Attachments
Author: Murray Garrard
Lake Chad Localisation Programme
The NORCAP Lake Chad Localisation Programme launched in 2017 following the 2017 Oslo Humanitarian Conference for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region, convened to address humanitarian crises in Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon. Based on recommendations from local civil society organisations, NORCAP was selected to support grassroots initiatives in these countries.
The programme pairs two specialists in each country: a localisation specialist and a gender specialist. Together, they work to strengthen local organisations’ capacities and influence in humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. This is achieved through three main approaches: building civil society capabilities, promoting systemic change, and increasing local organisations’ visibility. Key focus areas include organisational development, gender-responsive programming (with particular attention to enabling women-led organisations), and increasing local participation in humanitarian coordination mechanisms. NORCAP collaborates with Resident Coordinators’ Offices, UN Women, and OCHA, supporting over 60 local organisations across the four countries, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA) and ECHO.
Executive Summary
The document showcases a series of approaches taken by NORCAP specialists to localising humanitarian response across the Lake Chad Basin region. These stories demonstrate how targeted support to local organisations, particularly women-led groups, is transforming humanitarian action from the ground up. From Nigeria, where the BAYNetWoC network secured representation in high-level coordination bodies, to Chad, where a comprehensive localisation strategy is reshaping humanitarian coordination, each story illustrates how localisation is not one thing, but changes with context.
The stories highlight three key themes: the critical role of women’s leadership in a more localised humanitarian response, as seen in Niger’s successful integration of women-led organisations in decision-making processes; the importance of systematic capacity strengthening, exemplified by Cameroon’s approach to supporting local organisations in accessing international funding; and the power of collective action, demonstrated by local civil society’s growing influence at the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum. Each story provides concrete examples of how local organisations, when supported and given opportunities, can effectively lead the humanitarian response in their communities.
These stories demonstrate that localisation is not just a concept, but is actionable and has impact – not just for the local organisations benefitting from greater recognition, but also for the communities they serve. Whether through women leading reintegration processes for former combatants in Cameroon, or local organisations accessing direct international funding through innovative mechanisms like the UN Peacebuilding Fund, the stories demonstrate how shifting power to local actors enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of humanitarian response in complex crisis settings.
Overall Recommendations
- Establish and expand structured mentorship programmes that pair experienced and emerging organisations to build sustainable capacity in governance, financial management, and programme execution.
- Create dedicated funding mechanisms at national and regional levels, including pooled funds and simplified grant processes, to ensure local organisations, especially those led by women and marginalised groups, have direct and sustained access to resources.
- Formalise local representation in humanitarian coordination mechanisms by establishing quotas and creating permanent advisory roles for local civil society organisations in key decision-making bodies like Humanitarian Country Teams (HCT) and pooled funds advisory boards.
- Develop formal partnerships between local organisations and domestic funding sources, including government bodies and private sector actors, to reduce reliance on international grants and ensure long-term sustainability.
- Strengthen the advocacy and communications capacity among local organisations through tailored training programmes, enabling them to effectively influence policy decisions and articulate community needs at all levels of humanitarian response.