The humanitarian sector has made significant progress in measuring the process of localisation, with various frameworks and tools supporting organisations on their journey towards more localised humanitarian action. Despite this progress, there is insufficient sector-wide understanding of if and how localised practices are benefiting affected communities. The lack of evidence regarding the impact of localisation has become an obstacle to progress towards more locally led humanitarian action. Working within the Power and Local Leadership stream of the Humanitarian Horizons 2021–24 research program, HAG, GLOW Consultants, inSights, the Pujiono Centre, CoLAB, and PIANGO set out to explore how to fill this gap.
Over the last three years, the research team sought to determine how to support the sector to measure localisation impact at the community level. The first paper, A pathway to localisation impact: laying the foundations, put forward a model for impact measurement, including domains for change, suggested logic chains, and a process to guide articulation of intended outcomes and subsequent measurement of localisation impact against those outcomes. This model and approach was then tested by partnering with organisations implementing humanitarian programs in Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines, with the research team working alongside them to define and measure changes that took place at the community level due to localised practices. This document outlines a framework for defining and measuring the impact of localised practices at the community level, and offers detailed guidance for implementation with key partners. Tools and examples are provided for each impact area.
