This World Humanitarian Day 19th August 2020, Charter4Change wish to pay tribute to all our #localheroes who demonstrate local capacity. Charter4Change wish to see the humanitarian aid system effectively reflecting a shared humanity, solidarity in diversity and equal dignity among people.
Local humanitarian workers are real life heroes, who struggle to preserve the life of others by putting their own lives on the line. Today more than ever before, it seems, humanitarian crisis abounds everywhere in their diverse forms and shapes. #LocalHeroes like the ones represented in the blogs below are humanitarians who defy all odds, make extraordinary sacrifices amidst heighten insecurity from Northeast Nigeria to Afghanistan.
Nigeria/Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC):
During the covid-19 pandemic crises, CIRDDOC severally engaged rural communities through sensitization and awareness campaigns on certain behaviours that have arisen as a result of the pandemic and which is being under reported. This include rape, incest, battering among couples, child abuse and other domestic violence in various homes. We also engaged in several radio and Tv programs to send these messages across to the general public and to ensure that everyone is at watch of their neighbourhood.
CIRDDOC also took part in the SAY NO TO RAPE campaign in covid-19 by Association Against Child Sexual and Gender Based Violence (AACSGBV) in Anambra State of Nigeria. Local organisations need to take their rightful space at the table in local and national decision making, leading humanitarian response, influencing international policy through injecting ground realism, accessing financial and other resources raised in the name of affected communities in their countries. They need to be able to access detailed information on how funds are being spent. Most of all we need to restore respect and dignity to the local heroes. We need to work in solidarity to tackle inequality and injustice, not only in the society around us, but also in our own ‘aid sector’.
Charter for Change 