By Wejdan Jarrah, MENA Representative, NEAR
This blog reflects on the key insights and discussions from the "Shift the Power" webinar, highlighting the perspectives of NEAR, Christian Aid, and HelpAge International on empowering local non-governmental organisations (LNGOs) and transforming the humanitarian system.
Introduction: Why Now? Equitable Partnerships: Evolving the INGO models
The humanitarian system is at a critical juncture. For decades, the model of aid has been dominated by international NGOs (INGOs), donor-led initiatives, and multilateral institutions. While this approach has delivered significant impact, it has also created layers of intermediaries between donors and the communities they aim to serve. Today, this model is unraveling. INGOs face crises of funding, legitimacy, and relevance, as donors pull back and global coordination weakens. The recent USAID funding freeze exposed the fragility of the system, highlighting the over-dependence on Western donors and the inefficiencies of centralised aid structures.
The question is no longer whether INGOs should grow but whether they should evolve. The time has come to shift the power—to empower local NGOs as the true stewards of their communities. This is not just a moral imperative; it is a practical necessity. Local organisations are already leading responses, holding communities together through crises, and influencing policy at national and international levels. Yet, they remain marginalised, trapped in cycles of short-term funding and limited decision-making power. The future of humanitarian aid depends on transforming these relationships into equitable partnerships grounded in mutual accountability and shared leadership.
NEAR’s Perspective: A Call for Transformation
For nearly a decade, NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response) has been at the forefront of advocating for localisation. During the webinar, NEAR emphasised that the humanitarian system is not only facing a crisis of funding but also a crisis of legitimacy. The traditional donor-led model is no longer sustainable, and INGOs must rethink their place in the ecosystem.
NEAR highlighted the uneven progress in localisation, noting that while policies have been implemented, practices and behaviors often remain unchanged. The organisation called for INGOs to move from controlling programmes to enabling them, from leading responses to backing local leadership, and from endless growth to sustainable, locally-led systems.
"You are already the leaders. Claim your space—push for power, demand equality, and reject tokenism." Said by Valeria Geremia, Network Influencing Coordinator at NEAR
NEAR envisions its role as a critical friend to INGOs—challenging, supporting, and pushing for bold and necessary change. The organisation believes that INGOs still have a role to play, but that role must evolve. It’s time for INGOs to shift from being gatekeepers to being enablers, creating space for local leadership to thrive.
Christian Aid: Redefining INGOs’ Roles
Christian Aid is leading by example in shifting the power to local actors. The organisation shared how it has transitioned from direct implementation to working exclusively through local partners.
Christian Aid exemplifies how INGOs can transition from implementers to enablers of locally-led development. The organisation has fundamentally restructured its operations, ceasing all direct implementation to work exclusively through local partners. This strategic pivot acknowledges that authentic localisation requires INGOs to relinquish operational control rather than compete with grassroots actors.
Their transformation is anchored in three concrete actions:
Elevating Core Funding: Prioritising unrestricted support to strengthen partners' institutional resilience beyond project cycles
Equitable Cost Sharing:
Guaranteeing 10% indirect cost recovery (ICR) from Christian Aid's own resources
Splitting donor-provided ICR equally with partners .
Redirecting Resources: Closing country offices and redirecting operational savings to local partners
Central to this approach is Christian Aid's practice of co-creating programmes through a paradigm-shifting question to communities: "How can we support you?" This reframes partnerships as equal collaborations where decision-making authority resides locally. As Interim Director of International Programmes Ray Hassan notes:
"Being comfortable with a smaller institutional footprint isn't diminished impact—it's success measured by local partners' autonomy."
HelpAge International: A Systematic Transition
HelpAge International is another organisation making bold strides in localisation. HelpAge shared how it is transitioning its country offices into independent local entities, allowing local organisations to lead programs and access funding directly. This process is tailored to each country’s unique context, ensuring that local entities have the autonomy and resources they need to succeed.
HelpAge emphasised that localisation is not just about shifting power but also about providing long-term support. The organisation ensures a systematic and responsible transition process, including consultations, assessments, and a three-year support period for financial and technical capacity strengthening. HelpAge also advocates with donors to work directly with local entities, facilitating partnerships that bypass traditional INGO structures.
"Advocate for direct donor-local partnerships. Start by sharing power before shifting it. Believe in local entities—they can manage donor requirements effectively." said by Murali from HelpAge
The Way Forward: From Growth to Empowerment
The insights from NEAR, Christian Aid, and HelpAge International converge on a single truth: the future of humanitarian aid lies in empowering local NGOs. This requires INGOs to challenge their traditional growth models and embrace a new role as enablers, conveners, and supporters. It also demands structural and cultural shifts—moving from tokenistic localisation to true transformation.
For INGOs, this means being comfortable with becoming smaller and more focussed. For donors, it means investing in locally-led pooled funds, simplifying due diligence processes, and committing to equitable cost-sharing. For local organisations, it means claiming their space, pushing for power, and demanding equality.
The time for change is now. Localisation is not just a policy—it’s a practice, a mindset, and a movement. Success will be measured not in outputs but in lasting impact and local ownership.
"You don’t need to wait for others to make space for you. You can claim it." said by Valeria Geremia
Let’s shift the power. Let’s build a system that is equitable, sustainable, and locally led.