Society and Public Space

Localization is the process by which power and resources are shared with local and national NGOs to help build their capacity so they can deliver humanitarian aid more effectively and sustainably. We at the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD), advocate for the localization of development, humanitarian, and emergency relief efforts through our programs, platforms, outreach, and partnerships. Involving local and national NGOs improves the impact and effectiveness of aid, and can prove financially beneficial; costs like implementation, staffing, and management are all expenses that INGOs can reduce as local NGOs are more likely to have staff that speak the dialect and understand the particular context. It also works to reduce wasteful or duplicated programming. Structurally, localization operates as one way to balance the inequality in power dynamics between larger INGOs and their smaller national and local counterparts. Working with and strengthening the capacity of national and local organizations, rather than working in parallel to them, can improve the effectiveness of aid work and reinforce rather than undermine national development efforts.