Despite donors, agencies and international NGOs having signed up to Grand Bargain commitments on localisation in 2016, this has remained a challenging agenda. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to empower local actors more than ever—not just in relation to immediate cash response but also through embedding their role in building long-term social protection systems.

This webinar was framed around the ways through which the COVID-19 pandemic provides opportunities and entry points for enhancing the role of local actors in immediate cash response and beyond, and the core principles of localisation we should be considering along the delivery chain of any COVID-19 cash response.

Panellists:

• Courtenay Cabot Venton, SPACE
• Maureen Andinda, Reach a Hand Uganda
• Shiro Wachira, GiveDirectly
• Joe Powell, Open Government Partnership
• Michael Mosselmans, Christian Aid

Moderator: Kristin Smart, Oxfam