Knowledge developed through Breaking Down Barriers reveals that Northern and Southern NGOs often hold different assumptions and practices around collaboration, which can create misalignment when building equitable partnerships. The case study of disability‑focused NGOs in Kenya shows that Southern NGOs collaborate widely, driven by needs such as accessing resources, learning, visibility, and achieving impact, yet face barriers including limited resources, geographical constraints, lack of shared vision, and insufficient trust. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing and respecting Southern priorities, collaboration patterns, and existing networks in order to build stronger, more equitable partnerships.
Key Recommendation
Equitable partnerships require INGOs to first understand and adapt to the diverse motivations, constraints, and existing collaboration practices of Southern NGOs so they can intentionally connect the right organisations and avoid imposing Northern‑centric assumptions.