Attachments
Introduction
The work of the Interagency Standing Committee Task Force 5 on Localization seeks to strengthen the engagement and leadership of local and national actors in humanitarian coordination mechnisms and humanitarian response.
This report supports the continued commitments of the Grand Bargain and is one of the deliverables of Task Force 5 on Localization and its work:
Engagement: Operationalizing the IASC guidance on the engagement and leadership of local actors in humanitarian coordination including by: (i) delivering on benchmarks for the engagement of local actors in humanitarian coordination structures (including through setting targets in various operations, where possible), (ii) reporting annually on progress made in the meaningful engagement of local actors in coordination structures (including reporting on progress against agreed targets set at the country-level), and (iii) Compiling good practice on the participation, representation and leadership of local actors in coordination mechanisms (including women-led organizations) and approaches to engage affected populations in humanitarian response.
Capacity Sharing: Agreeing on minimum standards/arrangements to strengthen the sharing of capacity and risk management between international actors and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Resourcing: Supporting efforts to increase and channel more direct funds to local NGOs including by (i) advising on concrete steps to be taken to strengthen the channelling of funds to local NGOs, particularly women-led organizations (including in complement to Grand Bargain efforts and agreed targets); (ii) Reporting annually on progress in getting funds to local NGOs, and (iii) Stepping up advocacy with donors, United Nations agencies and INGOs on increasing direct funding to local partners.
This report, a summary of successful approaches collected from members of the task force, shares good practices on the participation, representation, and leadership of local actors in coordination mechanisms (including women-led organizations), along with approaches to engage affected populations in humanitarian response. Case studies were selected based upon a set criterion; they can be read in more detail here. See Acknowledgements for a comprehensive list of contributors.
The good practices showcased in this report were identified and documented using a template1 that utilized the 2021 IASC Guidance on Localization, which supports efforts to strengthen the meaningful participation, representation, and leadership of local and national humanitarian actors within IASC humanitarian coordination structures. As such, this summary and the accompanying case studies seek to promote knowledge-sharing and inspire progress and positive change regarding the meaningful participation of local actors in humanitarian coordination platforms.
The purpose of this summary is to shed light on the breakthroughs and innovative approaches of local actors in strengthening their role in coordination, leadership, and decision-making processes. The Task Force has noted that challenges and barriers to localization are frequently discussed, while there is less visibility regarding how local actors have managed to achieve concrete results. These good practices serve as an inspiration to achieve more through great collaboration and meaningful partnerships with international actors.