Together We Stand

[ 98 ] important in crisis-affected areas. With the Syrian crisis entering its fifth year and ongoing presence of refugees within Jordan, a strong civil society that can collaborate, respond and act in a coordinated and cooperative manner should not be underestimated. INGOs and donors also have an important role in encour- aging these local relationships and partnerships. This could be achieved by INGOs and donors directing funding to these collaborations so that all actors working on the ground can work together to strengthen the response. As it stands, with such a small percentage of funds going towards local actors, competitiveness between them hinders their potential reach and effectiveness. Donors also play a key role in the development of part- nerships between local and international actors. Donor strategies help define the manner in which funding is disbursed and are integral in defining the roles of the various donor recipients in international development. Therefore, donor strategies should reflect the realities on the ground, which include recognizing capacities and experiences of local actors and how these actors are funda- mental to development and humanitarian work. If donors recognize the importance of the role of local actors it will enhance current frameworks and partnerships of coopera- tion between INGOs and local actors. Supporting local actors will enhance the sustainability of projects and ensure long-term impact, as well as the longevity of local actors, and will strengthen civil society at large. An obstacle which a number of organizations face is the rigid nature of funding despite the fluidity of the environments in which development and humanitarian work occurs. Donors and INGOS must view local actors as complementary to their own strengths and weaknesses rather than inferior. Due to their direct contact with benefi- ciaries, local actors are the first to see and identify changes that must be made in programming to reach the target objectives, or to see whether the objectives continue to be feasible. However, without the proper support or resources to make the necessary adjustments, such as flexible funding and unrestricted funding, local actors are unable to carry out an effective programme. The irony of this situation is that the resulting inadequate programming by local actors is highlighted by donors and INGOs as an example of why they are not confident in the capacity of local actors. In summary, our recommendations for strengthened rela- tionships between NNGOs and INGOS are as follows: 1. INGOs should recognize the capacities of local actors and should develop their partnership frameworks accordingly on an individual basis. 2. Donors should put local actors at the centre of development strategies. Funding should not only be given to larger international organizations, but should also target local organizations, either through partnerships or direct funding. 3. Partnerships between local organizations need to be encouraged in order to improve the effectiveness of local civil society and reduce competitiveness among local organizations which compete for limited funds. 4. Unrestricted and flexible funding to local organizations should be increased, enabling donors to support organizations beyond just projects. Unrestricted funds would allow for more flexible, innovative and responsive approaches to development. Moreover, this gives local organizations greater stability and will help ensure their existence beyond current projects. ARDD-Legal Aid project participants work together in initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in their communities in Amman, Jordan In Zaatari Refugee Camp, Jordan, ARDD-Legal Aid discusses implementation logistics with its partner UN Women Image: Mustafa Assi, ARDD-Legal Aid Image: Rebecca Arnold, ARDD-Legal Aid T ogether W e S tand