Reflecting on My Time in International Development Work
“Reflecting on My Time in International Development Work” next to a green and white outline of a globe. There are green blob and white blob outlines at the top and bottom of image with the title in between them.
Last week was International Development Week (IDW) in Canada and it provided an opportunity to reflect on the almost four (4) years of doing work related to the United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and global issues. If you do not know about IDW, According to Global Affairs Canada, Government of Canada, “(e)ach year, on the first full week of February, Canada celebrates International Development Week (IDW). It's a time to understand and be proud of how Canadians help to eradicate poverty worldwide. Together, we contribute to making our planet more: peaceful, inclusive, (and) prosperous.
First of all, the past four (4) years have gone by quickly, especially since I really jumped into it as we were working our way out of COVID-19 pandemic (time still does not quite exist). It has been a whirlwind of 4 years as I learned about different approaches around the world that could be applicable to where I live and work to improve our society. I also have been provided opportunities that I would have not come across otherwise if I did not participate in the sector such as going to United Nations Headquarters in New York City for CSW67 (which you can learn more from my blog post here) and working with many youths across Canada to have conversations around the SDGs.
I actually never thought I would participate in the sector. I was always skeptical due to the approaches organizations have taken in the past about the Global South. However, I came in at a time where a sudden shift and opportunity has happened. So there were conversations about the approaches that were taken in the past and why that approach may not be for the best. There was now proof of a different structure out of necessity due to the pandemic, providing people with case studies to shift the approach to international development. Now, I am not saying it was solved, but it is pushing organizations into reconsidering and taking action where they can. So I came in at an interesting time in the sector that inspired me to do more work.
But, the sector is quite inaccessible as a deaf and disabled person. I would love to keep learning but the spaces (including digital) have not always been accessible for me to learn and contribute. I can never just attend a learning opportunity and the further away I go from local, the more barriers and steps I face to attempt to receive similar access to my peers. When I try, I normally fail. It has happened enough times that I have reconsidered on many occasions, whether or not I should keep trying.
Right now, I do work with the disability community, constantly working to provide more awareness on accessibility and disability inclusion. I connect to global work by using the Convention of Rights for Persons with Disabilities and its eight (8) guiding principles but in a more local context. In many ways, I do international cooperation work in a space that can be accessible to me and I work hard to make it accessible for everyone.
I came to the conclusion recently that I will still hang around the international cooperation sector seeing if there are opportunities that are accessible to me but it is likely that my energy and focus will stay in the community that always works and strives to be as accessible and disability inclusive as possible in a society that still has many barriers to remove.
Amanda