The world we live in is plagued by conflicts, wars, and crises that have devastating impacts on people’s lives. The urgency for having effective and lasting peacebuilding and development strategies that prioritise equity and local leadership that align with the needs and aspirations of people in affected areas has never been greater.

Against this backdrop, we are excited to announce the release of our report, “Challenges and opportunities in international support to local civil society: Evidence and recommendations from Myanmar, Colombia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo”, which we hope will be a resource for promoting locally-led peacebuilding and development practices. The report draws from consultations and builds upon existing analysis to explore why efforts to advance opportunities for local leadership in peace and development practice have fallen short of their aim and how they can be addressed.

Drawing upon the experiences and perspectives of primarily local civil society organisations, activists and their international counterparts, the report provides lessons and recommendations for supporting effective and sustainable peacebuilding and development. The report also contributes to ongoing discussions on localisation and decolonisation agendas, working to achieve a fairer distribution of power and advancing local leadership, thereby fostering more equitable partnerships and solidarity in international aid.