Reimagining Technical Assistance

Shifting Power to Achieve Better Health Outcomes for All

Reimagining Technical Assistance (RTA) is a JSI-led initiative to spark dialogue and change around development assistance norms, policies, and practices. We seek to contribute to a global health system where power and resources shift to local stewards, and where local entities and experts set the agenda, define needs, select approaches, and coordinate programming. At JSI, we approach RTA as a journey characterized by mutual learning, co-creation, and innovation. We invite you to test and adapt our tools and resources, and welcome your feedback and collaboration.

The Critical Shifts: A framework for change

RTA is guided by the critical shifts, a framework that identifies changes needed to move to a more country-driven, coordinated, and equitable system. Initially created by actors in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria—including government representatives, local and international implementing partners, funders, and community advocates—and later refined and validated with representatives from an additional 13 countries and experts from three funders, the framework calls for changes in how we: 1) set the agenda, fund, and partner; 2) plan, design, and implement programs; and 3) address inequity and manage power asymmetries. These shifts redefine relationships among funders, national governments, local and international implementing organizations, communities, and individuals.

Newsletter
RTA Newsletter

The Reimagining Technical Assistance provides updates on our work and events, presence at conferences, and resources for development assistance.

Benchmarking Tool
Benchmarking Tool

The critical shifts benchmarking tool details what the critical shifts might look like in practice and can be used to facilitate collaborative assessment on where we are and reflection on how we can improve. Refer to the Benchmarking Guidance Brief for more detail on conducting the benchmarking process.

Reimagining Technical Assistance to Shift Power
Shifting Power to Achieve Better Health Outcomes for All

Growing calls for localization and decolonization of health aid acknowledge these power imbalances and are spurring efforts to shift leadership and resources to local actors and communities.

Devex Q&A: Reimagining Technical Assistance to Progress Global Health
Devex Q&A: Reimagining Technical Assistance to Progress Global Health

In a conversation with Devex, JSI President and CEO Margaret Crotty elaborated on issues related to current approaches to technical assistance, and why RTA is so crucial to global health progress.

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STAY INFORMED

We call on all development partners to use the Critical Shifts and leverage our tools and resources to support action.
Send suggestions or questions to the RTA Working Group at JSI: reimaginingtawg@jsi.com.