NEAR exists to shift power, resources, and decision-making to local and national civil society organisations in humanitarian and development action. We are a member-driven network, grounded in the leadership, lived experience, and long-term presence of organisations across the Global South. In 2025, this mission was tested. Major aid cuts, escalating conflicts, and shrinking civic space exposed the fragility of internationally driven systems. NEAR responded by doubling down on what members consistently identified as most critical: collective organising, locally governed solutions, and learning grounded in real-world practice.