Project

Locally-led humanitarian solutions

We’re working to strengthen capacities of local CSOs and communities in eleven fragile states to help them lead locally-led humanitarian action that builds community resilience and leads to long-term peace and development.

 

The challenge

According to a study by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), 58% of disaster-related deaths occur in the top 30 fragile states. This high percentage can be attributed to the historical oversight of conflict and fragility within mainstream disaster risk reduction (DRR) efforts.

In communities where both conflict and the consequences of climate change intersect, the capacity to manage and adjust to the escalating impacts of disasters and conflicts is often severely tested. The limited stability and overburdened governance structures in these fragile states impede the progress of humanitarian aid, development initiatives, and peace-building endeavors.

Our solution

In collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) and communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Pakistan, Iraq, and Yemen, we are undertaking a 5-year project. Our aims is to champion locally-led humanitarian action that enhances community resilience. Additionally, we seek to share valuable insights and best practices regarding the implementation of locally-led Human-Development Peace (HDP) nexus interventions that effectively address the impacts of climate change in fragile states.

Our methodology is designed to facilitate the growth of local CSOs operating in fragile contexts by providing them with training and capacity-building opportunities. This equips them with a comprehensive understanding of the Human-Development Peace (HDP) nexus and enables them to support the design of interventions that are led by the communities most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Through this approach, we aim to empower a total of 176 communities throughout the process, fostering their active participation and ownership in addressing the challenges they face.

The insights and outcomes derived from these interventions will play a vital role in shaping local, national, and global policies. They will also foster the growth of local leadership, with a particular focus on empowering women and youth, enabling them to take proactive measures that contribute to risk reduction, climate adaptation, and peace building for development that is well-informed and responsive to potential risks.

In the upcoming phase, these exemplary practices will be gathered and disseminated among the broader membership of GNDR (Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction) as well as other stakeholders. This will empower them to take the lead in implementing interventions that address the intersection of humanitarian, development, and peace-building efforts (HDP-nexus) in fragile states affected by climate change.

176

Communities

22

CSOs

11

Countries

Key project activities

Assessments

This stage involve two kinds of assessments:

Baseline assessments

The baseline assessments will primarily concentrate on collecting current and relevant information in the 11 countries across key sectors including climate change, conflict, and peace-building. The assessments will delve into comprehending the existing policy gaps within these domains. Moreover, there will be a specific emphasis on examining gender and inclusion aspects throughout these baseline studies.

The outcomes derived from the baseline assessments will provide primary and secondary CSOs with valuable insights, enabling them to make informed decisions about initiating their interventions. These conclusions will be instrumental in guiding the CSOs towards effectively working towards the project’s goals and objectives.

Organisational capacity assessments

Organisational capacity assessments will be conducted for each of the implementing CSOs to gain a comprehensive understanding of the skills and capacities necessary to achieve the project goals. These assessments will focus on evaluating the existing capabilities of the CSOs and identifying areas where further development and support may be required. By assessing the organisational capacity, we can better tailor capacity-building initiatives to enhance the CSOs abilities and ensure they are well-equipped to effectively implement the project and achieve the desired outcomes.

Training and capacity building of CSOs

Both primary and secondary CSOs will undergo comprehensive training to enhance their understanding of the technical aspects of the program. This training will cover key topics and areas relevant to the project, equipping the CSOs with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively carry out their roles.

Additionally, the training will address the specific organisational needs identified through the capacity assessments. It will focus on strengthening the CSOs’ capacities in areas where improvement is required, such as project management, partnership development, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, and financial management, among others.

By providing tailored training and capacity-building initiatives, we aim to empower the CSOs with the necessary tools and expertise to successfully implement the program and contribute to its overall success.

Implementation

At the national level, the primary CSOs will conduct a national- level assessment of localisation by deploying a tool developed by GNDR. This assessment will provide a national perspective on localisation and if there are policy gaps or knowledge gaps which require to be addressed at the national level. This will feed into the national advocacy plans.

At the local level, the Primary and Secondary CSOs will work with a total of 16 communities in each of the 11 countries and conduct a community survey called VFL Lite. In 176 communities, these assessments will be used to develop an in-depth understanding of threats, barriers, consequences, and actions affecting their risks and resilience.

Communities will prioritise key gaps based on these assessments, design risk-informed humanitarian action plans, and implement one or more of the identified activities.  

Policy influencing and advocacy

Based on the Implementation and findings of the project, strategies for local and national-level advocacy will be developed to effectively address the identified gaps.These advocacy strategies will be guided by a group of experts specialising in climate change, conflict, and gender-related issues who will provide valuable insights and expertise to support the advocacy work. GNDR will also use various global, regional and national platforms and events to disseminate learnings from the project and emerging messages to influence policies and practices that promote resilience, address climate change impacts, and foster peace in fragile states.

Dissemination of learnings

The learnings will be gathered in the form of a guide/cookbook which will provide key principles/factors to help address the issues within the HDP nexus. It will serve as a valuable reference for stakeholders seeking guidance on navigating the complex intersection of humanitarian, development, and peace-building efforts in the context of climate change impacts.

Additionally, the project will identify and document best practices related to the HDP nexus. These best practices will showcase successful approaches, strategies, and interventions implemented throughout the project. By sharing these best practices, the project aims to provide valuable insights and learnings to other stakeholders involved in fragile states impacted by climate change.

Community stories

Read stories from communities most at risk of disasters – and the members around the world who are working with them to build local resilience.

Learn More

Project funded by

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Our Locally-led Humanitarian Solutions project is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) – Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. Content related to this project on our website was made possible by the support of the USAID. All content is the sole responsibility of GNDR and does not necessarily reflect the views of the USAID.

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Applying for membership is easy. Eligible organisations just need to complete our online application form and upload a couple of documents that confirm the organisation they work for.

If your organisation is already a GNDR member you can simply register yourself as an individual. We will then link you to your organisation and you can access all benefits.

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