‘Question of life and death’: NGOs in Southeast Asia fear the worst for vulnerable groups amid sharp USAID cuts
Arlina and Pereira both acknowledged that some factors are more difficult to fund than others when it comes to obtaining money from politicians, brands, or businesses.
In contrast to, say, ecology, Pereira said, human smuggling is typically” not so beautiful, or doesn’t provide the PR image that a lot of contributors are looking for.”
Pereira fears that if there aren’t enough labor rights organizations working to protect migratory staff ‘ happiness, the US may reverse its decision to suspend foreign aid.
He said,” We are not overdependent on US aid; it’s just the nature of the development world,” calling on the governments of Asia and Africa to help bridge the funding gap by funding their own civil societies.
HOW CHANGES WORLD AID
According to Pereira and other experts, the global humanitarian aid system needs to change in order for it to continue operating responsibly.
Most foreign help is currently” sucked up” by local NGOs and UN organizations, Pereira noted, with little passing down to smaller rivals on the ground.
Rosalia Sciortino, the founder and director of SEA Junction, added that the current system has far too much waste and much money going to tiny civil society organizations.
She stated at the panel discussion in Bangkok that” we need to acknowledge that there was a need to offer more to nearby societies and organizations.”
” We as civil society must all learn about saving and reducing waste in our wasting,” he continues. Therefore, it’s not just the cash we receive; it’s also how we use it, making sure our organization’s conservation is attained.
Reformation may be challenging in an environment of blanket breaks, according to John Luke Chua, a member of the USAID-funded Asia Counter Smuggling in Persons job.
” I’ve heard requests for localization, more flexible financing, and stronger help for the community. Otherwise, he told the board, “what we have best nowadays is a strong centrist change that prioritizes political expediency over evidence-based impact.”
” Funding choices are no longer influenced by whether programs actually accomplish what they set out to do, but rather by whether or not they coincide with short-term social calculus.”
Sara Piazzano, a freelancer and project manager, observed greater changes occurring as governments around the world are more willing to offer concessional mortgages in place of their own.
These types of loans are typically low- or zero-interested, and can be obtained from institutions through specialized programs and partnerships with international organizations, including multilateral institutions. They reached record highs in value worldwide in 2023.
Japan is carrying that out. Nearly all of the development aid was relocated there. China, of course, has always followed this strategy. According to Piazzano, “perhaps this is the future that we are going to see,” noting that Indonesia, Vietnam, and India are the main recipients in Asia.
” I was anticipating that Bangladesh would have a significant impact without USAID.” However, she said,” USAID is nothing if you compare what they are getting from the World Bank.”  ,
According to data, Bangladesh’s World Bank funding was five times higher than USAID’s in 2023.
.jpg)
Meet Lexis AI.
