Campaign Committee (PECC).

The campaign is advocating for a safer and more sustainable world by urging governments and international bodies to intensify their efforts in two critical areas: international aid and climate action funding.

Key demands of the campaign include:

-Propelling Australia’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to 0.37% of gross national income by 2027, with a bipartisan pledge to reach 0.5%. 

-Doubling the Humanitarian Emergency Fund to $300 million annually. This augmentation aims to ensure more efficient responses to emerging crises, delivering essential aid to affected communities worldwide.

-Allocating an additional $350 million per year towards enhancing preparedness for natural and humanitarian disasters, addressing prolonged crises, and averting conflicts abroad.

Sign our call and participate in the campaign – whether it involves engaging with political representatives, amplifying our message on social media platforms, attending events, or advocating within your networks.

Also, I am delighted to congratulate our staff member, Lanni Hamblin, for being one of YAIA’s Young Women to Watch in International Affairs for 2024. Lanni is a Policy and Advocacy Advisor, focusing on development and humanitarian issues. She collaborates with sector partners to advocate for disability equity, enhance Australia’s involvement in protracted crises, and bolster civil society in the region. Well deserved, Lanni!

To Note

Update on ACFID’s Management

Our Chief of Policy and Advocacy, Jessica Mackenzie, will be going on parental leave from March 8, 2024, and plans to return in March 2025. During her absence, Jocelyn Condon, ACFID’s current COO, will step into the role of Chief of Policy starting from March 12, 2024.

Emily Moreton will serve as Director of the Effectiveness and Engagement Team, responsible for overseeing the areas of the Code of Conduct, Learning, and Membership. Nicola Gleeson will continue as  Business Director, and Marc Purcell will remain in his role as CEO.

The ACFID Management team is actively planning and implementing steps to support all staff during this transition period, ensuring a seamless process while maintaining robust membership outreach and engagement.

Our advocacy team can still be reached at [email protected] at any time. For those who need to contact Jessica Mackenzie during her leave, she is available and happy to stay in touch via LinkedIn

To Note

$2 billion investment facility to support Southeast Asia

The Albanese Government on Tuesday announced a $2 billion investment in a finance facility to support clean energy investment in Southeast Asia. ACFID welcomed this with caution, in a media release which can be found here.

To Attend

HRG/Gov Rels Gaza Meetings- now open to all members

ACFID’s regular joint meeting with Humanitarian Reference Group and Government Relations on Gaza advocacy will occur on Tuesday morning at 11am, and will include a debrief on Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, Tom White’s parliamentary visit which was hosted by ACFID. All members are invited to attend if interested via Zoom

To Attend

HRG/Gov Rels Gaza Meetings- now open to all members

To Attend 

Introduction to Feminist Principles and Practice

IWDA is excited to share with you their new upcoming workshop, ‘Introduction to Feminist Principles & Practice’

If you are interested in exploring how intersectionality and power analysis can enrich your organization’s objectives, IWDA encourages you to participate in their upcoming workshop conducted over two half-day sessions. Registrations and information can be found here.

Dates: April 16 & 17

Time: 9am-1pm (over two consecutive days)

Where: Online via Zoom

Cost: $420 + GST

20% discount available if you register 3 or more staff members from your organisation.

Full scholarships are available for First Nations people. For any inquiries, please contact [email protected].au or Nilusha at [email protected] 

To Action

Introduction to the Sector Workshop – Expressions of Interest

ACFID is seeking expressions of interest for participants for an Introduction to the Development and Humanitarian Sector Workshop. EoIs will assist us in identifying the location of the next workshop, which will be held in the coming months.

This participatory event includes overviews of the history of international development and humanitarian action; an introduction to ACFID’s Code and its role in the sector; guest speakers from a range of ACFID’s members; learning and discussion about priority issues in the sector such as Gender Equity, Disability Inclusion, Safeguarding, Locally Led Action and Decolonisation; and, opportunities for networking and further learning.
Participants are welcome from staff, board, and other personnel of members and non members. Students and individuals interested in entering the sector are also welcome to attend. Expressions of interest can be registered at here on behalf of yourself or others in your organisation.

To Note

Prime Minister’s Remarks on UNRWA

The Prime Minister on Tuesday said that Australia will ‘make an assessment’ at the appropriate time on UNRWA funding. This comes after the European Union and Canada announced the restoration of funds to UNRWA. Something to keep an eye on.

To Note

‘F! It’ – Exploring feminist and First Nations approaches to foreign policy

Check out the new podcast from the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA). Hosted by Gumbaynggirr/Dunghutti woman, Julie Ballangarry, F! It! explores the perspectives of the world’s foremost First Nations thinkers and feisty feminists. Their voices have been excluded from foreign policy conversations for far too long. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

To Attend

CEO Roundtables – save the date!

ACFID will be hosting CEO Roundtables in Sydney and Melbourne as part of the Code Roadshow. Come and join your peers and the ACFID CEO for a facilitated discussion on “Leading the Charge: Navigating a Path towards Racial Justice “, followed by networking drinks.

Sydney: Wednesday 10 April, 4 – 6:30pm

Melbourne: Tuesday 23 April, 4 – 6:30pm

More details to come. Register your interest here..

To Attend

CEO Roundtables – save the date!

ACFID will be hosting CEO Roundtables in Sydney and Melbourne as part of the Code Roadshow. Come and join your peers and the ACFID CEO for a facilitated discussion on “Leading the Charge: Navigating a Path towards Racial Justice “, followed by networking drinks.

Sydney: Wednesday 10 April, 4 – 6:30pm

Melbourne: Tuesday 23 April, 4 – 6:30pm

More details to come. Register your interest here..

To Attend

NGO Case Studies for ABC TV

DFAT’s Development Communications and Partnerships (DCN) would welcome your assistance to identify case studies from your NGO network focused on the Pacific and Southeast Asia. This is for the second instalment of a youth-focussed television and online series they are producing with the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC).

Stories should be about local changemakers (bona fide local aid workers) bringing solutions to global issues affecting their communities, with Australia’s assistance (an NGO partnership they can underline). More info here

To Attend

Code Roadshow – save the date!

The ACFID Code and Learning teams are on the road! Join us to ask all your questions about the new ACFID Code, explore ACFID’s new Locally Led Action Toolkit and network with other ACFID members.   

In-person workshops:

Day 1 will focus on the changes to the ACFID Code of Conduct and how to help your organisation understand and prepare for the changes. Day 2 will focus on Locally Led Action and be a chance to learn from other ACFID members and explore ACFID’s new Locally led Action Toolkit.

Members are welcome to send more than one participant, and participants can choose to attend day 1, day 2 or both.

Online workshop:

The online workshop is primarily for personnel based outside Sydney and Melbourne. Some prep materials will be provided ahead of time, to allow sufficient space for discussion and Q&A during the session.

Who: Staff and volunteers of ACFID members.

When:

• Sydney: 10 and 11 April, 9:30 – 4pm (AEST) – register here
• Melbourne: 23 and 24 April, 9:30 – 4pm (AEST) – register here
• Online: 30 April (for personnel not based in Sydney or Melbourne), 2-5pm (AEST) – register here

To Note

FEATURED JOBS

Development Committee of the Board (Voluntary) | Indigo foundation 

APPLY HERE

To Note

Upcoming Events

To Note

FEATURED JOBS

Development Committee of the Board (Voluntary) | Indigo foundation 
Apply here

International Program Specialist | Health Equity Matters 
Apply here 

ACFID’s media team is updating our Digital Image Library and contact list. We kindly request our members to contact [email protected] and contribute additional images and updated contact details.