AIDS prevention is the same in Kansas City and Kampala. Urban planning in Chicago is no different than in Shanghai. Justice system reform is the same in Boston and Baghdad.

Of course not—but for many people it’s easy to assume that American solutions can simply be transferred overseas. This is due in no small part to the fact that there are no commonly respected standards for individuals practicing international development and relief. Under-qualified practitioners have in some cases led to poor development projects, inept use of foreign assistance resources, and the overall detriment of international development as a field. Lawyers have standards established by the American Bar Association, midwives the American Association of Nurse Midwives, physicians, engineers, realtors, even air- conditioning contractors are licensed and have professional associations. All one needs to be “qualified” as an international development practitioner is a passport.

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