Promoting Localization through Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
The virtual event is a panel discussion that is a part of the 2021 Humanitarian Leadership Conference and is organized by the Asian Preparedness Partnership.
Panel Discussion: Promoting Localization through Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
Date: 29 April 2021
Time: 1:30 – 3:00 PM Bangkok Standard Time
Location: Online Platform via Registration
Purpose: Local actors play a crucial role before, during, and after a disaster. They are the first responders because of access to the affected communities, understanding of the cultural context, and cost-effectiveness. They play a key role in both recovery and longer-term sustainable development.
The Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2020 states that only 2.1% ($444 million) of direct funding for humanitarian assistance was received by local and national responders in 2019, decreasing from 3.5% ($782 million) in 2018. The volume of funding received by local and national NGOs was $110 million, decreasing from $134 million in 2018.
Local and national organizations have maintained their efficacy in responding to disasters and they seek to play a bigger role in the overall humanitarian response decision-making process. Unfortunately, they are largely marginalized from the process and lack the platform to voice their concerns. Therefore, the local actors need to work in a coalition and build multi-stakeholder partnerships at regional, national and sub-national levels to strengthen their capacities.
In order to strengthen locally led actions, a unique multi-stakeholder regional platform, the ‘Asian Preparedness Partnership (APP)’ was founded in 2017, which fosters strategic multi-sectoral partnerships for improving disaster preparedness and emergency response in South and Southeast Asia and strives to improve the interface and partnerships between governments, local non-governmental and civil society organizations, and the private sector. APP defines ‘localization’ as a process where the local, sub-national, and national humanitarian actors, namely governments, civil society, and non-government organizations, the private sector, media, academia, etc. take a lead role and work collaboratively to plan and implement priority actions in disaster preparedness, humanitarian response, and recovery through mobilizing internal resources and external humanitarian funding.
This session will exhibit how innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships, such as APP, are promoting locally led actions to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. It will also show how the enabling environment for ‘localization’ supports and aligns to the key global frameworks as well as to the transformation of the humanitarian ecosystem. The important role that multi-stakeholder partnerships play in supporting COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts in Asian countries will also be highlighted.