2. WHO WE ARE
Our Vision is a world where justice, dignity and respect prevail for all.
Our Mission is to work in partnership to challenge poverty and inequality.
We support practical actions that enable people to improve their lives and shape
their own futures.
Our Values
Human Respect: “We all matter”
We challenge inequality and stand up for justice
We listen to views with fairness and equality, no matter who you are and
where you‟re from
We take time to find common ground
We put people‟s aspirations at the centre of everything we do
Community focus: “People lead their own development”
We build better societies by bringing people together to achieve their potential
We are a decentralised organisation, driven by community needs
We work to understand and tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality
Our work builds social capital
Integrity: “Principles drive our commitment”
We are open, honest, reliable and accountable in all we do
We work to the highest professional standards and use resources
responsibly, efficiently and effectively.
We learn from the people we work with, are willing to be self-critical, and
continually strive to do better.
We recognise that people rely upon our planet‟s natural resources and will
strive to ensure that our work is environmentally sustainable
Partnership:“Complementary strengths working together”
Partnership is at the heart of our work and we have deep respect for the long-
term relationships and processes involved
We recognise that individually we are limited yet together we can achieve
more and achieve better
We value the different strengths of our partners and believe that working
together as equals helps us all to be more effective
We strive to collaborate effectively to achieve a common purpose
3. WHY: Our vision
All of our work is guided by our vision of a world where justice, dignity and respect
prevail for all.
Persistent poverty and inequality denies justice, denies dignity and denies respect.
So our work focusses on challenging poverty and inequality. Working with others,
we support practical actions that enable people to improve their lives and to have the
opportunity to shape their own futures.
We recognise that poverty and inequality are not just a factor of income; they are a
denial of choices and opportunities, not having enough to eat, being unable to
access basic services, a sense of insecurity and a feeling of powerlessness.
We believe that in a world of justice, dignity and respect, all people will have the
opportunity to earn a decent and sustainable living, all people will have access to
clean water and sanitation, and all people will have their rights respected.
HOW: Our approach
Our work to challenge poverty and inequality responds to the needs expressed by
people at community-level. Our characteristic decentralised approach enables each
country programme team to respond effectively to local need. By avoiding an
organisational blueprint, our approach allows innovative ideas to emerge from the
exchange of ideas between our programme teams, our partners and, most
importantly, the people that we seek to benefit.
Our responsive, innovative and relationship-based approach builds upon 30 years of
experience working with some of the most marginalised people across the world.
From our experience we have developed five core strategies and a robust
appreciation of the changes that are necessary in a sustainable development
process. These five strategies and our theory of change are described below.
1. Holistic, community-led programming
We develop cost-effective, community-driven, integrated development programmes that ensure
maximum benefit
We know that we must take a holistic approach to development. The problems that
people face – such as the lack of clean water, poor health, low income and a denial
of rights - are interrelated, and our experience shows that the most sustainable
interventions are often those that take an integrated approach. Conversely, if
progress is made in one area but not the others, communities can struggle to sustain
the benefits once the programme intervention has ended. Therefore – and since in
many of the places where we work there are few if any other basic service providers
- it is essential that we take a holistic view as we respond to need.
4. We want to put people in the driving seat of their own development. Our work must
respond to need, but also work with the capacities and energies of the participants.
Our community-led approach enables us to implement cost-effective, sustainable,
integrated development programmes that ensure maximum benefit for those we
serve.
2. Effective partnerships
We believe that significant and sustainable change occurs by harnessing the collective knowledge,
skills, resources and motivation of a wide range of actors.
Significant and sustainable change will only happen if we can harness the collective
knowledge, skills, resources and motivation of a wide range of actors, starting with
community-level partnerships. Concern Universal does not see itself as the primary
instigator of change but an active catalyst in facilitating and supporting others in the
process of social development. So we build relationships with organisations and
institutions that share our vision and mission; we create linkages with communities
and grass-roots based organisations; we work in partnership with local governments;
we partner with and build the capacity of civil society; and we engage with academic
and private sector institutions. Through these effective partnerships Concern
Universal creates an enabling environment that can challenge and contribute to
achieving positive, sustainable and lasting change for people living in poverty.
As part of our commitment to effective partnerships, Concern Universal is creating a
new Federation with two other like-minded organisations, AFAP and Vita. We
believe that this new Federation will enable us to achieve greater influence, improve
programme effectiveness across the Federation, and secure new funding
opportunities. We will continue to pro-actively explore strategic partnerships and the
expansion of the Federation.
3. Raising people’s voice
We will ensure that people are empowered to take a stand and have their voices heard – our
programming is rights based
We believe that people should have the freedom and opportunity to unhindered
participation in society and that they have the right to be treated and respected
equally. So our work seeks to ensure that the people are able to take a stand and
have their voices heard. Our work is underpinned by a rights-based approach, one
that identifies and builds upon people‟s capabilities and reduces the impact of social
inequality and negative power structures.
4. Holding power holders to account
Advocacy - whether in the form of lobbying, media and communications work, campaigning, education,
or research - is an important component of our work
Our work aims to inspire and influence others to affect change. Our work encourages
duty bearers and rights holders to recognise and adhere to basic human rights
outlined in national laws and international conventions. Duty bearers and those in
power - whether they are governments, institutions or individuals - are obligated to
respect, protect and fulfill human rights outlined in law. We believe that advocacy -
whether in the form of lobbying, media and communications work, campaigning,
5. education, or research - is a core component of development work and must take
place at all levels across our work. So advocacy, campaigns and policy
development is an important part of our work. Our operational programmes, often
taking place in rural communities, are strengthened by local and international
advocacy work.
5. Targeting the causes of poverty - development ‘systems’
We analyse the causes of poverty by thinking about how we can improve the ‘development systems’ in
which our work is taking place
Our programmes support direct interventions, but we also analyse the causes of
poverty by thinking about how we can improve the „systems’ in which our work is
taking place. For example, an initiative that seeks to improve food security through
support to farmers will consider the „market systems’ in which the farmers operate –
for example the accessibility of affordable credit, the availability of farmer training
programmes, the impact of national agricultural policies, and the efficiency of local
markets. Our systems-wide perspective enhances the efficacy of our interventions by
ensuring that progress made in one area is not undermined by blockages in the
system elsewhere.
Our ‘Theory of Change’ – how sustainable development happens
We believe that we must put people – not technology or other solutions – at the
centre of any change process.
Our experience shows that sustainable development is achievable if there are
changes at three key levels:
INDIVIDUAL change
People need to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to change their
own lives. We need to support the local leaders and key change agents that
are seeking to drive change locally;
COMMUNITY change
Communities need to work together effectively to be able to improve lives.
Effective and representative community-based organisations can lead to real
change;
INSTITUTIONAL change
For sustainable change to happen institutions need to be more available to
and accountable to the poorest and most vulnerable. We will support work
that makes government more accountable and ensures that people are linked
to institutions and markets to improve their lives.
6. WHAT: Our Change Objectives
Concern Universal will give particular attention to three areas of change that make a
real difference to people‟s lives: Resilient Lives; Better Health; and Upholding Rights.
We focus on Resilient Lives, and in particular agricultural development, because
many of the most vulnerable people in the world depend on subsistence agriculture
or their livelihood. Yet the right to food is not being upheld and over a billion people
go to bed hungry every night. Our work promotes livelihoods options that are able to
cope with the impacts of a changing climate, as well as focusing on growth and the
expansion of local markets.
We focus on Better Health because without health there can be no development.
Good primary healthcare starts with the basics: access to clean water and sanitation,
protection from tropical diseases such as malaria and access to skilled health
professionals. When people have access to good health care they are more likely to
lead productive and fulfilled lives.
We focus on Upholding Rights because we understand that the underlying causes of
poverty and inequality are often related to unequal power and the lack of
accountability of those in positions of power.
Our change objectives are as follows.
AIM 1: RESILIENT LIVES
Goal: To ensure that vulnerable people have more resilient and
sustainable livelihoods and that economic growth is equitable
Priority strategies: Increasing market access for smallholder farmers; conservation
and environmental protection; sustainable agricultural
development; low carbon technologies; local and sustainable
energy production; support to small and medium enterprises
(including policy environment and appropriate financing);
irrigation; seed sovereignty; land rights; crop diversification;
private sector partnerships; emergency relief (where it links to
agriculture); disaster risk reduction and management; skills
development.
Key outcomes (indicative):
# people with improved crop and livestock yields
# people that have established or strengthened their businesses
# people with new skills that lead to improved livelihoods
# hectares irrigated
# trees planted
7. Impacts (assessed through evaluations/ impact assessments):
The people and communities we work with do not experience a „hungry
season‟ and have livelihood strategies in place that ensure food at all times of
the year to all, including for the most vulnerable.
Smallholder farmers and small enterprise owners are able to strengthen their
businesses and adapt to changing marketplaces, making them profitable
People we work with feel that they have an improving quality of life
AIM 2: BETTER HEALTH
Goal: To improve health by increasing access to basic services like
water, sanitation, primary healthcare and emergency food/
shelter
Priority strategies: Service provision of basic services (with local government and
private contractors); improving government accountability for the
provision of basic services; policy development related to
health/WASH; emergency relief; community partnership and
ownership of primary healthcare
Key outcomes (indicative):
# people with access to safe water
# water points provided or rehabilitated
# people with improved access to healthcare
# people supported with emergency relief
Impacts (assessed through evaluations/ impact assessments):
People we work with are healthier and able to be more productive (more work
days and higher incomes)
People live with dignity, including in the immediate aftermath of emergencies.
AIM 3: UPHOLDING RIGHTS
Goal: To improve government accountability to vulnerable people and
to increase citizen engagement in decision-making processes,
as well as increasing the respect for the rights of all people.
Priority strategies: social protection; gender and disability rights; local governance;
social accountability; citizen engagement; prevention of violence
against women.
8. Key outcomes (indicative):
# people/ CSOs in dialogue with local or national government on issues that affect
their livelihood (local monitoring)
# service provision agreements signed with duty bearers
# of local government bodies using social accountability tools
Impacts (assessed through evaluations/ impact assessments):
„Active citizens‟ - People able to influence the decisions that affect them,
people feel empowered, CSOs have the capacity to uphold rights.
„Accountable government‟ – Provincial and District development plans include
and implement appropriate and inclusive developmental activities.
Men and women are satisfied that their voice is heard by formal institutions,
for example through improved participation in elections or voter registration
People feel more secure
ENABLING IT ALL TO HAPPEN: Efficient and
effective services
Our programmatic work is underpinned by vital support services, essential to the
operation of Concern Universal. We will strive to have efficient and effective
services in all of our Country Programmes and UK Office. Our efforts will focus on
improving the effectiveness of our development programmes, increasing our
financial stability, strengthening the resilience of our information and
communications technology, enhancing the performance of our human
resources, and improving our marketing and communications. Together these
will ensure that we are able to deliver effective, sustainable programmes that offer
high value for money.
