AidWatch became a member of ACIC a few years ago when its Executive Director, Brian Tomlinson, moved to Nova Scotia. Brian has worked for a variety of NGOs over the year such as Cuso International, Oxfam Canada and before coming to Nova Scotia, the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC). Brian is also Treasurer on the ACIC Board of Directors. See what AidWatch is up to.
What is AidWatch all about?
AidWatch is primarily a policy oriented small not-for-profit. Its focus is on Canadian and international aid policies. Specifically in recent years AidWatch Canada has focused on the roles and policies affecting civil society organizations in aid delivery.
What are you currently working on?
My work is constantly ongoing. I’m currently working with a global Civil Society Platform for Development Effectiveness that brings more than 1000 CSOs together from around the world to influence current aid practices. On behalf of this coalition, I am a co-chair of multi stakeholder group involving donors, partner country governments, which is working on improving enabling conditions for civil society organizations (CSOs) in different countries.
I’m also collaborating with CCIC and ACIC in improving the policy context for CSOs in DFATD’s aid programs. There has been the recent publication of this CSO policy by DFATD. I continue to work with CCIC on policy proposals to make the range of funding options more broad based on this new policy.
I’m also work globally with Reality of Aid Network (www.realityofaid.org) following and promoting CSO proposals for financing the Sustainable Development Goals that will be approved in September by the United Nations. I edited the 2014 global Reality of Aid Report and contributed a chapteron global aid trends.
Why did you become a member of ACIC?
Throughout my personal career in CSOs in Canada I thought that Canadian CSOs can only work to eradicate poverty by working together. CCIC had been a very important part of my work experience over the past 35 years and since moving to Nova Scotia I decided to be a part of the Atlantic Council to help make that happen here in the Atlantic region.
How can others get involved with AidWatch?
I’m interested in collaborating those who are interested in policy work in terms of aid. It’s a small organization but if someone is undertaking this type of work there’s the possibility that we can work together.
AidWatch Canada is a small not-for-profit Canadian organization, established in 2010, which is devoted to the conduct and dissemination of independent research and analysis on Canadian and global trends in aid and development cooperation and their implications for Canadian aid policies and practices. AidWatch Canada works in close collaboration with both Canadian and global civil society organizations and researchers that share interests in reform of the aid system. Its focus has been on policies and practices in support of enabling conditions, capacities and initiatives in which poor and vulnerable populations may claim their rights. In particular it focuses on aid trends in Canada and globally (through the Reality of Aid Network) and on enabling conditions for civil society organizations as development actors in all their roles, so that CSOs may effectively contribute to development outcomes. It fulfills its mandate primarily through the research initiatives of its Executive Director, Brian Tomlinson.