3.4 Enabling Local IM Capacities and Leadership

As part of the broader commitment to localisation and local ownership, local partners play an increasing role not only in delivering assistance but also in in terms of managing and using programme data. Strengthening IM capacity of local partners is therefore not just a technical task, but a strategic enabler of timely, equitable, and high-quality programme implementation. To ensure these actors can carry out IM functions effectively and responsibly, international organisations must go beyond monitoring compliance and actively invest in enabling local IM leadership. This requires more than technical training. It calls for long-term, partner-led capacity strengthening that is responsive to local systems, languages, and priorities.

Priority areas often include responsible data management practices, including data protection and data sharing (see chapter 2.1, chapter 4.2 and chapter 5.3), contextualisation of data collection tools (see chapter 2.2), and the engagement in inter-agency cluster coordination (see chapter 2.4). The IM Handbook provides some guidance on these areas, while complementary resources such as the IFRC Data Playbook Toolkit offer additional exercises and tools for local capacity building.

For further practical guidance on working with partners (both local implementing partners and consortia), see especially Chapter 4.2 Collaborative IM and Multi-Stakeholder Management, which outlines how to structure equitable and inclusive data partnerships.