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Women-led organizations and women's rights organizations have played a central role in responding to the war in Ukraine and refugee hosting countries, providing frontline services, addressing gender-based violence, and supporting displaced populations. However, these organizations continue to face major challenges in accessing funding, engaging in coordination structures, and sustaining their work.
While the Grand Bargain highlights the importance of localization, it insufficiently addresses the gendered dimensions of this commitment. Gender in Humanitarian Action (GiHA) coordination plays a critical role in advancing the localization agenda by creating space for the leadership, perspectives, and priorities of local women’s organizations within humanitarian planning and decision-making.
Drawing on examples from Ukraine, Moldova, and Poland, this brief illustrates how GiHA coordination has helped strengthen localization—by supporting the meaningful participation of women-led and women’s rights organizations, promoting gender-responsive approaches, and advocating for more equitable resource distribution.
In a shifting donor landscape, where funding cuts threaten the sustainability of local action, continued investment in localized GiHA coordination is essential. It is not only a gender equality imperative but a key driver of more accountable, effective, and locally owned humanitarian responses.