Doing development differently at UN Week 2025

BY JULIA ROBERTS

2025 has been a challenging year for the development sector. The U.S. Government halted thousands of government-funded foreign aid programs, among them 12 BRAC initiatives. These projects had reached some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, screening people for tuberculosis, helping families in Liberia boost their incomes and food security, and helping local organizations grow stronger. These cuts on foreign aid have been part of a broader global trend, with recent cuts in Switzerland, the Netherlands and the U.K. as well. 

Despite these cuts, BRAC remains committed to the millions of people who participate in our programs. For more than 50 years, we have endured shifting aid priorities, economic crises, and natural disasters. What sets BRAC apart? Doing development differently: building ecosystems instead of short-term projects—blending partners and financing. Working as part of communities, rather than apart from them. Scaling simple solutions that are backed by evidence and led by the people who use them. 

As we look ahead to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the end of September, BRAC will take on a larger role than in years before. We are setting out to deliver a message about doing development differently. 

Hosting pivotal conversations to shape the future 

This year, amidst many bilateral meetings, BRAC is also co-hosting two major events at UN Week. On September 25th, we’ll join Arabella Advisors for “Meeting the Moment,” a conversation moderated by Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times. The discussion will bring leaders from Lever for Change, J-PAL, Arabella Advisors, and BRAC to explore how the development sector can meet the moment to respond to dramatic changes in aid and philanthropy. This will improve outcomes for millions of people. We will also highlight how ending poverty and adapting to a changing climate must go hand in hand. 

My colleagues Asif Saleh and Shameran Abed will share how evidence-based approaches—like BRAC’s Ultra-Poor Graduation model—can scale to meet this moment for our sector. They will also share more about our Big Bet on climate change, and how it will accelerate poverty alleviation. “Meeting the Moment” is not a one-time event; it’s a movement. Together, we can tackle evolving challenges with urgency and take effective solutions to scale, even during challenging times. 

On September 24th, we’ll co-host a roundtable discussion with Medtronic LABS about Bangladesh’s blueprint for primary healthcare. We are honored to welcome Dr. Muhammad Yunus, who will share the model’s global potential. 

Over the past three decades, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable public health gains. They have reduced maternal mortality by 70% and child mortality by 75% through community-based methods. Now, the country is continuing to strengthen patient care through innovation and digital tools. 

Using Bangladesh as a lighthouse example, this working session will bring together senior leaders from development institutions. We will explore how public, social, and private actors can work together to transform primary healthcare in low-resource settings. 

What BRAC wants the world to know

The development sector is under immense pressure, with complex global problems and less predictable aid and funding cycles. During this time, BRAC’s message is simple: development must be done differently. It must be rooted in the lived reality in the Global South—where most of humanity lives, builds, and leads. It must convene partners, blend resources for scale, drive efficiency and be founded on evidence.

For BRAC, localization is not a new strategy—it’s who we are. BRAC was born in the post-war ruins of Bangladesh. It was then one of the poorest countries in the world. We didn’t arrive with answers. We searched for and built them alongside the community, out of necessity and solidarity. When solutions are led by those who live the problem, they are more grounded, more relevant, and long-lasting.

This approach has taken root in more than 15 countries—not through replication, but through adaptation by communities. Across Asia and Africa, this approach helps people create solutions that last long after aid cycles end. And it shows that community-driven models can operate at scale. BRAC has partnered with more than 145 million people over five decades across education, health, microfinance, and more. 

For BRAC, building ecosystems, blending resources, and focusing on big goals is not a new strategy: It’s who we are. Now is the time for development to shift similarly.

Development must focus on developing more coalitions on single issues. We should all use whatever convening power we hold to advocate for investing in a few big bets and proven solutions that can scale. Those who implement and fund development must also commit to long-term goals and more trusting/risk capital to be deployed to organizations with proven results. Real change is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Deep-rooted challenges cannot be solved through quick fixes or short-term projects. This means moving beyond typical short term project cycles and investing in longer-term, multidisciplinary efforts focused on systems change, market creation, and intergenerational impact.

This is what it means to do development differently: to trust and invest in the power people already have while building systems that help that power flourish.

Meeting this moment and looking ahead with hope

The challenges facing the development sector are real—but so is the opportunity. As BRAC steps into UN Week, we look forward to learning from others and offering bold, proven, community-led solutions. 

By doing development differently, BRAC has endured a history of uncertainty. Our social enterprises and locally-led social development approaches have helped us remain resilient in the face of disruption. Together, we can meet this moment, too—and build a future where everyone has the potential to prosper.

Julia Roberts is President and CEO of BRAC USA. Follow along with Julia on LinkedIn for more updates during UN week and beyond.