In 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, localization was introduced as a fundamental component of Grand Bargain. Significant commitments on localization were made by several major donors and humanitarian organizations and the theme of localization was brought to the forefront of global discussions about aid reforms.
Prioritizing ‘greater support for the leadership, delivery and capacity of local responders and the participation of affected communities in addressing humanitarian needs’ is further emphasized in the Grand Bargain 2.0, which was launched in 2021. The recent adoption of localization as a norm in the humanitarian community is a response to the growing consensus among practitioners, policymakers, and analysts that there are numerous underlying issues within the international humanitarian system that need to be addressed to improve humanitarian responses.
But what is localization and why is it important in the humanitarian sphere?
The concept of localization in the humanitarian sector involves international organizations and governments empowering and respecting local NGOs and non-profits. It aims to strengthen local organizations by transferring tasks, power, and funding from large international actors and donors to responders at the national and local level.
The localization of humanitarian response entails acknowledging, valuing, and enhancing the leadership role by local authorities and the capacity of local civil society in humanitarian action, aimed at more effectively addressing the needs of affected populations and building the preparedness of national actors for future humanitarian responses.
A landslide occurring in a distant rural area or a displacement of a small group of people crossing the border can potentially affect the local population directly, yet it may not attract the attention of the global humanitarian community. In such scenarios, it is possible that solely local organizations involved in developmental projects may possess the capability to promptly address the urgent needs of affected people.
In many conflict zones, humanitarian workers affiliated with international organizations, whether they are from overseas or nationals of the country, are finding it difficult or even impossible to reach those requiring assistance. This situation has led to a growing reliance on local humanitarian responders by international organizations for conducting needs assessments, distributing aid, and engaging with local communities or armed groups.
The involvement of local humanitarian actors into leading humanitarian action in crisis-affected countries can result in quicker and more appropriate responses, thereby saving a greater number of lives and relieving the suffering of victims.
Signatories of the Grand Bargain agreed to a series of six commitments aimed at promoting localization, including:
- making multi-year investments to develop the institutional capacities of local and national responders;
- removing barriers that hinder partnerships between organizations and local/national responders;
- supporting national coordination mechanisms;
- allocating at least 25% of humanitarian funding to local and national responders;
- setting a ‘Localization’ marker to track funding to local and national responders;
- utilizing funding tools that improve assistance provided by local and national responders.
Allocating resources to develop long-term institutional capacity is one of the key aspects of localization. It is important to have a better understanding of the existing capacities of local actors and to give them greater recognition. Furthermore, international investment is needed to develop local non-profits’ institutional capacity over the long term. This approach is the most effective and economical way to address the increasing risks caused by climate change and to bridge the growing gap between humanitarian needs and available funding.
RoadMap’s role in localization in Iraqi and Syrian context:
Iraq has been facing a humanitarian crisis for several years due to ongoing conflicts, economic instability, and the displacement of millions of people as a result of the ISIS conflict. The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated the situation. Those who have been displaced continue to struggle to access necessities like food, healthcare, and education. Additionally, civilians in conflict-affected areas face concerns about their safety and have reported human rights violations and other abuses. The humanitarian response to the crisis in Iraq is ongoing, with numerous organizations working to provide critical support and services to those in need.
The humanitarian crisis in Syria has persisted for more than a decade due to ongoing hostilities, presenting a multifaceted challenge. Approximately 14.6 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid due to the severity of the situation. The economic and social instability of the country is impacting both internally displaced persons and refugees.
A broad range of humanitarian assistance is required for both countries, including provisions such as food, water, sanitation and hygiene services, shelter, psychosocial support, education, healthcare, and protection against gender-based violence. Numerous humanitarian organizations, both local and international, have been expanding their humanitarian efforts across all sectors in Iraq and Syria. However, the operational environment in which they operate has been highly challenging due to security concerns and limited access to affected areas. These challenges have shaped the policies and practices of humanitarian organizations. International aid organizations recognize the importance and necessity of partnering with local organizations that have the capacity to deliver effective aid. At the same time, Iraqi and Syrian aid workers have long considered local communities to be the primary responders to emergencies in the country. This growing recognition by international organizations aligns with the self-perception of local aid workers.
Localization has been central to the RoadMap since its establishment in 2022 in Iraq. As a local consultancy and development company, RoadMap endeavors to deliver impartial and thorough evaluations of operations to organizations and programs operating in Iraq and Syria, utilizing the most current technology and methodologies available. Our objective is to furnish insightful recommendations to enhance performance, enabling our clients to navigate the multifaceted Iraqi and Syrian context and achieve their objectives. We are dedicated to providing expert training and capacity building programs, such as ‘Effective Fundraising and Proposal Writing’ training in Erbil for staff of humanitarian or development organizations with responsibility for program design, business development, proposal writing, and/or fundraising, also future in-person trainings on third-party monitoring. These tailored trainings are serving as a dependable collaborator for advancement in Iraq and Syria.
As RoadMap recognizes the importance of localization, we are committed to providing opportunities for individuals and businesses to enhance their knowledge and skills in this theme. In line with this mission, RoadMap will be announcing new events and courses related to localization in the coming few months. Therefore, it is essential to stay up to date with Roadmap to ensure that one is aware of the latest trends and developments in the field of localization and more.
In RoadMap, we aim to rely on local consultants, trainers, and local field researchers as much as possible. In addition, RoadMap plans to conduct research about localization in Syria and Iraq in 2023 and arrange for regular webinars in localization where it hosts speakers from different types of stakeholders such as donors, INGOs, LNGOs, private sector, government among others.
In the second half of 2023, RoadMap will conduct a face-to-face workshop about localization and how to measure it in Erbil, Kurdistan.
About the Author
Roya Huseynova is currently a first-year NOHA master’s degree student studying International Humanitarian Action. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in International Relations in Azerbaijan. Prior to pursuing her master’s degree, Roya worked for over three years at the International Committee of the Red Cross in Azerbaijan, where she was involved in Family Reunification unit. Her areas of interest include humanitarian forensics, forced migration and rights of unaccompanied and migrant children.
References
IASC-grand-bargain
hIASC-grand-bargain-20-structure
Localisingtheresponse.pdf
Localizing-Humanitarian-Action_web.pdf
FINAL-GBW2-pooled-funding-for-localisation.pdf
https://www.unocha.org/iraq/about-ocha-iraq
https://www.unocha.org/syria
https://rmdata360.com/
