Consultant for Localisation Research At Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction

Localisation Research Consultant

GNDR is seeking a consultant to support GNDR in developing a research paper on localisation in the context of risk-informed development. This is part of GNDR’s core work to effectively implement its 2020-2025 Global Strategy “Local Leadership for Global Impact”. https://strategy.gndr.org/

GNDR seeks consultancy support to deliver the following:

1. In consultation with GNDR Secretariat, members and external partners, develop an overview paper to support GNDR’s understanding of localisation and what it looks like in practice;
2. Develop a practical tool for CSOs to assess whether the enabling environment exists at national level for localisation to happen.
3. Identify “champion” countries that can be held as examples of good localisation

The target audience is local and national CSOs advocating for localisation.

All applicants must:

1. Demonstrate previous experience in working on localisation, either from a policy, technical or practical perspective, in particular in the Global South.
2. Demonstrate previous experience in developing and conducting research, including conducting key informant interviews.
3. Be able to effectively analyse information to produce succinct knowledge products.

This assignment will be home-based. Applicants can be based anywhere but will need to be available for meetings within the 9-5 UK working day. The assignment is for up to 20 days, concluding no later than 31 August 2021

Localisation Research Background

This is the first of a series of research products that GNDR will carry out to strengthen the understanding of our key strategic issues, and to provide the evidence base necessary for effectively advocating for the change our Strategy calls for. This piece of research aims to strengthen our understanding of localisation and how it can be measured, and identify clear and practical benefits of localisation. GNDR Strategic Goal 2 “Champion a localisation movement” requires us to be able to clearly articulate what ideal localisation looks like, why it is so critical, and how we can assess whether or not it is happening in a particular context.

The research will produce two outputs: one short overview paper to support our understanding of localisation and what it looks like in practice, and one more practical tool for CSOs to assess their country’s government policies and evaluate to what extent they are “conducive” to localisation.

The overview paper will provide examples of where localisation is working, specific government policies that have led to increased localisation, hence providing supporting evidence to our advocacy work on localisation. This research will be used as a basis to develop clear recommendations that GNDR can use for advocacy purposes and that members can utilise to call for effective localisation in their national contexts.

GNDR’s Strategy Goal 2 – Champion a Localisation Movement

Local communities most at risk must be enabled to participate, influence and take decisions on risk-informed development policies and practices because they are the people most at risk. They have critical knowledge and experience of the threats they face and their consequences, the actions which help to reduce risk and barriers to those actions.

For GNDR members working at the frontline of disaster risk, the idea of localisation is a revolutionary approach that turns traditional hierarchical global thinking on its head. Localisation means:

• Strengthening the capacity of local communities most at risk in terms of knowledge and skills
• Establishing effective systems and procedures in terms of governance and accountable management practice
• Supporting an enabling policy environment of the national/sub-national governments, donor agencies, INGOs and private sector
• Ensuring there are linkages among local actors at the horizontal level and across the local, national, and international levels, to engage, influence, implement and enforce accountability
• Transferring financial resources so that actions match words.

In addition, localisation means developing equitable relationships and shifting power dynamics to strengthen local leadership in decision-making