Localization of WASH Coordination
Localization in Coordination
Participation and Representation
All actions should be undertaken in the spirit of the principles of partnership to create an enabling environment for Local and National Agencies (L/NAs), keeping in mind that power imbalances and unconscious bias may influence the setup of coordination structures. This includes forming alliances with local organizations and that international organizations have the appropriate resources to work with local coordination structures.
To support meaningful engagement, it is important to consult with L/NAs to clarify existing coordination structures and always take existing national and local approaches and structures into account.
International actors must recognize that many organizations are fully equipped to participate in international coordination mechanisms and should only offer capacity support when/where it is requested.
Process for inclusion of national organizations in the IASC humanitarian response architecture
Leadership
L/NAs should have equitable opportunities to interact with international actors and among their own peers. Ensuring the presence and meaningful participation of local WLOs and WROs in NHWCP will be important for sustaining women’s leadership over time. Humanitarian leadership should be inclusive, representative, gender-balanced, accountable and supportive of the entire humanitarian community.
Leadership = inclusive, representative, gender-balanced, accountable, and supportive
Visibility
L/NAs have the right to be visible inter alia to, raise awareness of their contributions to humanitarian response, mobilize funds as well as receive acknowledgement for their work. Explicitly acknowledge and proactively support L/NAs role’s in reporting to donors, media and in all other public communications and ensure their visibility in all humanitarian documents (ToR, HNO, HRP, PMR, SOF, EPR, etc.)
Preparedness, response and Triple Nexus
Localization should be integrated throughout the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). The quality, accountability and coherence of a humanitarian response is strengthened when L/NAs are involved in all stages of response planning including emergency preparedness. L/NAs can also effectively contribute to leveraging humanitarian-development collaboration and, where appropriate, peace collaboration. Efforts should be stepped up with L/NAs especially when this response may relate to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Areas of Accountability and Monitoring
Country-level accountability mechanisms should strengthen shared and mutual responsibilities of all humanitarian actors.
Supporting actions for localization in coordination
1. Capacity Strengthening
Institutional and technical capacity strengthening is a critical approach to participation and leadership of L/NAs in coordination.
It should also be considered as a key aspect of working of humanitarian-development collaboration, as L/NAs are instrumental stakeholders in both humanitarian response and development work, and should be empowered to facilitate effective exit strategies and sustainable transfer of responsibility to L/NAs.
Institutional capacity strengthening for local partners should be considered as part of the response strategy and not just considered a support cost.
One-way capacity strengthening opportunities directed towards L/NAs may also miss opportunities for co-learning, two-way learning and capacity transfers.
2. Resources for coordination
Resources are required to overcome many of the barriers L/NAs face when it comes to their participation and effective engagement. Pooled funds can be particularly effective in allowing local actors, directly or through international agencies, to obtain flexible funding that supports operations, institutional capacity, and staffing.