Localisation and Local Humanitarian Action: Humanitarian Exchange Number 79 May 2021

In this number of Humanitarian Exchange, the authors interrogate the link between capacity strengthening and localisation, concluding that supporting local leadership is a more effective approach. Capacity-strengthening is discussed including how innovative initiatives can use a longer-term integrated training, mentoring and partnering approach to support local and national actors to achieve organisational sustainability, increase humanitarian response capacity and develop new partnerships. Different organisations share their perspectives on how partnerships with international organisations have influenced organisational development as well as new opportunities for locally-owned responses in times of Covid-19 and a reminder of the importance of understanding the history of localisation.