We recognise that becoming an anti-racist organisation is a journey.
As an organisation committed to fighting for justice and rights for all and grounded in the leadership of marginalised communities working on the front line, it is essential that we continue to hold ourselves accountable and dedicate ourselves to addressing racism within the HIV and global health sector.
We recognise the urgent need to do the deep internal work required to tackle racism head-on, and we are proud of the progress we have made so far. We have embarked on a journey to confront our biases, challenge systemic inequalities, and create a more diverse workforce and organisational culture. Through mandatory staff dialogues, drop-in learning sessions, the creation of a dedicated anti-racism project team, training of safeguarding focal points, and virtual safe spaces for staff who identify as Black or a person of colour, we strive to build a common understanding of how racism impacts our lives, both personally and professionally.
Our evolving partnership model further supports our commitment to anti-racism. The Partnership Council, an elected group of partners, promotes and practices a distributed leadership approach to shift and challenge paternalistic practices in the partnership, our respective organisations and across the development sector. We recognise and value all nationalities, ethnicities and religious affiliations and support marginalised communities wherever and whoever they are.
We commit to the ongoing process of introspection, education, and action necessary to tackle racism and its impact on people’s lives and wellbeing within our organisation, the partnership, and the wider HIV and global health sector.
It is an everyday responsibility that requires continuous effort, vigilance, and empathy. By working collectively with our partners at the centre of all we do, and in long steps with our donors, we can make a profound impact in our organisation, our communities, and in the lives of the communities that we serve.