The localization agenda has become a central feature of contemporary humanitarian reform, frequently presented as a means of enhancing equity and local ownership in crisis response. These aspirations were sharply tested during the Rohingya response amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the Myanmar military coup of 2021, when restrictions, funding constraints, and political closures significantly disrupted operations. This paper examines how humanitarian assistance for Rohingya internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Rakhine State, Myanmar was reconfigured during the pandemic and the military coup through increased reliance on local civil society organizations (CSOs) The study draws on qualitative research informed by the author’s Myanmar mission from 2019 to 2023, as well as conversations with humanitarian practitioners and CSO leaders in Myanmar. The paper explores, that while partnerships with local actors enabled the continuation of essential services, the findings indicate that strategic decision-making, funding control, and institutional authority largely remained concentrated among international actors, albeit with a few notable success stories. Meanwhile, the majority of CSOs assumed heightened operational/political, and ethical risks. The paper argues that, in this context, localization functioned less as a transformative redistribution of power and more as an adaptive strategy that allowed international humanitarian systems to endure. By situating the Rohingya IDP response within broader interdisciplinary debates on forced displacement and humanitarian governance, the paper contributes to social science discussions on humanitarian reform. It also highlights instances of more equitable partnerships in the Rohingya response, identifying some political and ethical recommendations constructive for localization to move beyond rhetorical commitment.

Authors:
Ivan Qarlsen Ledesma, University of the Philippines, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Ivan Ledesma, is a Senior Lecturer from the College of Social Work and Community Development, University of the Philippines, his areas of interest are on localization, and humanitarian/development aid governance in forced displacement contexts.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

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