Supporting local leadership: What is localisation and why is it a priority for humanitarian interventions?

Enhancing capacities of national and local actors to be better prepared to respond to humanitarian crises.

The delivery of development and humanitarian assistance has traditionally involved foreign intervention in local contexts. When the immediate need for assistance diminishes, so too do the foreign skills, capabilities, knowledge and expertise required to deliver it. Arguably, this has often left communities no more resilient, often leaving an increased burden on local people and communities to recover. This reality requires a reformed approach to the way humanitarian action is conceptualised, planned and operationalised: to put localisation at the heart of every response.

What is Localisation?

Localisation, in the context of international development, has its origins in 2016 when it emerged as a priority from the first World Humanitarian Summit, in what is known as the Grand Bargain. The summit committed stakeholders to reinforcing national and local systems and capacities first.

The localisation agenda recognises the complementary role of international actors: It doesn’t sideline international humanitarian responders but shifts their role from direct implementation to supporting local actors as implementers.

To RedR Australia, localisation is defined as the process of recognising, respecting and strengthening the independence of leadership and decision-making by national actors in humanitarian action, in order to better address the needs of affected populations.

Diversity and inclusion are hallmarks of productive teams and responsive organisations. RedR Australia is proud to lead on localisation with the development of a Localisation Strategy and Action Plan (LAP). The LAP guides the organisation through the progress of localisation and support to key stakeholders enabling RedR Australia staff, roster members, trainers and volunteers to deliver concreate localisation action over the next four years. Diversity and inclusion are hallmarks of productive teams and responsive organisations. RedR Australia is proud to lead on localisation with the development of a Localisation Strategy and Action Plan (LAP). The LAP guides the organisation through the progress of localisation and support to key stakeholders enabling RedR Australia staff, roster members, trainers and volunteers to deliver concreate localisation action over the next four years.

Localisation in action

There are fantastic examples of localisation in action through RedR Australia roster deployments in the Pacific and the Middle East.

A RedR Australia deployee with the Australia Assists program, Mayada Elsabah is a Disability Inclusion Officer currently working with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA) in Jordan. An Egyptian national and longterm resident of Jordan, Mayada speaks the local language and has a strong affinity with local communities. Mayada is responsible for developing the skills of refugees with disabilities and supporting their needs for full integration into their communities. Mayada is also developing guidelines for appropriate disability terminology to ensure UNWRA’s response not only meets the tangible needs of people with disabilities, but that all sections of the agency use inclusive and appropriate language in their work.

Jordanian local, Elias Armali is also on deployment at UNWRA through the Australia Assists program. Elias is responsible for supporting UNRWA engagement in the Gulf and other Arab countries, helping to develop existing partnerships, explore new ones, and research and approach new sources of funding in countries under the purview of the Arab Partnerships Unit (APU). Elias’ work is vital to ensuring local voices and partnership at the centre of humanitarian response in the region.

An effective response

RedR knows that the process of localisation leads to more effective humanitarian action. When local actors are first responders, they recognise and facilitate rapid and sustainable transitions to recovery because they understand the risks, assets, capabilities and services available within their own communities. Locally-led responses also benefit from greater access to, and understanding of, the needs and strengths of crisis affected people.

Right: Former Australia Assists deployee, Samoan national and long-term Fijian resident Steven Aumua supported the World Food Program with disaster preparedness and response in the pacific while on assignment as a Logistic Preparedness Officer.

Inclusive Education Officer Mayada Elsabah is working with UNRWA in Jordan on disability inclusion in the education sector.

With the pandemic worsening conflict indicators, and climate change leading to an increasing number of adverse weather events, organisations like RedR Australia play a critical role in strengthening regional, national and local capacity for humanitarian action.

For RedR Australia, localisation requires a diverse roster that reflects skills, languages, competencies and technical demands. We continue to expand our training schedule to include course locations outside of Australia, such as the Pacific and Middle East. This responds to the local demand for us to share our knowledge, but also removes travel and cost barriers while facilitating qualified and locally available experts to participate and join the RedR Australia roster.

With the pandemic worsening conflict indicators, and climate change leading to an increasing number of adverse weather events, organisations like RedR Australia play a critical role in strengthening regional, national and local capacity for humanitarian action. If Consult Australia members interested in supporting humanitarian assistance through their work wish to understand how to localise and build resilient communities, RedR Australia stands ready to help.

Kirsten Sayers CEO RedR Australia

Our next Essentials of Humanitarian Practice and Hostile Environment Awareness training courses will be held 1- 12 September 20201 at Mt Macedon, Victoria Australia. A full calendar of RedR Australia training can be found on https://redr.org.au/training-courses/training-dates/