“The baby is in our hands — and I am terrified.

The fight to gain power was one challenge. The responsibility that follows is far greater. Leadership has shifted to local CSOs, but no resources came with it. No plan for capacity strengthening. No donor message saying, ‘This is the system you must support.’ If we create babies malnourished from the start, we risk watching them die before they grow — and the true victims will be the communities we serve.”

— Puji Pujiono, Senior Adviser, Pujiono Centre

Amid systemic disruption and the unraveling of traditional aid paradigms, a transformative form of leadership is emerging from the Global South. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge, communal values, and contextual intelligence, this leadership model challenges entrenched power asymmetries and redefines humanitarian effectiveness. It does not seek to replicate Northern models, but instead cultivates authentic, regionally grounded responses shaped by collective wisdom and mutual accountability. This new leadership embraces complexity, fosters North-South symbiosis, and prepares for an increasingly multipolar humanitarian landscape. In doing so, it offers not only adaptation—but the foundation for a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for humanitarian action.