Diversity and inclusion is much more than a checkbox.

Diversity and inclusion is still a challenge for the international aid industry. For example, women are poorly represented on the boards and senior leadership teams of major aid organizations, despite evidence that women make up close to 70 percent of the international development sector’s workforce.

“The aid sector exists to help those in need. But it cannot do that effectively until it addresses the fundamental power imbalances that exist within its structures….”

Sarah Champion, MP

And while the importance of diversity has increasingly been given attention when hiring staff and appointing people to leadership teams, the question remains: how well is the sector doing and are we moving beyond token hires to actual decision makers? How are the other dimensions of diversity beyond gender, such as race, sexuality, disability and religion taken into account?

Most importantly are the leadership teams of international aid organisations ‘practicing what they preach’?