The Charter for Change (C4C) is an international initiative that aims to shift power and resources to local organizations in humanitarian and development work. Signatories commit to principles such as increasing direct funding to local organizations, improving their capacity, and advocating for the localization agenda globally. Endorsers on the other hand commit to charter of accountability including being accountable to funding received, upholding partnerships , transparency, accountability, enhancing capacity and more.
The Kenya Working Group’s Annual Dialogue, held on November 13-14, 2024, in Nairobi, provided an update on progress toward these commitments. Mr. Ahmed shared an accountability report highlighting changes achieved by signatories including:
– A marked rise in funding directly allocated to local organizations to reduce dependency on intermediaries.
– Investments in training and tools have improved local organizations’ ability to manage programs effectively.
– Advocacy efforts have amplified the localization agenda within global humanitarian frameworks. and more.
Endorsers have continued to monitor progress, with mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and hold signatories accountable to their commitments.
Day One Highlights
The first day featured a panel discussion with representatives from USAID, the PBO Authority, Catholic Relief Services, Christian Aid, and ASAL Humanitarian Network. The team shared how the different institutions practiced localization, their lessons and recommendations to ensure the practices are sustainable.
Participants then engaged in group discussions, exploring practical localization strategies on the ground. Key takeaways included the need for long-term investments, greater trust-building with local organizations, and addressing barriers to localization. – Addressing funding restrictions to enable more flexible programming, accelerating the pace of localization among local organizations and tackling systemic challenges like restricted administrative budgets.
Day Two Highlights
Day two began with a session on local resource mobilization led by the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF), showcasing the Game Changer Academy, an e-learning platform for local resource mobilization training.
A one on one session with Ambassador Caitriona Ingoldsby of Ireland shared insights on fostering partnerships with local communities ensuring solutions are community led.
INGOs, including the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Danish Church Aid (DCA), shared examples of successful localization, emphasizing:
– Direct partner engagement and adapting to local contexts.
– Strengthening monitoring and accountability.
– Documenting the work of local organizations for impact measurement.
The 2-day dialogue concluded with discussions on key achievements, challenges, and recommendations to be shared with global charter for change group on Localization. 1
