In providing aid for communities in crisis for over 25 years though, we’ve realised that although our team of international aid experts are well-equipped to deal with any crisis, we ​always​ need a local perspective to translate our knowledge into effective crisis response. And, in our experience, women often hold the key to revealing otherwise unknown nuances that could potentially affect our ​support​. 

Whether this is through accessing previously inaccessible communities, building relationships, or sharing cultural knowledge to better inform our efforts, their insight has proven invaluable. 

How TSF approaches connectivity aid, and what gets in the way

Community engagement is a key pillar throughout every TSF project. No matter where or what the crisis is, the priority is always to work with the local community, rather than instructing them. Not only does this drive better outcomes for the community itself, but it’s also the first step to uncovering nuances in connectivity needs.  

Without this care and attention, even the most skilled teams can make incorrect decisions or assumptions. For instance, following the catastrophic Al Haouz earthquake in September 2023, a TSF team was dispatched to support, assessing needs and connectivity issues that they could support with. The first instinct of the team was to ​provide satellite phone calls​ and establish internet connectivity based on their experience.

But, after engaging with the residents, they were advised not to establish internet connectivity – as an isolated community they were proud of and reliant on their strong solidarity and feared access to the internet would erode this. So, the TSF team on the ground ​focused on voice services​, rather than internet accessibility.  

This community engagement is also vital to ensure we remain in line with the Core Humanitarian Standard, particularly the 4th commitment that states those affected by crises should be able to “access support that does not harm people or the environment”. As in extreme cases, humanitarian missions could potentially cause devastating social and cultural damage due to misunderstanding of cultural norms.  

How diversity in humanitarian workers (especially women) addresses this

Every​​ humanitarian mission is composed of a mixed team of national and international aid workers. Additionally, TSF ​​prioritise​s​​ ​​partnering with local expert NGOs and ​recruits qualified staff from the communities directly affected by the crisis to bring knowledge into the team. This ensures our work is ​in line with ​​existing ​​relief initiatives​, and that we don’t ​harm ​communities.   

In our experience, connecting with women​ community leaders​ has been essential in delivering our aid the right way. Even in more patriarchal communities, there is nearly always an informal leader of the female community.

In areas where communication methods are limited, and are typically withheld for use by men, these female leaders can be the lynchpin to delivering aid for all. While they might seem like the most disconnected, they often have strong social bonds to the wider female population.  

Where women have little access to communication, by connecting with female leaders, TSF have often been able to get the message of aid out through informal female meeting points like markets, with these women bringing knowledge on TSF’s behalf into these traditionally sequestered female spaces.  ​​​

​​​For example in Madagascar, ​a country with one of the highest poverty rates in the world (75% in 2022 according to the World Bank), women in rural areas have far less access to ICT than men with only 29% having access to a mobile phone. This is largely due to a mix of economic factors, and gender-based violence as male family members restrict female access to connectivity. In these communities, TSF identify and meet with key female stakeholders and women’s associations to involve them in the design of our activities. This way, we can be sure our efforts are meeting the needs of these communities and identify barriers to access and the possible levers we can introduce to lift them. ​​     ​​ 

More work to do

While much progress has been made in the wider world in terms of women’s empowerment, in times of crisis, women remain at a disadvantage. But our work has proven that by specifically involving women in aid responses, we can provide better crisis aid not just for women, but for the wider community as well.  

It’s clear that to be effective, aid also needs to be inclusive. And as is so often said, you can’t be what you can’t see. To attract more women into humanitarian aid, we need to champion the work of those already here. There are many fantastic women currently working in roles across the sector, in field work, as Project Coordinators, and at the top as Heads of Missions, so let’s tell those stories.  

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