The global development sector is grappling with how to walk the talk on localization.
USAID has grabbed the headlines, after Administrator Samantha Power pledged in 2021 that 25% of all funding would go to locally led organizations by 2025 — a goal she recently admitted could be difficult to meet.
But leaders from low- and middle-income countries say it’s not just about funding. It’s also about the behavior and approach of the organizations working in the sector.