protest

Decolonize

A CALL FOR SYSTEM CHANGE AND RECOVERY 

For 11.11.11 does decolonizing mean that we actively question and change existing power relationsThese relationships are rooted in a colonial and imperialist history and continue to have an impact today: in policy, in organizations, in language and imagery, and in the way people and regions are connected.

Decolonization is therefore not only about critically acknowledging that past, but also about naming and condemning the injustice that accompanied it, and about restoring justiceThat translates to today: to how we think and speak, how we collaborate and make decisions, and how power, resources, and knowledge are distributed. 

For 11.11.11 is decolonization not an end point, but a continuous process of learning, adjusting and taking responsibility.

WHY IS DECOLONIZATION IMPORTANT?

International solidarity can only be credible if it also addresses and combats inequality and racism, including within our own sector. We recognize that as an organization, we are part of international power relations and not outside of them.

Decolonizing therefore means for 11.11.11:

  • unequivocally criticize the brutal colonial oppression of our past;
  • recognizing that colonial legacies continue to have an impact today;
  • actively combat inequality, racism and exclusion;
  • making space for voices and knowledge that have been historically marginalized;
  • and contribute to system change, not just to symptom management.

 

You can read more background information in our dossier “Decolonizing: A Call for Recovery and System Change”.

Man with T-shirt 'I Love My History' demonstration

Decolonizing through our work

We translate decolonization at 11.11.11 To concrete choices in our daily operations. It is an explicit priority in our 2021–2026 strategy.

We work with a multi-year action plan on decolonization, built around six result areas:

  • Knowledge building and exchange;
  • Network development;
  • Equal partnerships (shift the power);
  • Recursos humanos;
  • Content positioning;
  • And imagery and language.

This action plan is integrated into the operations of our various services and is monitored by an organizational steering committee. This way, decolonization is not a separate project, but a process that structurally guides our organization. 

Equal partnerships: sharing power

Our partnerships are a crucial lever. We strive for equal relationships in which knowledge, risks and responsibility are sharedFor us, partners are not executors of predetermined programs, but co-decision makers regarding agendas, strategy, and resource allocation.

With the multi-year Shift the Power project we map out how decision-making power is distributed today within 11.11.11 — and how those power dynamics are perceived. Based on this, we work on more transparent procedures, shared decision-making, and stronger partner involvement, including in formal structures such as the Board of Directors and the General Assembly. 

Campaigns & communication: language and images matter

Words and images have power. They can reinforce stereotypes and inequality, but they can also break them down. That's why looks 11.11.11 critical of framing, language and image use in all her communications: from campaigns to fundraising.

In recent years we have undertaken, among other things:

  • research into the framing of development cooperation and migration, including through the Other Talk project;
  • an audit of our website for language and images;
  • the development of a lexicon and inspiration guide on decolonization;
  • training courses on anti-racism and conscious language use for colleagues;
  • collaborations with external parties on exhibitions and educational materials;
  • and the anchoring of decolonization principles in our brand guide.

 

In all our communications, we strive for a respectful, decolonized way of telling stories, in which people are not objects of help, but bearers of knowledge, power, and change. 

Internal organization

Decolonizing also means working internally on inclusion and equality. Through us diversity and inclusion policy (DEI) and the decolonization action plan we invest in awareness, training and structural changes within the organizational culture and HR practices. 

OUR NETWORK AND COLLABORATION

11.11.11 works together with partner organizations, diaspora initiatives, 4th pillar organizations, Black History Month, students and broad networks to strengthen polyphony and develop social movements.

In this way we support and facilitate processes such as Kakungu (September 2025 – January 2026), a youth program in which young people from the diaspora collaborate on colonial legacies and recovery. We also collaborate with student initiatives, including through the project WeDecolonize (UCOS) a discussion was organised around colonial legacies, climate and the role of the diaspora.

4th pillar event
Our annual exchange with 4th pillar organizations. © Alhasan Yousef

We also participate in activities and events organised by diaspora initiatives themselves.

We are also active in thematic working groups, such as the Decolonization Working Group, Equal Partnerships & Decompartmentalization, in which members of 11.11.11 and the NGO federation share experiences and jointly develop tools, training and joint initiatives within the sector.

Practical?  

The working group is Dutch/English speaking and meets four times a year.  

If you would like more information or to participate, please take a look at the website of NGO federation or contact Josfien Fraeyman via josfien.fraeyman@ngo-federatie.be  

Inspiration, tools & further development

Want to get started with decolonization yourself? Here you'll find inspiration and practical tools: