Movement Building

Mobilising and organising for locally led humanitarian action

With more than 300 local and national civil society organisations and partner networks across 40+ countries, NEAR is leading a transformative movement rooted in local leadership and local ownership.

Together, we are harnessing and amplifying our collective voice of diverse, local and national organisations to reimagine and help create a world where communities have the resources, agency, and voice to shape their own futures.

Our advocacy is grounded in evidence and collective experience. We combine research, analysis, and campaigns to influence donors, UN agencies, INGOs, and regional bodies. We resist backsliding on reform and push for practical, political shifts that redistribute power. Through this work, NEAR opens political space for local and national actors to lead responses and define the future of aid.

Our members are working in some of the most complex and protracted crises: in Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Venezuela, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and many others.

NEAR’s members are present in more than 40 countries in four regions across the Global South:
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africa region
Asia-Pacific
MENA Region
LAC Region

People at the Heart

Every movement begins with the people driving it.

Our members are local leaders, deeply rooted in their communities and fully aware of the challenges they face. They are present before, during, and after crises, and they are ready to lead meaningful, sustainable change.

MENA

MENA Summit in Amman, Jordan in February 2025

ASIA-PACIFIC

APAC Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal in August 2025

LAC

LAC Summit in Bogota, Colombia in November 2025

AFRICA

Africa Summit in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2025

Collective Action

How We Build the Movement

NEAR’s Movement Building Team plays a vital role in creating the space and momentum for this growing movement. They foster South-to-South solidarity and cooperation, mobilising and organising alongside members to bring like-minded organisations together for collective action – actions grounded in lived experience and driven by those most affected. They act as connectors, linking local voices to regional and global conversations.

1. Laying the groundwork

We have established a Localisation Policy Note, defined what is a local organisation, and developed the Localisation Performance Measurement Framework (LPMF).

2. Membership Engagement

We invite local and national organisations, as well as national and regional networks, to participate in this movement.

  1. Share solutions, knowledge, and learning
  2. Create labs for experimenting and learning
  3. Collaborate across borders within the Global South
  4. Support one another as the movement grows
  5. Influence global discussions with local perspectives

3. Labs

We collaborate with members and partners on locally led initiatives based on four key pillars: building the movement, engaging in dialogues with donors, seeking financial and non-financial solutions, and fostering mutual learning.

4. Country / Regional Convenings

These convenings provide an opportunity to learn from the experiences of different countries and regions, allowing us to learn from both successes and challenges.

5. Global Meetings

We participate in global forums to share insights and influence discussions about the new architecture of cooperation. This includes attending regional and global events and debates.

The Movement Building Team

Wejdan Jarrah

Regional Representative – MENA

Vrinda Dar

Membership Director

Shahida Arif

Regional Representative – Asia-Pacific

Enrique Garcia

Regional Representative – LAC

Our Commitment

The Movement Building Team at NEAR ensures this ecosystem thrives – holding space, creating connections, and strengthening the agency of local actors to lead the change they envision. Together, we are not just participating in a global movement – we are building it.
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