As Anticipatory and Early Action gain traction, so does discussion on localisation. As the first responders to disasters, local organisations play crucial roles to ensure that timely assistance is provided to those affected by or at risk of crises.
Moderated by Jameel Observatory PhD student Susan Njambi-Szlapka, this webinar by Tufts University and the Academic Alliance for Anticipatory Action brought together practitioners, researchers and local organisations working in these spaces to discuss the benefits and pitfalls of localised anticipatory action and what we have learned.
Here, Susan shares her key take-aways from the session – you can also watch the full webinar recording on YouTube:
- We need to be clearer about what we mean by localisation. While it is tempting to differentiate between international and local this can often be a false dichotomy.
- That said, local organisations play a crucial role especially when it comes to reaching hard to reach groups such as refugees or even women who are often the last to receive information about crises.
- Local organisations also play an important role in sharing and brokering knowledge and information. For early warnings to be effective it is important that they reach everyone who is affected – which can sometimes be difficult for large organisations with offices only in the main cities. On the other hand, local communities have a wealth of knowledge about crises (and how they unfold) that large international organisations might not have. Local organisations can also gather that knowledge and bring this to the mainstream.
- From communicating early warnings to designing, implementing and monitoring early action protocols, there are many entry points for local organisations in anticipatory action. But genuine engagement of local organisation requires addressing power imbalances that inhibit their decision-making power. One important element is to provide more flexible funding that allows local organisations to make decisions and adapt interventions as and when they see fit.