In a region long shaped by protracted conflict, political instability, and externally driven agendas, a bold vision is emerging from within: localisation not as a catchphrase, but as a transformative practice. The Localisation Labs in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen are movements, placing local leadership, community ownership, and contextual intelligence at the heart of rebuilding, resilience, and renewal. These Labs are disrupting traditional humanitarian frameworks by fostering inclusive spaces where local actors—once treated as implementers—become the architects of their own futures.

In 2025, the NEAR Network’s Localisation Labs initiative experienced significant growth and consolidation, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Amidst a challenging and evolving aid landscape, the Labs have served as crucial platforms for local civil society actors to collaborate, innovate, and advocate for a more equitable and effective humanitarian system. These Labs are not merely projects; they are dynamic, member-led spaces for collaboration, innovation, and advocacy. In 2025, the initiative saw significant expansion, most notably with the formal launch of four Labs in the MENA region: Syria, Yemen, Palestine, and Lebanon. These Labs are designed to be context-specific, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within each country while contributing to a broader regional and global movement for localisation.
Throughout 2025, the MENA region has seen remarkable progress, aligning with NEAR’s overarching strategic objectives.

• Movement Building: The landmark 2025 NEAR MENA Summit in Amman, Jordan, brought together over 50 local leaders and 200 online participants, officially launching four new Localisation Labs in Syria, Yemen, Palestine, and Lebanon. This event was a powerful demonstration of growing regional solidarity.
• Influencing & Advocacy: Labs have actively engaged with donors, UN agencies, and governments.
• Solutions: Labs are developing innovative, context-specific solutions, from unified accreditation and due diligence process to streamline funding for national NGOs; to exploring new aid mechanisms and ways to enhance coordination and capacity-building to support a sustainable, locally led response system.
• Learning: Cross-lab learning has been a key theme, with exchanges between MENA and African labs on topics such as Reversed Call for Proposals.