The way we talk about the issues we work affects how people think, feel and act on them. The current story we hear in the global North is that aid, charity and so-called “international development” are the solutions to poverty and inequality.
But this narrative is limited and damaging. It acts as a smokescreen, distracting us from demanding action on the real causes of poverty – like unfair trade deals, tax havens and austerity. It also presents citizens of the global North as the generous saviours of the global South, undermining global solidarity and making countries in the global South seem poor and reliant on our help.
This is not a new conversation. Global South solidarity groups and people of colour in Europe have long been critical of terms such as “developing” and “development”. It’s time we listened these voices and moved towards a new narrative – one that addresses the root causes of poverty and builds global solidarity.
Our toolkit provides the practical advice and principles we need to be able to do this whenever we communicate about our work – whether that be on social media, in a report, in a campaign or responding to policy.
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Source: Communication by Health Poverty Action to MMI members