July 2, 2024

Washington, D.C. -

“International development and peacebuilding donors have recognized the need to localize their assistance in order to achieve increased effectiveness by making their aid more inclusive. However, the actual implementation of localization remains elusive” (Pamina and Wingender, 2023).  

GCE-US is committed to upholding the right to quality education for all. Embedded in our mission is advocacy for locally-led education and development initiatives, such as youth inclusion in policy making and equitable practices for marginalized communities. These pursuits are part of a larger movement to shift the power imbalance in the development sphere, which the development community refers to as “localization.”

USAID defines localization, or locally led development, as a “set of internal reforms, actions, and behavior changes that the agency is undertaking to ensure their work puts local actors in the lead, strengthens local systems, and is responsive to local communities.”  This strategy guides the agency’s efforts toward a more inclusive and sustainable humanitarian aid program. The vision supports actors on the ground to make their own decisions on activity design, implementation, and evaluation, and it aims to empower underrepresented groups to spearhead projects that benefit their own communities. The practice redefines humanitarian aid practices by shifting the power and resources back to the local actors. This differs from the traditional—and perhaps a more common—top-down approach, where aid organizations decide how, when, and where aid is distributed. After all, who knows the local community’s needs better than the community itself?  

Despite policy commitments, the implementation of localization efforts has been slow. In Fiscal Year 2023, $1.5 billion was allocated to fund local actors, amounting to 9.6% of USAID’s entire contracting portfolio. From 2012 to 2022, direct local funding for local partners revealed a 6% increase in localization (4.2% to 10.2%). This lingered behind USAID’s localization progress goals, which aimed to direct a quarter of its funding to local partners by Fiscal Year 2025. Disagreement between USAID and local partners on aid distribution, reliance on longtime local partners rather than building new partnerships, and potential misuse of aid all poses barriers to the agency’s mission of strengthening locally led development initiatives. 

However, despite these barriers, USAID must continue its efforts to engage in equitable partnerships. In a humanitarian aid system that has historically stripped local entities from decision-making power, localization recognizes the community’s right to inform their own critical decisions that impact their lives. Localization must guide humanitarian aid distribution and be championed alongside USAID’s policy frameworks.   

GCE-US supports USAID’s efforts to integrate localization into its education policies. USAID’s education policy facilitates inclusive participation, particularly of traditionally marginalized groups, For example, the disability inclusive education toolkit works to strengthen the capacity of local education systems, Trainings, such as Youth Excel, support locally led research to empower youth and youth-led organizations. Such practices foster equitable and accessible education for all.  

GCE-US's coalition members integrate localization in their own education projects. For example, ChildFund Philippines’ has implemented a climate action program titled Project Greenlight that addresses climate change issues by actively employing youth to take part in environmental protection and conservation, efficient energy consumption, waste management, among other projects. Project Greenlight enables local youth to serve as direct contributors and catalysts for climate action. Girl Rising, another GCE-US coalition member, has implemented initiatives to expand girls’ education in Guatemala. Girl Rising consults and negotiates directly with educators, parents, adolescents, and partner organizations from the local community to identify opportunities to address complicated education challenges.  

Localization strengthens communities around the globe. We encourage our coalition members and our readers to learn more about USAID’s path to localization, and advocate for accessible and quality education for all. 

To learn more: 

• Access USAID’s FY 2023 Localization Progress Report here.
• Read USAID’s Administrator Samantha Power’s Opinion Editorial on how USAID is working to hit its localization targets, published June 20, 2024.
• “Tool Box Empowerment: Tools to Identify, Value, and Apply Local Knowledge,” USAID Learning Lab, 2022.  https://usaidlearninglab.org/system/files/2022-05/cheat_sheets_of_tools_and_methods_for_local_knowledge_0.pdf
• Mbawuike, Uchenna and Katrina Freeman, “Measuring Organizational Performance Improvement: Perspectives from USAID Mission Staff.” USAID Learning Lab, 2022. https://usaidlearninglab.org/community/blog/measuring-organizational-performance-improvement-perspectives-usaid-mission-staff
• Salib, Monalisa and David Jacobstein. “Localization in Focus: Can We Get ‘Smarter’ on Localization?” USAID Learning Lab, 2024. https://usaidlearninglab.org/community/blog/localization-focus-can-we-get-smarter-localization 

Sources Referenced:  

Aldana Asturias, María José. “Overwhelming Numbers of Girls Are Not in School in Guatemala: Why Girl Rising is Communication.” Girl Rising, 2023. 

Bordo, Jenny et al. “Strengthening the Capacity of Local Education Systems: Guidance for Advancing USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy in Education Programs.” USAID EducationLinks.  

Firchow, Pamina, and Leslie Wingender. “Introduction to Special Issue: Localization and the Aid Industry.” Negotiation journal, 2023, 341–347. https://doi.org/10.1111/nejo.12447 

“IYF Stands for Dismantling Systemic Racism, Starting with Us.” International Youth Foundation, 2021. https://iyfglobal.org/blog/iyf-stands-dismantling-systemic-racism-starting-us 

Josa, Josh. “Disability Inclusive Education Toolkit.” USAID EducationLinks.  

“Localization.” USAID. https://www.usaid.gov/localization 

“Localization at USAID: Vision and Approach.” USAID. 2022. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/USAIDs_Localization_Vision-508.pdf 

“Moving Toward a Model of Locally Led Development: Localization Progress Report Brief, FY2022”. USAID. 2023. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Localization%20Progress%20Report%20Summary%20.pdf 

“Youth Excel: Our Knowledge, Leading Change.” IREX. https://www.irex.org/project/youth-excel-our-knowledge-leading-change 

“Policy for Localization of Humanitarian Assistance.” USAID, 2022.  

Fine, Patrick. “USAID can’t go it alone on localization.” Brookings, 2024. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/usaid-cant-go-it-alone-on-localization/ 

“USAID’s Policy Framework.” USAID, 2023.  

“Youth participation key to addressing climate change issues: ChildFund Philippines.” ChildFund International. https://www.childfund.org/campaigns/1x-gift/direct-marketing/YouthClimateAction/