In early December 2020, the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban agreed upon guiding terms for upcoming intra-Afghan peace negotiations. While US-Taliban negotiations have reached a precarious agreement, intra-Afghan peace talks are much more important for the safety and security of Afghanistan. Without resolving the underlying tensions within the state’s often combative actors, Afghanistan will continue to see resurgences of violence, intolerance, and authoritative governance. It is vital to achieve an intra-Afghan peace settl ..read more

What is the role of philanthropy during a global health crisis? How do funders respond to a constantly shifting social sector? In the face of complex and uncertain environmental conditions, how are philanthropic groups working to ensure that their practices are both effective and sustainable? For all of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented trust-based philanthropic organizations, it can also be said that the same organizations are using the current climate to reimagine their philanthropic formula for themselves as well as their grantees. In this episode of the Counterpod, Em ..read more

Thinking and Working Politically has been a game changer for development practitioners, guiding activity implementation in complex contexts where political, economic, and social dynamics are rapidly evolving. Caitlin Reilly, Counterpart’s Senior Program Manager, speaks with Eva Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of Party for Counterpart’s Rights and Dignity project, about how applying TWP methodologies helps us achieve results in addressing human rights challenges in El Salvador ..read more

The increasing shift of political and social debates to online platforms has led to a rise by restrictive governments around the world to use the internet as tool to silence dissent, promote violence, and threaten basic human rights. Ensuring the internet remains open and accessible is necessary to strengthen democratic engagement, ensure social inclusion, and equal participation in the global economy. Eric Johnson, Counterpart’s Chief of Party for its Internet Freedom project, joins us to talk about the project and why protecting a free, open, and accessible internet is essenti ..read more

Meet Mehreen Farooq, Counterpart International’s Peace and Security Technical Director, and Hadjara Moussa, Counterpart’s Women, Peace, and Security adviser in Niger.  Niger, rated by the United Nations as one of the world's least-developed nations, struggles in the face of frequent droughts, insurgency, and wide-spread poverty.  In this episode, Mehreen and Hadjara discuss the challenges women face in Niger and how to support them to play active roles in peacebuilding initiatives, strengthening governance and service delivery, and countering violent extremism ..read more

The Counterpod’s first episode features a conversation with Counterpart International’s Director of Communications, Meg Cangany, and President and CEO, Dr. Ann Hudock, about what’s happening in the field of international development, in the United States and abroad. In this conversation, Dr. Hudock reflects on her 25 years in international development, what works and what doesn’t, and why investments in foreign aid are critical to international security and prosperity. Join us as we introduce the Counterpod and look ahead to upcoming episodes where we connect you with leaders in the field and ..read more