International Alert

International Alert (IA) has supported and worked with local partners for over 35 years, engaging from the grassroots to policy level to achieve a sustainable and inclusive end to violence. Our organisational support centred on their progress on gender and towards greater diversity, equity and inclusion (GDEI). The partnership helped to clarify their commitments in a GDEI Charter, established a dedicated GDEI Committee, brought about changes in internal governance through the inclusion of local staff voices directly in the executive team and set the context for a new strategy which was developed under the GDEI principles. Finally it enabled the institutionalization of GDEI principles at the country level through a training of GDEI focal points and small grants to support dissemination.

The GDEI initiative allowed us to have a broad and holistic reflection, looking both at our internal practice and our engagement with our partners, across all levels of our work, including the communities we work alongside. It was important to check if our commitments went through all the different layers and were received across multiple cultural contexts. Challenge ourselves and invite feedback: what can we do to improve?

Kadiatou Yacouba Keita, Sahel Hub Director, International Alert

Results
The strategy process was designed as an iterative consultation with Alert’s local partners. It resulted in a new operating model that shifted expertise from HQ to countries, new local partnering processes and a clear statement of how Alert adds value to locally-led peacebuilding, which now structures its work. In addition to this strengthening of its locally-led practice, an external review found evidence of more a open inclusive workplace, improved communication between HQ and country offices and increased staff sense of belonging. These changes were accompanied by greater diversity in leadership roles and more active involvement of the governing board in supporting cultural and organisational change.

International Alert received PeaceNexus accompaniment support from 2023 to 2025.