When was the last time you heard someone refer to the “voiceless,” either in the context of their work, (e.g., “I am an advocate for the “voiceless”) or in reference to the plight of a specific group of people, likely in a developing country?
I remember hearing the “voiceless” narrative as a kid and thinking (if I’m being honest here) of African refugees, sitting in camps, waiting around silently and helplessly for someone to rescue them, without capacity to speak up for themselves.
And in my time working in the policy and advocacy fields in Washington, I have heard this portrayal repeatedly. Certainly not from ill-intentioned people. Heck, I’m sure I myself have been guilty of this sort of talk before. But I think it’s time that we – particularly those of us working to influence humanitarian policy issues in Washington –disassociate ourselves from this type of language and way of thinking.
Why, you ask?
