Research on National Society Preparedness and Response Capacity and its contribution to Localization

The IFRC approach to localization

The IFRC approach to strengthening the capacity of National Societies (NS) preparedness and response  has long recognised that a strong and well-prepared NS, with appropriately prepared branches and volunteers, enables a locally-led response in the event that a community is impacted by a disaster. The approach goes further, to recognize that local leadership starts at the community level with prepared community members, supported by prepared local institutions (local government, civil protection, disaster management offices, NS, etc).

Many stories of local empowerment demonstrate how institutional and community preparedness contribute to localization and can help build the momentum of support for localization, building the confidence of donors and international actors to confront their need to change the traditional humanitarian dynamics.

Objectives of the research

This research aims to encourage this virtuous circle by building the evidence base of how investing in preparedness strengthens locally-led response capacity, what lessons and recommendations can be drawn from these successful initiatives and how these trends can be scaled up to support a coordinated approach towards response capacity strengthening and a high level of collective impact.

Developing case studies that illustrate strong examples of how NSs are able to take on the leadership role in humanitarian assistance, the journeys they have gone through to develop their expertise and capacities, the lessons they have learned along the way and their recommendations for scaling up this approach.

A mixed-method approach is adopted for this research :

• An analysis of secondary data through a comprehensive document review of relevant external and internal IFRC documentation.
• The compilation of a key informant list which will bring together potential Key informant interviews at different levels within the Movement, partners within the humanitarian sector and other relevant stakeholders;
• Primary data will be collected at different levels:
  • Key informant interviews (KIIs) at IFRC Secretariat level, both in Geneva and in the regional offices
  • Case study country will be approached in a participative way with a combination of initial focus group discussions and interviews with a range of informants from NS (HQ and branches), government, civil protection, organizations working alongside the NS, etc.