Transformation 3 – Be Globally Distributed and Locally Rooted

Focus areas

ICVA is an internationally distributed, diverse network leveraging the legitimacy of members direct engagement with people in crisis to provide leadership and to inform action at national, regional and the global level.

Overview...

We take concrete steps to create an environment where the diversity of humanitarian NGOs are able to meaningfully contribute to discussions and decision-making with support and resources available....
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Overview

ICVA is an internationally distributed, diverse network leveraging the legitimacy of members direct engagement with people in crisis to provide leadership and to inform action at national, regional and the global level.

This requires adaptation, collaboration and re-discovering roles to support the building of local action. ICVA works at country, regional, and global levels to enable and support collaboration, strengthen accountability, social interaction, capacity, understanding and trust.

INGOs, the UN, governments, national and local NGOs and community-based organisations have a shared responsibility to find new ways of increasing the legitimacy of policies and practice through realising local power, agency and participation. 

The focus of ICVA’s work at the country and community level is to proactively support building local agency through country-based members and country fora from our regional and global hubs, providing information, encouraging participation, and supporting strategic events

ICVA’s work at the global level is informed and driven by the voices and experience of those closest to and responding to humanitarian crises. Using this approach, ICVA coordinates the main pillars of its work at the global level building on past strengths, complementing local-to-global dynamics by translating and sharing knowledge of global polices towards the regional, national and local level.

Key documents

ICVA Policy on Diversity 2019
16 September 2019
ICVA Policy on Diversity 2019
Subject/ Diversity, Equity & Inclusion /
ICVA Policy on Diversity 2019
Description

The purpose of this Policy is to reinforce ICVA’s longstanding commitment to diversity considerations. Through this Policy, ICVA aims at supporting that persons of concern can enjoy their rights on equal grounds and participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities.

Localization...

Localization is a process of recognising and delegating leadership and decision-making to national actors in humanitarian action....
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Introduction

ICVA contributes to various discussions on localization, supports local and national NGOs to participate in various decision-making and coordination structures, and supports building local agency through county-based NGO fora.

Localization is one of the transformation areas in ICVA 2030 strategy in which ICVA focuses on supporting the local actors through influencing the overall humanitarian architecture, and sometimes national architecture, in order to create an enabling environment and inclusive humanitarian leadership. ICVA is dedicated on strengthening the existing capacities of local actors so they can coordinate effectively and take the lead on different collective advocacy actions.

In a summary, ICVA in its approach and interventions focuses on:

  • Enhancing the meaningful participation of local actors in the leadership, decision-making in the humanitarian coordination platforms.
  • Increasing and supporting the existing capacities of local, national, and local NGO coalitions and responders with a focus on strengthening the leadership for local women-led NGOs and refugee-led initiatives.
  • Collating and developing an evidence-based documentation and research that feed into a collective advocacy action, and serve as a reference for members in their advocacy and policy efforts
  • Understanding better and working to reduce barriers that prevent local and national actors from advancing their leadership and humanitarian response growth. Focusing on improving the quality of partnership and working with NGO fora to support and complement their advocacy action.
Measuring localization framework

Through the partnership with Humanitarian Advisory Group (HAG), ICVA supports the roll out of HAG/PIANGO measuring localization framework tool in three specific contexts: Yemen, Uganda and Cameroon.

ICVA teams in MENA and Africa conducted a series of participatory meetings and workshops about the project and its objectives with selected NGO Fora, UN agencies, and key local actors. The main purpose of the different discussions was to facilitate communications between all the stakeholders on the indicators to be measured and other important aspects in developing a localization baselining in the three selected countries, including how the process would need to be adapted to the various contexts.

The Localization Measurement Framework and Tools will be contextualised by in-country partners during this process providing an approach to measure progress on localization in a holistic way. The framework looks at localization under seven interlinked priority areas: partnerships, leadership, coordination and complementarity, participation (accountability), policy influence and advocacy, capacity, and funding.

 

Key documents

Guidelines
26 July 2019
Measuring Localisation: Framework and Tools
Subject/ Localization /
HAG tools
Description

This document outlines an approach, including a framework and some tools, that can be used to measure the activity and impact of localised humanitarian action.  This framework and set of tools provide a starting point that other humanitarian actors can adapt for their own organisational purposes, during a response or at a country level.

Webinar on Localization and Perspectives of Change

Many different groups have taken initiatives over the past few years to make the international humanitarian ecosystem more inclusive of local and national actors. This webinar explored the following questions:

  • What is localization, how has it evolved, and how does it currently work?
  • How do governments, non-state donors, private sector actors and diaspora see opportunities and challenges in localization initiatives?
  • What are ways to create sustainable assistance that reaches all people through principled humanitarian action?
Localization: Perspectives of Change
9 September 2021
Localization: Perspectives of Change
Subject/ Cross-cutting issues / Learning /
Localization
Description

This webinar explores how governments, private donors and the business community see current opportunities, trends as well as challenges.

Resources

Policy and Guidance
28 January 2022
Localization Advocacy Report
Subject/ Localization /
DRC localisation
Description

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MIGRATION ISSUE IN TURKEY

Policy Brief on Social Cohesion, Economic Empowerment, Voluntary Return and Resettlement

This policy brief paper is retrieved from the outcomes of the workshop that brought local organizations in Turkey together with an aim to look for policy recommendations for the refugees and migrants in Turkey

ICVA report
20 January 2021
Localization in Humanitarian Leadership
Subject/ Coordination / Middle East and North Africa region / Localization /
localisation in hum leadership
Description

Against the current background of sustaining local responses, ICVA initiated this research aiming at mapping and documenting the extent of effective and meaningful NNGOs engagement in international humanitarian coordination structures. Focusing in specific at MENA region, the research explores NNGOs engagement in Humanitarian Country Teams (HCTs), Country-Based Pooled Fund (CBPF) Advisory Boards, and sector or cluster coordination platforms. The contexts covered are Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, the occupied Palestinian territories, Syria (Damascus and Turkey-based operations as well as the Whole of Syria response), and Yemen. Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data, this research briefly profiles national leadership within the seven responses across MENA and outlines the state of NNGO engagement across the region.

ICVA Paper
1 October 2019
ICVA Briefing Paper: Unpacking Localization
Subject/ Cross-cutting issues / Localization / Learning /
2021-08-24_13-01-07
Description

ICVA and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy have developed this paper to support local, national and international NGOs to ‘unpack’ localization in a constructive manner.

ICVA briefing paper
30 March 2020
Reinforce, Reinforce, Reinforce: Localization in the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response
Subject/ COVID-19 / Localization /
Reinforce
Description

ICVA developed this note to support dialogue on strengthening principled and effective humanitarian action by NGOs during the COVID-19 response, with a focus on reinforcing local and national action wherever possible.

ICVA Paper
24 September 2018
Localization Examined: An ICVA Briefing Paper
Subject/ Cross-cutting issues / Localization / Learning /
2021-08-24_13-12-26
Description

This briefing paper is based on a review of documents as well as ICVA’s participation in ongoing localization-related evaluations, research, working groups, workshops and dialogues.

IASC Guidance
19 July 2021
Strengthening participation, representation and leadership of local and national actors in IASC humanitarian coordination mechanisms
Subject/ Coordination / Localization / IASC /
IASC Guidance strengthening participation
Description

This guidance note has been developed to support efforts to strengthen the meaningful participation, representation, and leadership of local and national humanitarian actors (L/NAs) within IASC humanitarian coordination structures. It draws on over 100 pieces of research and good practice to provide recommendations on how L/NAs can be an integral part of humanitarian coordination structures. It provides guidance for Humanitarian Coordinators, Humanitarian Country Teams, Cluster and Inter-Cluster Coordination Groups, and other related Task Forces and Working Groups.

The Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus...

The “triple” nexus refers to the interlinkages between humanitarian, development and peace actors....
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Introduction

The “triple” nexus refers to the interlinkages between humanitarian, development and peace actors. Following the recommendations from the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), the UN’s “new way of working”, Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there has been a lot more reference to the “triple” nexus, and how the humanitarian, development and peace actors are expected to work towards collective outcomes over multiple years.

The 2018 ICVA Annual Conference and the Learning Stream webinars both focused on the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus providing an opportunity for further discussions with actors on this topic.

The Nexus collection: A podcast series for humanitarians

The Nexus collection: a podcast series for humanitarians. A podcast series by IASC Results group 4.

Listen on Soundcloud a series of podcasts about the nexus.

Podcast
7 January 2022
The Nexus collection: A podcast series for humanitarians
Subject/ Nexus / Financing / Gender /
Nexus podcasts
Description

The Nexus collection: a podcast series for humanitarians. A podcast series by IASC Results group 4.

Listen on Soundcloud a series of podcasts about  the nexus.

  • Not in my name: The nexus and Humanitarian principles.
  • Delivering the Nexus: Spotlight on Jordan
  • Give peace a chance
  • On the front line
  • Financing the Nexus- is it really all about the money?
  • Gender and the Nexus: A Red Alert!
  • Double Arrow (English)
Demystifying the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus

This series includes webinars on the following topics:

  • The “nexus: explained: How and when do humanitarian, development, and peace action come together?
  • The World Bank and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
  • The UN reform: The link to the “nexus” and what it means for non-UN actors
  • Perspectives of peacebuilding actors in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
  • Donor perspectives on the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
Demystifying the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus
19 August 2018
Demystifying the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus
Subject/ Cross-cutting issues / Learning /
The-“nexus”-explained
Description

 

At the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, the UN and World Bank have committed to a “new way of working” that transcends the humanitarian-development divide. This concept has been considered in terms of UN reform and the “triple nexus” – the nexus between humanitarian, development, and – when appropriate – peace. However, many NGOs and partners are yet to grapple with what this means for affected persons and the system as a whole.

This series includes webinars on the following topics:

  • The “nexus: explained: How and when do humanitarian, development, and peace action come together?
  • The World Bank and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
  • The UN reform: The link to the “nexus” and what it means for non-UN actors
  • Perspectives of peacebuilding actors in the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
  • Donor perspectives on the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
Resources

Report
22 July 2022
Advancing Nexus in the MENA Region - Breaking the Silos
Subject/ Nexus / Middle East and North Africa region /
Advancing-nexus-MENA-report- social media
Description

The research aims to better understand the current stage of the operationalization of the The Humanitarian- Development – Peace Nexus approach in the selected MENA region countries of Iraq, Syria, Syria cross-border from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Libya. It documents policy changes and situational changes that reflect the NEXUS approach. It also provides good practices and examples to various actors to help them develop guiding tools and strategic thinking around inclusion of NEXUS approaches in strategies, programs, etc.

Synthesis Report
26 September 2021
Mapping Good Practice in the Implementation of Humanitarian-Development- Peace Nexus Approaches
Subject/ Nexus /
mapping NEXUS
Description

This report provides a summary of the initiative Mapping good practice in the implementation of humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus approaches carried out by IASC Results Group 4.
It reflects findings across 16 countries, with individual country reports available on the IASC website.

Report
3 July 2019
Financing the nexus
Subject/ Financing /
financingNexusReport
Description

This study contributes to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) humanitarian financing priorities of improving “aid effectiveness through more effective humanitarian- development funding flows and mechanisms”. It has two goals: to document the extent to which predictable, multi-year flexible financing is available at the programme level; and to understand the extent to which funding matches Collective Outcomes or the financial requirements of interoperable humanitarian and development plans.

ICVA Paper
23 August 2018
Topic One Briefing Paper: The "nexus" explained
Subject/ Cross-cutting issues / Learning /
ICVA Paper
20 September 2017
Topic Five -The "New way of working" Examined: An ICVA Briefing Paper
Subject/ Coordination / Learning /
NWOWBriefingPaper
Description

ICVA briefing paper on the “new way of working”

Podcast
7 January 2022
The Nexus collection: A podcast series for humanitarians
Subject/ Nexus / Financing / Gender /
Nexus podcasts
Description

The Nexus collection: a podcast series for humanitarians. A podcast series by IASC Results group 4.

Listen on Soundcloud a series of podcasts about  the nexus.

  • Not in my name: The nexus and Humanitarian principles.
  • Delivering the Nexus: Spotlight on Jordan
  • Give peace a chance
  • On the front line
  • Financing the Nexus- is it really all about the money?
  • Gender and the Nexus: A Red Alert!
  • Double Arrow (English)
Agenda
11 October 2022
Agenda - 2022 ICVA MENA Annual Members and Partners Meeting
Subject/ Middle East and North Africa region / Nexus / Financing /
PowerPoint Presentations
19 October 2022
PowerPoint Presentations - 2022 ICVA MENA Annual Members & Partners Meeting
Subject/ Nexus / Middle East and North Africa region /
MENA meeting
Description

PowerPoint presentations on:

  1. ICVA in MENA achievements
  2. Nexus Research Findings
  3. UNDP Nexus presentations
Event Schedule
11 November 2022
Event Schedule - 2022 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week
Subject/ Asia region / Nexus / Climate & environment / Safeguarding_PSEA / Financing /
2022 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week image
Description

Schedule for the 2022 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week on 9-14 December 2022 at Rembrandt Hotel and Suites, Sukhumvit soi 18, Bangkok Thailand.

Information sheet
18 November 2022
Financing across the Nexus
Subject/ Nexus / humanitarian financing /
Finance nexus
Description

The paper, which has been developed jointly by the Secretariats of the three funds, describes ways to achieve greater impact for beneficiaries by better aligning the use of the CERF, PBF and the SDG Fund while respecting existing mandates.

Guidance Note
4 January 2023
NEXUS Approaches in Humanitarian Settings - A Guidance Note for the Protection Cluster
Subject/ Nexus /
Nexus approaches GPC
Description

This Guidance Note is meant to help protection cluster coordinators apply nexus approaches in a practical way by, providing concrete steps and means to address prevalent or longstanding protection issues, risk patterns, trends and chronic vulnerabilities. The guidance calls for a practical, problem-solving approach that seeks opportunities to identify and collaborate with actors beyond the humanitarian sphere to address deep-rooted protection issues

Report
31 January 2024
Regional Dialogue Report - “Leaving no one behind - exploring the NEXUS approach in Yemen”
Subject/ Yemen / Nexus /
report12
Description

The OECD-DAC recommendations highlight the interconnectedness of humanitarian, development, and peace actions within the Humanitarian, Development, and Peace Nexus (HDPN). The outcomes of a December 2023 dialogue in the region showcased experiences and lessons from various organizations in Yemen, emphasizing strategic approaches, stakeholder capacities, community assessment tools, and the transition from relief to resilience and recovery. These conclusions align with global evidence on HDP Nexus practices, emphasizing the importance of addressing coordination complexity, risk mitigation, financing, local ownership, leadership, and accountability.

2023 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week Presentations
27 February 2024
2023 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week Session Presentations
Subject/ Asia region / Nexus / humanitarian financing / Climate & environment /
RHPW 2023 Backdrop revised
Description

Presentations from Sessions of the 2023 Regional Humanitarian Partnership Week, which took place on 11-13 December in Bangkok, Thailand.

Click on the links below to access the presentations.