Localization in Coordination

Localization responsibilities of Cluster coordinators include:

• Encouraging partnership modalities that promote and capitalize on local capacities
• Promoting funding opportunities for local actors
• Promoting participation and influence of local and national actors in cluster coordination, and representation in cluster governance mechanisms
• Involving local actors in decision-making processes

Tips for considering localization in the CCCM Cluster coordination structure include:

Cluster Membership & Participation – promote active engagement and meaningful participation

• Proactively map and reach out to local actors in the response
• Communicate with local/national actors on the humanitarian coordination structure, and why the CCCM Cluster might be useful for local actors to participate in
• Provide new Cluster partners with an induction session
• Ensure meeting locations and remote meeting platforms are accessible
• Conduct meetings in local languages, or provide interpretation, and translate written documents. Translate meeting minutes, or at least action points.
• During coordination meetings, actively invite inputs from local and national actor

Cluster Governance Structure – share leadership and ensure participation of local/national actors

• Government co-leadership – promote government counterpart participation in, and co-leadership of, the Cluster, where feasible and appropriate
• NGO co-coordination – NGO co-coordination of clusters is considered good practice; consider a phased approach taking advantage of institutional expertise, e.g. establishing INGO co-coordination during the first phases of an emergency, then transitioning to co-coordination
• Sub-national coordination – promote NNGO co-coordination at a sub-national level
• Participation in Technical Working Groups – support local actor participation in, and taking leadership or co-leadership of TWGs; this can also be a good entry point for local/national actor engagement in the cluster governance structure
• Representation in the Strategic Advisory Group – include seats for local/national NGOs

Monitor Progress – using the Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM)

• Include specific questions on localization and encourage local/national actors to respond to the annual CCPM

Related Resources