Statement: Under pressure: The Grand Bargain 3.0’s final year of implementation and future Statement - Annual Meeting 2025

Statement: Under pressure: The Grand Bargain 3.0’s final year of implementation and future. As we enter the final year of 3.0 implementation, Signatories have been called on to think about the future of the Grand Bargain. For NEAR, it is increasingly clear that a quid pro quo model centred at the global level and steered primarily by international actors was not only ineffective but is no longer legitimate. (October 2025) Español / Français

Drastic funding cuts, rollbacks on multilateralism, and increased violations of humanitarian law have created not only a crisis of legitimacy for the humanitarian system, but a crisis of survival for people relying on aid. These realities continue to take a toll on local and national civil society actors, who have had to halt programmes to communities, cope with the hypocrisies within the sector, and respond to the fallout of increased distrust from communities. The sector faces different challenges than it did ten years ago, and these cannot be ignored by the Grand Bargain.

As we enter the final year of 3.0 implementation, Signatories have been called on to think about the future of the Grand Bargain. For NEAR, it is increasingly clear that a quid pro quo model centred at the global level and steered primarily by international actors was not only ineffective but is no longer legitimate. Rather than double down on business models that no longer deliver for communities, Signatories must think differently. This is a challenging yet pivotal moment for change.

As NEAR considers possible futures of the Grand Bargain, we have a guiding star: Power and resources must be re-organised and decentralised from the select few to support wider, diverse ecosystems of local, national, and regional actors.

Read full paper here.

Solidarity Statement: NEAR and the Asia-Pacific Local Leaders in Solidarity with Crises Affected Communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Solidarity Statement: NEAR and the Asia-Pacific Local Leaders in Solidarity with Crises Affected Communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. NEAR and the Asia-Pacific Local Leaders (APLL) stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan as they face the devastating impacts of concurrent crises that reveal both the fragility of the aid system and the courage of communities leading the response. (September 2025)

NEAR and the Asia-Pacific Local Leaders (APLL) stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan as they face the devastating impacts of concurrent crises that reveal both the fragility of the aid system and the courage of communities leading the response.

In Pakistan, pre-monsoon rains have unleashed catastrophic floods, isolating entire communities and creating major public health emergencies. At the same time, a powerful earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan, leaving survivors trapped, injured, and exposed to the elements.

Across both contexts, local organisations are the first and most trusted responders. NEAR members are assisting affected communities, mobilising despite immense challenges to deliver urgent and life-saving support. Rooted in their contexts and accountable to their people, they remain determined to meet urgent needs with dignity and care.

INGO Accountability Review: Under Pressure: How INGOs are responding to the aid funding crisis and what it reveals about the fragility of localisation commitments.

INGO Accountability Review: Under Pressure: How INGOs are responding to the aid funding crisis and what it reveals about the fragility of localisation commitments. This review examines how INGOs have been responding to funding challenges, looking at what they are doing (or failing to do) to support their local and national partners. (July 2025)

In the wake of the largest aid funding cuts in recent history, NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response) asks: are international NGOs living up to their commitments to localisation – or retreating into self-preservation?

📉 With the abrupt $60 Billion cut in U.S. foreign aid and declines from other Global North donors, the aid sector is in crisis. Amidst the disruption, the INGOs Accountability Review captures 8 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 and 4 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 that show where INGOs stand – and where they must go.

A̲ ̲s̲n̲a̲ps̲h̲o̲t̲ ̲o̲f̲ ̲w̲h̲a̲t̲ ̲w̲e̲ ̲f̲o̲u̲n̲d̲:̲
̲
✅ Examples of solidarity: flexible funding, asset transfers, joint planning.
⚠️ But also silence, inward focus, and a worrying retreat from public leadership.

This is not just a funding crisis – it's a moment of reckoning. INGOs must ask themselves hard questions about 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳, 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱.

➡️ Read the full review: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/6880fd9c521d810929156313/1753283998982/INGO+Policy+Brief-1.pdf

Reactive Statement: No more delays: The Humanitarian Reset must shift power – Now

Reactive Statement: No more delays: The Humanitarian Reset must shift power – Now. This reset will only succeed if it has champions at all levels – donors, UN agencies, and INGOs must move beyond pledges to concrete, transformative action. Local and national actors are ready to lead this change. (June 2025) Español / Français



As a network of local and national actors from the Global South, NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response) welcomes United Nations OCHA's Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher’s call for a more equitable funding, decentralisation and inclusive decision-making set out in last week's statement, "𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘵 – 𝘗𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘛𝘸𝘰".

The future of humanitarian action must be 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 and 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗱. This reset can only succeed if donors, UN agencies, and INGOs move beyond pledges and embrace concrete, transformative action — with local and national actors in the lead.

“𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨; 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯-𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯,” stated jeannette frangieh, from, HIMAYA DAEEM AATAA, in her closing remarks at the closing ceremony of the 2025 ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment - Economic and Social Council in Geneva.

Public Statement: This is Not Humanitarianism: Why NEAR Rejects the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Model.

Public Statement: This is Not Humanitarianism: Why NEAR Rejects the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Model. NEAR stands with Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) and Palestinian civil society in rejecting the GHF Model. [Arabic العربية ] (June 2025)


On 17 April, The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) warned that international aid in Gaza was being militarised and reshaped without Palestinian voices. (See here the warning: https://lnkd.in/eQaeXTXn)

Today, that sound of alarm has come true. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation bypasses Palestinian civil society entirely and has created dangerous, humiliating conditions for civilians.

This is not humanitarian aid. NEAR rejects this model.

📣 We call for a future rooted in 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, and 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. Aid must be built with and for communities, not imposed upon them.

We stand with PNGO. We stand with Palestinian civil society.

Read the full statement here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/6847126ee8baf50dea399e73/1749488239196/Public+Statement+This+is+Not+Humanitarianism+Why+NEAR+Rejects+the+Gaza+Humanitarian+Foundation+Model.pdf

Policy Brief: Breaking the Cycle of Empty Promises: The Emergency Relief Coordinator’s ‘Humanitarian Reset’ must not fail local actors again.

Breaking the Cycle of Empty Promises: The Emergency Relief Coordinator’s ‘Humanitarian Reset’ must not fail local actors again. A brief in response to the Humanitarian Reset, centring local solutions to turn rhetoric into accountability. Español Français Bahasa Indonesia (May 2025)



The United Nations OCHA Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has called for a Humanitarian Reset – but will it finally shift power to those closest to crises?

As a network representing 318 local and national actors across 43 countries, NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response)'s new brief "𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 ‘𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘵’ 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘙𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺” delivers a roadmap based on three priorities:

🔄 Decentralise power to those closest to crises
💰 Redirect resources to local and national actors as directly as possible
⚓  Anchor accountability in communities, not distant headquarters

The brief features concrete asks from our members to donors, UN agencies, and INGOs, and spotlights local solutions already working (from Nepal’s locally led pooled funds to Colombia’s decentralised coordination for peacebuilding and migration).

Read the full brief: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/683dbb709b026e1f802bb437/1748876145499/2025.05+NEAR+Brief+on+the+Humanitarian+Reset_Final.pdf

Member-led Study: 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙂𝙊𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙔𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣: 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁: 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙂𝙊𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙔𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣: 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣


🔎 This study, produced by مؤسسة تمدين شباب Tamdeen Youth Foundation - as part of the Yemen Localisation Initiative - sheds light on a critical gap in the humanitarian aid system: the persistent underfunding and marginalisation of local and national civil society organisations (L/NNGOs) in Yemen.

📉 Despite being on the frontlines, L/NNGOs in Yemen receive on average only 1.76% of direct funding annually.

This study calls for bold, transformative action:
✅ Increasing 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴;
✅ Ensuring fair 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆;
✅ Reforming partnership models to promote 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼-𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽;
✅ Strengthening 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀’
✅ Leveraging innovative funding sources, such as 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗭𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘁, 𝗪𝗮𝗾𝗳) and private sector engagement;
✅ Addressing elite capture and 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 for grassroots and women-led organisations.

This is more than just about funding — it’s about shifting power, enhancing resilience, and fostering a more localised, equitable, and sustainable humanitarian ecosystem in Yemen.

Read full report here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/685086d997589202ed25e73c/1750107895262/Sustainability+of+NGOs+in+Yemen+Evaluation+Report+English+2024.pdf

Joint Statement: A Call for Humanitarian Transformation

Joint Statement: A Call for Humanitarian Transformation. NEAR and 25 representatives of civil society organisations and networks respond to the “humanitarian reset” proposed by the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator calling for deeper, systemic change that shifts power to local and national actors. (April 2025)


Joint Statement regarding the "Humanitarian Reset" and a Call for Transformative Change

The "humanitarian reset" proposed by United Nations OCHA's Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher brings a welcome and renewed focus on reform in the humanitarian system.

Yet, we believe the proposed reset, as it stands now, is too limited in scope and ambition, and it risks reinforcing the same power structures that have contributed to the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the humanitarian system today.

This is a moment for bold and principled transformation, more than just small fixes; a transformation that truly shifts power, resources, and decision-making to local and national actors who are closest to the communities we aim to support.

Along with 25 civil society representatives from across the Global South and North, NEAR (Network for Empowered Aid Response) calls for a transformation of the aid system that is shaped and led by those closest to the challenges, rather than imposed from above.

Read our joint statement here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc4fd249698b02c7f3acfe9/t/67f7f265671ca51b28ecfb6b/1744302693506/Joint+Civil+Society+Statement_Humanitarian+Reset.pdf

NEAR Policy Note: Coordination and Complementarity with local and national civil society in the lead

Public Statement: In Solidarity with NEAR Members, Partners and All Local Organisations Affected by U.S. Government Foreign Aid Suspension

Public Statement: In Solidarity with NEAR Members, Partners and All Local Organisations Affected by U.S. Government Foreign Aid Suspension: NEAR affirms our solidarity with NEAR members and partners, as well as all civil society affected by the U.S. Government’s 90-day Foreign Assistance Pause (Jan 2025)

Public Statement: In Solidarity with NEAR Members, Partners and All Local Organisations Affected by U.S. Government Foreign Aid Suspension

فيما يلي الترجمة باللغة الفرنسية

Traduction en français à suivre ci-dessous
Traducción al español a continuación


Public Statement: In Solidarity with NEAR Members, Partners and All Local Organisations Affected by U.S. Government Foreign Aid Suspension

NEAR affirms our solidarity with NEAR members and partners, as well as all civil society affected by the U.S. Government’s 90-day Foreign Assistance Pause.

As a network of Global South organisations – NEAR is at the forefront of shifting power, aiming to transform the way aid support and solidarity is designed, funded and delivered.  We firmly believe that communities and their civil society organisations should not bear the brunt of political decisions that disrupt funding and essential services.

This suspension has already begun to disrupt our members’ critical work: stop work orders have been issued, activities halted, and staff contracts terminated. While we acknowledge the waiver for life-saving humanitarian services, we are concerned about the cessation of all activities focused on health, governance, climate, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Many of our members serve the most vulnerable communities who are also the most affected by inequities, marginalisation and exclusion – highlighting the interconnectedness of these efforts.

In response, NEAR has begun engaging with thought partners and donors to advocate for immediate solutions that ensure aid continues to reach those who need it most. We are committed to amplifying the expertise and experiences of our members and to creating opportunities for local and national civil society leadership to determine how their communities are best supported.

Now, more than ever, we must prioritise equitable, locally-led solutions. We ask donors and global leaders to uphold their commitments to locally-led development and humanitarian action by supporting long-term investments in local leaders’ resilience and leadership. NEAR remains committed to using our collective voice to create a more inclusive and just aid system – one where local and national organisations are not only heard and supported but are also the primary decision-makers in shaping their communities’ futures.

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بيان عام: تضامناً مع أعضاء وشركاء شبكة ”نير“ وجميع المنظمات المحلية المتضررة من تعليق الحكومة الأمريكية للمساعدات الخارجية

تؤكد شبكة ”نير“ على تضامننا مع أعضائها وشركائها وجميع منظمات المجتمع المدني المتضررة من تعليق الحكومة الأمريكية للمساعدات الخارجية لمدة 90 يومًا.

وبصفتنا شبكة من منظمات الجنوب العالمي - تتصدر شبكة ”نير“ الطليعة في عملها على تغيير السلطة، وتهدف إلى تغيير الطريقة التي يتم بها تصميم وتمويل وتقديم الدعم والتضامن في مجال المساعدات. نحن نؤمن إيمانًا راسخًا بأن المجتمعات المحلية ومنظمات المجتمع المدني التابعة لها لا ينبغي أن تتحمل وطأة القرارات السياسية التي تعطل التمويل والخدمات الأساسية.

وقد بدأ هذا التعليق بالفعل في تعطيل عمل أعضائنا الحيوي: فقد صدرت أوامر بوقف العمل وتوقفت الأنشطة وتم إنهاء عقود الموظفين. وفي حين أننا نقرّ بالاستثناء فيما يخص الخدمات الإنسانية المنقذة للحياة، إلا أننا نشعر بالقلق إزاء وقف جميع الأنشطة التي تركز على الصحة والحوكمة والمناخ والتنوع والمساواة والإدماج. يخدم العديد من أعضائنا المجتمعات الأكثر ضعفًا والأكثر تضررًا من عدم المساواة والتهميش والإقصاء - مما يسلط الضوء على الترابط بين هذه الجهود.

واستجابةً لذلك، بدأت شبكة ”نير“ بالتواصل مع شركاء الفكر والمانحين للدعوة إلى إيجاد حلول فورية تضمن استمرار وصول المساعدات إلى من هم في أمس الحاجة إليها. نحن ملتزمون بتعزيز خبرات وتجارب أعضائنا وإتاحة الفرص لقيادات المجتمع المدني المحلية والوطنية لتحديد أفضل السبل لدعم مجتمعاتهم.

والآن، أكثر من أي وقت مضى، يجب أن نعطي الأولوية للحلول العادلة التي تقودها المجتمعات المحلية. نطلب من الجهات المانحة والقادة العالميين الوفاء بالتزاماتهم تجاه التنمية والعمل الإنساني بقيادة محلية من خلال دعم الاستثمارات طويلة الأجل في قدرة القادة المحليين على الصمود والقيادة. لا تزال شبكة ”نير“ ملتزمة باستخدام صوتنا الجماعي لإنشاء نظام مساعدات أكثر شمولاً وعدلاً - نظام لا يقتصر على الاستماع إلى المنظمات المحلية والوطنية ودعمها فحسب، بل يكونون أيضاً صانعي القرار الأساسيين في تشكيل مستقبل مجتمعاتهم.

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Déclaration publique : En solidarité avec les membres et partenaires de NEAR et toutes les organisations locales affectées par la suspension de l'aide étrangère du gouvernement des États-Unis

NEAR affirme sa solidarité avec ses membres et partenaires, ainsi qu'avec l'ensemble de la société civile affectée par la suspension de 90 jours de l'aide étrangère du gouvernement des États-Unis.

En tant que réseau d'organisations du Sud, NEAR est à l’'avant-garde du transfert t de pouvoir, visant à transformer la manière dont l'aide et la solidarité sont conçues, financées et fournies. Nous croyons fermement que les organisations de la société civile et leurs communautés ne devraient pas faire les frais de décisions politiques qui perturbent leurs financements et les services essentiels.

Cette suspension a déjà commencé à perturber le travail critique de nos membres : des ordres d'arrêt de travail ont été émis, des activités ont été interrompues et des contrats de personnel ont été résiliés. Tout en reconnaissant la dérogation pour les services humanitaires vitaux, nous sommes préoccupés par la cessation de toutes les activités axées sur la santé, la gouvernance, le climat, la diversité, l'équité et l'inclusion. Nombre de nos membres servent les communautés les plus vulnérables qui sont également les plus touchées par les inégalités, la marginalisation et l'exclusion, ce qui souligne l'interconnexion de ces efforts

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En réponse, NEAR a commencé à s'engager avec des partenaires de pensées s et des bailleurs pour plaider en faveur de solutions immédiates qui garantissent que l'aide continue d'atteindre ceux qui en ont le plus besoin. Nous nous sommes engagés à amplifier l'expertise et les expériences de nos membres et à créer des opportunités pour les dirigeants de la société civile locale et nationale afin de déterminer comment leurs communautés sont soutenues au mieux.

Aujourd'hui, plus que jamais, nous devons donner la priorité à des solutions équitables et locales. Nous demandons aux bailleurs et aux dirigeants mondiaux de respecter leurs engagements en faveur d'une action humanitaire et de développement menée localement en soutenant des investissements à long terme dans la résilience et la direction des acteurs locaux. NEAR s'engage à utiliser notre voix collective pour créer un système d'aide humanitaire et au développement plus inclusif et plus juste : un système dans lequel les organisations locales et nationales sont non seulement entendues et soutenues, mais sont également les principaux décideurs dans la détermination n de l'avenir de leurs communautés.

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Declaración pública: En solidaridad con los miembros de NEAR, sus socios y todas las organizaciones locales afectadas por la suspensión de la ayuda exterior del gobierno de los Estados Unidos.

NEAR afirma nuestra solidaridad con nuestros miembros y socios, así como con toda la sociedad civil afectada por la pausa de 90 días de la Ayuda Exterior del Gobierno de Estados Unidos.

Como red de organizaciones del Sur Global, NEAR está a la vanguardia del cambio de poder, con el objetivo de transformar la forma en que se diseña, financia y entrega el apoyo a la ayuda y la solidaridad. Creemos firmemente que las comunidades y sus organizaciones de la sociedad civil no deben cargar con el peso de las decisiones políticas que interrumpen la financiación y los servicios esenciales.

Esta suspensión ya ha empezado a perturbar el trabajo crítico de nuestros miembros: se han emitido órdenes de suspensión de trabajo, se han paralizado actividades y se han rescindido contratos de personal. Aunque reconocemos la exención de servicios humanitarios que salvan vidas, nos preocupa el cese de todas las actividades centradas en la salud, la gobernanza, el clima y la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión. Muchos de nuestros miembros sirven a las comunidades más vulnerables, que son también las más afectadas por las desigualdades, la marginación y la exclusión, lo que pone de relieve la interconexión de estos esfuerzos.

En respuesta, NEAR está colaborando con socios y donantes para abogar por soluciones inmediatas para garantir que la ayuda siga llegando a quienes más la necesitan. Nos comprometemos a ampliar los conocimientos y las experiencias de nuestros miembros y a crear oportunidades para que los líderes de la sociedad civil local y nacional determinen la mejor forma de apoyar a sus comunidades.

Ahora, más que nunca, debemos dar prioridad a las soluciones equitativas y dirigidas a nivel local. Pedimos a los donantes y a los líderes mundiales que mantengan sus compromisos con el desarrollo y la acción humanitaria dirigidos a nivel local apoyando las inversiones a largo plazo en la resiliencia y el liderazgo de los líderes locales. NEAR mantiene su compromiso de utilizar su voz colectiva para crear un sistema de ayuda más inclusivo y justo, en el que las organizaciones locales y nacionales no sólo sean escuchadas y apoyadas, sino que también sean las principales responsables de la toma de decisiones en la configuración del futuro de sus comunidades.

NEAR Definitions Paper

NEAR sets out, in this document, the terminology we use to refer to different Global South actors and international actors.

As localisation advances in policy and practice, there is still significant debate in the aid sector regarding the definition of “local actor”, particularly the definition of local and national civil society organisations. In 2019, NEAR’s Leadership Council published a Definitions Paper, knowing that definitions have a direct impact on how localisation is implemented and measured. While this definitions paper has been updated slightly, NEAR’s definition of “local actor” has not changed. For NEAR, the priority and purpose of defining local actors then and now centres around access to resources and decision-making, two important and inter-connected issues within the aid system.

NEAR continues to ask, “For whom are we shifting power and resources?”

This paper provides definitions of three types of local actors: 1) Local and national organisations/ civil society (non-state actors); 2) Local and national state actors; 3) Southern regional/ cross border non- governmental organisations (NGOs). The paper concludes by describing some of the other actors within the sector.