Localization

What is Localization?

There is no single definition of “localization”. In the Grand Bargain (a 2016 agreement between some of the largest humanitarian donors and agencies) signatories committed… to “making principled humanitarian action as local as possible and as international as necessary” while continuing to recognize the vital role of international actors, in particular in situations of armed conflict. Other actors have developed their own definitions and localization objectives. 

The overall objective of localization is improved humanitarian response, ensuring access for all in need to fast, quality, impactful, and sustainable humanitarian assistance that is efficient, effective, and fit for purpose. Local actors are key for this and have distinct strengths, as they often play a crucial role in ensuring early response and access, acceptance, cost-effectiveness, and link with development (i.e. reducing the impact of future crises).  

In order to achieve these benefits, the specific objectives of localization are to: 

• Increase investment in local actors, and 
• Improve partnerships and coordination between international and local responders 

Localization is also about complementarity, which looks for a balance between local and international action to maximize the comparative advantages of both and increase the effectiveness of the humanitarian response. 

The localization commitments of the Grand Bargain are:  

• Partnership: remove barriers to partnership; include capacity-strengthening in partnership agreements 
• Capacity-strengthening: invest in institutional capacities; reinforce not replace 
• Financing: more use of pooled funds, measure more direct and indirect funding to local actors 
• Coordination: support & complement local mechanisms; involve local actors in international mechanisms 

Cluster Responsibilities

Responsibilities

A CCCM Cluster coordination team, led by the Cluster Coordinator and Co-Coordinator, must proactively promote and support the meaningful participation of local and national actors. You should be aiming to:  

• Encourage partnership modalities that build local capacities  
• Promote funding opportunities for local actors   
• Promote participation and influence of local and national actors in CCCM Cluster coordination, and representation in CCCM Cluster governance mechanisms  

You can use the resources listed below and the “tips for localization” throughout the Toolkit to help you promote localization in the work of the Cluster, including in:  

• Coordination – including in Cluster Co-coordination, and Strategic Advisory Groups 
• Conducting needs assessment and analysis 
• Developing CCCM Response Strategies 
• Humanitarian Program Cycle & developing HNOs/HRPs 
• Advocacy and resource mobilization 

Localization Strategies

To make real progress on localization, you might wish to consider setting specific priorities and agreeing on activities that the Cluster will undertake to support localization – and, monitoring the progress of these.  

For example: 

• Including localization priorities and activities in the CCCM Response Strategy and HRP 
• Including specific activities on localization in the Cluster workplan 
• Monitoring activities relating to localization through regular CCCM reporting 
• Monitoring the work of the Cluster on localization through the annual Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM) 
• Developing a specific strategy and workplan on localization 

Priority Actions

The following are – practical! – priority actions that are identified in the Inter-Agency Toolkit on Humanitarian Coordination, that can help guide the work of a CCCM Cluster coordination team: 

1. Conduct meetings in the appropriate local/national languages and/ or provide interpretation (during meetings) as well as translation of written documents  
2. Proactively map and reach out to local/national actors relevant to the response… and ensure interaction with local/national coordination groups which co-exist with the international humanitarian coordination mechanisms through sharing strategies and plans to mutually inform decisions.   
3. Provide all new coordination group members with an induction session.  
4. Ensure meeting locations and remote meeting platforms are accessible to and suitable for local/national actors, and provide transportation/ logistical support when needed.  
5. Share leadership roles between local/national and international actors – see Toolkit Section 1.5 Shared Leadership  
6. Conduct a capacity needs assessment of all cluster partners in order to develop reciprocal institutional and technical capacity strengthening and exchange initiatives – see Toolkit Section 8.5 Capacity Building  
7. Advocate for direct and multi-year funding that cover institutional and technical capacity strengthening for local/national actors among donors, and encourage international actors to form consortiums with local and national organisations – see Toolkit Section 7.1 Advocacy & Toolkit Section 7.4 Resource Mobilization and Toolkit Section 5.6 Pooled Funds   
8. Arrange workshops for local/national actors, including e.g. community-based organizations who are not members of coordination groups, as well as local/national actors who are already members, in local/national languages, to gather their input and integrate these in all joint plans, measures and reports related to the Humanitarian Program Cycle, including Humanitarian Needs Overviews (HNOs) and Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs) – see Toolkit Section 4.1 CCCM Cluster Response Strategy and Toolkit Section 5 – Humanitarian Program Cycle  
9. Explicitly reference localisation practices and strategies in key planning documents see Toolkit Section 4 Strategic Planning and Toolkit Section 5 – Humanitarian Program Cycle 
10. Monitor and assess the progress on localization in coordination in all relevant reviews and evaluations – see Toolkit Section 1.10 Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring  
11. Ensure the Principles of Partnership are included in the Terms of Reference of the coordination groups/cluster, accompanied by a monitoring tool – see Toolkit Section 1. Coordination  

Resources on Localization

There are practical “tips for localization” throughout this CCCM Cluster Coordination Toolkit, to give you suggestions on how to consider and promote localization in all aspects of the work of the Cluster.  

The Inter-Agency Toolkit on Localization in Humanitarian Coordination (see Toolkit Resources below), contains multiple practical tools and guidance, that you can use: 

Use Resources to support the Cluster coordination team, including: 

• Advocacy tool on promoting funding for local/national actors 
• Tipsheet and Framework on capacity strengthening 
• Tipsheet for Integrating Localization in the HNO and HRP – see Toolkit Section 5. HPC 
• Checklist for localization in humanitarian coordination mechanisms - see Related Resources below 
• Checklist for induction of new Cluster partners – see Toolkit Section 1. 3 Cluster Membership & Participation

Share Resources with local and national actors, including:  

• Quick guide on Humanitarian coordination and the cluster approach available in multiple languages 
• Roles and rights for humanitarian coordination 
• Guidance on how to advocate for key issues 
• Proposal writing guide 
• Tipsheet on complementarity between local and international actors in humanitarian coordination 
• Frequently Asked Questions about Clusters and the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HNO and HRP)  

Read & Understand  

• Arguments for localization in humanitarian coordination  
• Simple Q&A guidance on localization in coordination – what it is and why it is important 

Related Resources