#ShiftThePower is more than a hashtag. People and organizations within the movement have come together to collaborate and elevate each other’s voices on system wide issues in the form of global campaigns. Reach out us via [email protected] to let us know about your campaign and how we can collaborate.
Previous campaigns:
Initiated by the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development in Ukraine, this campaign was an urgent appeal to international donors and organizations to reevaluate and reform their approaches to supporting local humanitarian efforts amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. It highlighted the inefficiencies and inequalities in the current funding and support systems, emphasizing the need for increased transparency, equitable distribution of resources, and prioritization of local organizations in decision-making roles. The letter called for long-term, sustainable partnerships and actionable commitments to localization, highlighting how the delays and superficial efforts come at the cost of human lives. It was both a critique of current practices and a roadmap for meaningful change to enhance the impact of aid efforts in Ukraine.
Too southern to be funded: In April 2024, the #ShiftThePower movement wrote an open letter to members of the OECD DAC to bring attention to the systematic exclusion of Southern CSOs from international funding opportunities. The letter aimed to raise awareness of this issue among Southern CSOs and ignite new discussions within Northern-based CSOs and international development agencies, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable approach to global funding.
A Call to COP28 Participants: In December 2023, at the sidelines of the #ShiftThePower Global Summit, climate actors around the world met in Bagotá the same week COP28 was happening in Dubai. In Bogotá, they wrote a letter to COP28 participants particularly to emphasize the need to recognize and prioritize grassroots solutions to climate change, especially those created and led by communities most impacted by the climate crisis. The core message was that true climate justice cannot be achieved without working with local actors who are already innovating practical solutions in their communities. This campaign challenged the traditional top-down approach to climate funding and policy-making, advocating for more inclusive practices that allow communities to lead and fund their own climate action. It highlights the power of local knowledge and resources in creating long-term, sustainable solutions and calls on COP28 participants to rethink how climate funds are distributed and how decisions are made.
An open letter to international donors and NGOs who want to genuinely help Ukraine: During the Ukrainian crisis triggered by the Russian invasion in 2022, the international humanitarian sector raised millions of dollars, yet these funds largely bypassed the local organizations that were first responders to the crisis. Additionally, international aid narratives often overlooked the critical contributions of these local actors. This campaign called on international NGOs operating in Ukraine to rethink their strategies to better support and strengthen local civil society.
Responding to vaccine discrimination at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the #Vaccines4All campaign was an open letter to EU and UK leaders, urging them to support equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines. The letter criticized the refusal to share vaccine knowledge and production capacity with lower-income countries, especially in Africa, and called for the relaxation of intellectual property rights under the WTO TRIPS agreement. This campaign also emphasized the need for global solidarity in vaccine distribution, supporting local manufacturing, and strengthening health systems to ensure everyone is protected from the pandemic.