After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Cinematic Arts, Julie completed a Master’s degree in Globalization and International Development, specializing in women’s rights. She then immersed herself in the world of development communities in Peru, where she worked for several years with Oxfam. She is now responsible for Digital Issues at Greenpeace Canada.
What do you think are the current challenges in the cooperation sector?
I think most of us believe in the power of working together to address the multiple crises we face, such as climate change, extreme inequality and social polarization. International aid can be a driver of important synergies for addressing urgent global challenges, with coordinated responses. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges is the power dynamics at the core of the international development communities, which replicate colonial patterns.
How do you consider they should be faced?
I believe that the first step in decolonizing the international aid system is to make the effort to decolonize oneself (a process that can be uncomfortable), while promoting a culture of equality and inclusion within aid organizations. Perhaps part of the solution is also to recognize that all organizations operate within a larger system that replicates colonial patterns. This system must be studied, understood and ultimately decolonized.
