Alisha Salsabila Indrawan
Alisha Salsabila Indrawan
Decolonising Knowledge on Gender and Disability

Disasters are not “natural” events but the result of structural inequalities—yet humanitarian practice still relies on labels like “vulnerable groups” that can obscure these root causes. This blog argues that the term “vulnerable” functions as colonial debris, reinforcing deficit narratives about people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ communities while overlooking the systems that produce risk. Drawing on evidence from Indonesia and Indigenous knowledge from Bugis and Javanese societies, it shows that inclusion is not a new or Western concept, but a historically grounded reality. The piece calls for a shift in disaster governance—from categorising people as passive recipients to recognising them as agents with knowledge and authority—through decolonising language, valuing local knowledge, and enabling genuine participation in decision-making.

Decolonising Knowledge on Gender and Disability
Mihir Bhatt, Guest Blog, Eilidh Kennedy, Practitioner
Eilidh Kennedy
Future of Aid 2040 Report Launch in India: ...

One month after the Future of Aid 2040 report launch in New Delhi, hosted by IARAN, START Network, CHL, and the Humanitarian Hub, discussions continue across Berlin and Bogotá. The report envisions a reimagined aid system by 2040 centered on inclusivity, local leadership, and collective action. Key voices—including Sneha Mishra, Anuj Tiwari, Rajesh Kapoor, Vasundhara Pandey, and Manu Gupta—called for equitable resource distribution, decentralized decision-making, and stronger community ownership. AIDMI emphasized integrating local knowledge and the evolving role of AI to enhance future aid delivery and resilience.


Future of Aid 2040 Report Launch in India: Navigating Uncertainty and Inequality
Puji Pujiono, Practitioner
Puji Pujiono
Local CSOs’ terrifying triumph: the birth of a ...

“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

Local CSOs’ terrifying triumph: the birth of a locally-led humanitarian future in Indonesia
Puji Pujiono, Practitioner
Puji Pujiono
The Awakening of Global South Leadership in a ...

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.

The Awakening of Global South Leadership in a Drastically Changing Humanitarian Context
Mariano Hernández, Guest Blog
Guest Author
Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining ...

OpenStreetMap emerges as a crucial tool in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where traditional aid efforts overlook peripheral communities and critical infrastructure remains unmapped. Hernández highlights how this participatory mapping platform can help bridge visibility gaps, allowing local actors to contribute vital geographic data. The article envisions four possible futures shaped by the intensity of conflict and access to open mapping tools: (1) High conflict with minimal access leads to continued invisibility of rural communities; (2) Low conflict with limited access risks long-term neglect of peripheral areas; (3) High conflict with ample access could enhance response coordination despite violence; and (4) Low conflict with broad mapping use enables inclusive recovery.

Invisible Infrastructure: Reimagining Infrastructure Mapping for Humanitarian Intervention in Contemporary Sudan

Alisha Salsabila Indrawan

Decolonising Knowledge on Gender and Disability

Decolonising Knowledge on Gender and Disability

Disasters are not “natural” events but the result of structural inequalities—yet humanitarian practice still relies on labels like “vulnerable groups” that can obscure these root causes. This blog argues that the term “vulnerable” functions as colonial debris, reinforcing deficit narratives about people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ communities while overlooking the systems that produce risk. Drawing on evidence from Indonesia and Indigenous knowledge from Bugis and Javanese societies, it shows that inclusion is not a new or Western concept, but a historically grounded reality. The piece calls for a shift in disaster governance—from categorising people as passive recipients to recognising them as agents with knowledge and authority—through decolonising language, valuing local knowledge, and enabling genuine participation in decision-making.

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