WHO localization strategy - Strengthening local engagements and collaborations for more effective health emergency management
This strategy marks a pivotal step in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) commitment to enhancing its emergency health interventions in fragile, conflict-affected, and protracted emergency settings. It was developed by WHO at headquarters level through a collaborative process involving regional and country offices, including extensive consultations with the Global Health Cluster.
The WHO localisation strategy is designed to assist WHO country offices in strengthening community resilience to health emergencies by promoting greater localisation of comprehensive emergency management approaches. It aims to guide WHO country offices in effectively engaging with national and local health actors, including non-state entities.
Key aspects of the WHO localisation strategy include:
- A focus on strengthening local engagements and collaborations for more effective health emergency management.
- Guidance for WHO staff in country offices on the procedures necessary for WHO to effectively engage with various types of local health actors, including non-State entities.
- A practical tool designed to fill gaps in current WHO and non-WHO localisation guidance, featuring a problem tree, objective tree, and responsibility assignment matrix to guide implementation.
- Emphasis on the importance of integrating localisation into WHO’s Emergency Response Framework (ERF).
- Alignment with WHO’s dedication to universal health coverage (UHC), the Grand Bargain, and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).