Locally Led Development – Smarter Aid or a Risky Experiment?
Today, almost all Norwegian aid to civil society is channelled through Norwegian organisations rather than directly to local actors. Local actors are often implementers rather than decision-makers.
Most agree that more ownership should be transferred to the Global South, but what does this mean in practice for aid management?
Norec has for many years channelled more than half of its funding directly to local partners in the South and has promoted equitable partnerships. Norad has experimented with different models to strengthen local ownership. At the same time, there are concerns about what this could mean for accountability, expertise and the future role of Norwegian organisations.
Many have also called for a stronger voice from the Global South in this debate. That is why we are joined by NEAR, a global network of local and national civil society organisations from the Global South that has spent years advocating for power and resources to be moved closer to the people and communities development efforts are intended to serve.
Drawing on experiences from Norec, Norad, Norwegian civil society and NEAR, we invite an honest discussion on how Norwegian aid can become more locally led. What does greater transfer of power to local actors mean in practice? What role should Norwegian organisations play in the future? And what can Norway learn from those who have long championed and implemented locally led development?
The panel will explore the opportunities and challenges related to accountability, effectiveness, power and partnerships in development cooperation.
The event will be streamed via Norecs Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Norecno
Panel:
- Øystein Garfors, Moderator, Norec
- Sille Lukowski, Head of Section for Civil Society, Norec
- Stine Horn, Director for Welfare and Human Rights, Norad
- Erik Lunde, Secretary General, Strømme Foundation
- Anita Kattakuzhy, Director of Policy, NEAR