Posted on 30 November 2018
CID Briefing Paper
Author: Chris Clarke
Synopsis: The purpose of this paper is to stimulate thoughts on the implications for New Zealand based International NGOs (INGOs) of the greater ‘localisation’ of humanitarian aid and development.
The discussion about what ‘localisation’ will mean for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), INGOs and local NGO partners in-country is relatively new, having only come to global prominence since the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. The ideas that lie behind localisation have, however, been prominent in conversations about reform of the humanitarian sector for many years. At the heart of ‘localisation’ is the commitment to strengthening the independence of local and national leaders in humanitarian action and decision making, in order to better address the needs of affected populations.
This issues paper starts with a discussion about the definition of localisation and the global implications. It then seeks to identify the challenges localisation will present New Zealand based INGOs. The paper next addresses the opportunities of localisation, before concluding with some brief comments on the next steps for INGO leaders, CID and MFAT to consider in responding to these challenges and opportunities.