Localisation in practice: Facilitating equitable partnership in humanitarian project management

Notwithstanding remaining criticisms and continued debates on definitions, a consensus emerged that humanitarian action should be “as local as possible” (Grand Bargain) and local responders should get “greater support [for their] leadership, delivery and capacity” (Grand Bargain 2.0). Still, voices from operational humanitarian contexts point to a slow implementation of these commitments in practice. Especially the area of equitable partnership still lags behind. This paper addresses humanitarian Project Cycles Management as one structural barrier behind the lack of progress in equitable partnership between international and local organisations, specifically. While pointing to options to overcome this barrier, the paper also discusses agile management as an alternative management model potentially better suited to facilitate equitable partnership in humanitarian action.