Perspectives on locally led humanitarian action: advancing UK practice and policy

Ahead of the Grand Bargain Annual Meeting (8th-9th October), Bond, CAFOD and the Universities of Warwick and Essex publish a follow-up report to a Conference they co-organised on 27th March 2025 on ways forward for UK donor institutions – in particular FCDO, DEC and Start – and UK INGOs titled ‘Perspectives on Locally Led Humanitarian Action: Advancing UK Practice and Policy.’

At the Conference, over 100 participants contributed to the discussion including representatives from INGOs, FCDO, academia and local/national actors (LNAs). The agenda was developed based on consultation with the BOND Humanitarian Working Group and representatives from national NGO networks in Kenya (Charter4Change Kenya Working-Group), Syria (Syrian Civil Society Networks Platform and Syria Localisation Lab) and Ukraine (Ukraine CSO Alliance). The new report outlines a summary of key recommendations and discussions arising from each session, building on dialogue with the LNAs and Bond member agencies involved. The co-organisers and the LNA networks remain in touch on evidencing, follow-up policy dialogue and other actions both at the country-level, and at UK-level – notably in the context of FCDO plans towards the proposed summit on development/aid sector reform next year.

Representatives from the co-organisers and LNA partners involved shared the following thoughts on the Conference discussion and follow-up to it:

“At this moment of aid cuts and wider attacks on the delivery of principled humanitarian action, UK INGOs and local actors came together to reflect on what needs to change. The Labour government has said it wants to support a new approach to working with partners in the majority world. Baroness Chapman has said she wants to leverage UK expertise and influence in reforming what FCDO does on development and humanitarian. The vast majority of UK humanitarian funding is currently directed through UN agencies, who often work through a very top-down approach with local actors. That needs to change. We hope the Government can act on the insights, ideas and commitment to radical change that civil society is advocating for at this time. That means investing in a contextualised approach to reinforcing locally-led humanitarian action in practical ways, ensuring that commitments made lead to real change on the ground.”

– Romilly Greenhill, CEO, Bond

“The British government has said it will host a global aid reform summit next year. That is a great opportunity to act on the practical, but also transformative ideas which local civil society and INGOs committed to partnership are advocating for. Despite all the many challenges facing the humanitarian system, the reality is that local actors – including womens’ groups, youth networks, faith-based organisations and others – continue to deliver humanitarian work, including where international agencies cannot reach. Some INGOs are also taking meaningful steps on better partnering with and reinforcing local actors.

Some British embassies have found ways around the standard red-tape, top-down approaches to aid and are supporting local actors. We need FCDO to make this kind of innovative practice not the exception, but the norm.”

– Howard Mollett, Head of Humanitarian Policy, CAFOD

“Real change in humanitarian agencies means working at every level — from the systems that shape the sector, to the organisations that drive it, and the individuals who bring it to life. By joining forces, practitioners and researchers can not only expose hidden barriers but also co-create new possibilities for more just and effective humanitarian action. The recent conference at Warwick showed how powerful and effective this kind of collaboration can be.”

– Dr Hamid Foroughi, Associate Professor in Responsible Management, University of Warwick

“Our conference and this report confirm that donors, like the FCDO, DEC, and Start Network, plus humanitarian agencies and Bond members, must prioritise localisation and double down on change commitments, local leadership, and mutual accountability. Such efforts will usher in more democratic partnerships, and more cost-effective local innovations, during a challenging time. We’ll need an openness to new ways of working, contracting, and partnering, and creative implementation using co-designed policies, digital transformations, and more sensitive risk sharing. The question is – can we become prime-movers for localisation’s next phase, beyond box-ticking alone?” – Dr Paul R Kelly, Assistant Professor in Organisations Studies & Global Development, Essex Business School, University of Essex.

“Kenya has been at the forefront of advancing localization, with national NGOs leading innovative partnerships with INGOs, government, and emerging community philanthropy. These efforts demonstrate that shifting power and resources closer to communities results in more accountable and responsive aid. To scale this transformation, donors like the British Government must align their cooperation with locally-led solutions. Kenyan civil society is piloting participatory approaches to due diligence and monitoring, utilizing unique participatory methodologies that ensure communities shape decisions and outcomes. We are eager to engage the UK Embassy and other donors seeking their support to strengthen these innovative models”

– Martin Irungu, Director, Empower and Serve Kenya, Chair Charter4Change Kenya