Towards a Meaningful Engagement of Local and National Actors in the Health Cluster

The Health Cluster localization strategy provides a practical and holistic approach to ensure the meaningful engagement of local and national Actor in the Health Cluster coordination mechanism both in country-level Health Clusters and within the Global Health Cluster. It outlines prioritized actions to strengthen participation, representation, and leadership in line with Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Guidance. Furthermore, it takes into account the dimensions of accountability, capacity sharing and strengthening, resourcing for coordination, and visibility as well as ensuring linkages with preparedness, response, humanitarian, development, and peace collaborations.

The cluster has a role in strengthening the national coordination mechanisms, as well as ensuring the promotion of civic space. While this strategy will mainly focus on the role of civil society organizations within the Health Cluster, it is flexible to be adapted to address gaps in the involvement of national or local authorities. The recommendations directly contribute to the Global Health Cluster’s (GHC) 5-year strategic plan (strategic priority 1.3 and 4.2 related to localization) and complement the World Health Organization (WHO) Localization Strategy.