About the Book
Many, if not most, international NGOs say they want to ‘localise’, to promote greater leadership and delivery by local and national actors. But are they serious and do they know how to do it?
This book presents ten lessons on localisation from the author’s 25 year career to date, working in and on NGOs in the development, humanitarian and climate sectors. These lessons are based on the author’s practice on the ground with NGOs and at global level as a donor representative, as well as her in-depth original field research. While written in an accessible style for the benefit of practitioners, with specific case studies of organisations presented, the book is rigorous and its findings are evidence-based.
Sinead Walsh’s experiences that feed into this book include volunteering with local NGOs in India, working for Concern Worldwide on partnership in South Sudan, and conducting PhD research on ActionAid’s accountability to communities in Uganda.
From these experiences, the author exposes structural issues that, time and time again, prevent international organisations from reaching their aims to ‘localise’. This book asks uncomfortable questions and challenges some deeply-held assumptions within the NGO sector. The book then provides recommendations for how NGOs can think and act differently in order to get serious about serving the communities where they work most effectively.
Table of Contents:
List of acronyms
Chapter 1: Points of departure
Chapter 2: Partnership and how I came to it
Chapter 3: Context, context, context
Chapter 4: Partnership is not always the answer
Chapter 5: The problems with NGO accountability
Chapter 6: Enter ActionAid
Chapter 7: What I learnt about ActionAid’s accountability
Chapter 8: Who represents the community
Chapter 9: Staffing for localisation
Chapter 10: The centrality of power dynamics
Chapter 11: Trend-jumping
Chapter 12: Staff pressures and interests
Chapter 13: The retention of control
Chapter 14: The power of optics
Chapter 15: Accountability through governance
Chapter 16: Conclusion and the way forward
References
About the Author :
Sinead Walsh is Principal Research Fellow on climate at ODI Global and an independent consultant. She spent five years, 2020-2025, as Climate Director in Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs working mainly on climate finance for Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States and conflict-affected countries; adaptation; Loss and Damage; and intersections between climate change, development and humanitarian issues.
Prior to this she served as the EU Ambassador to South Sudan and Ambassador of Ireland to Sierra Leone and Liberia and the Head of Irish Aid in the two countries. Before joining the government, Sinead spent ten years in the NGO sector in India, Pakistan, Rwanda and South Sudan, mostly working with Concern Worldwide.
She has a PhD in Social Policy from the London School of Economics, a Master's in Development Studies from University College Dublin, and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University. She is the author of the 2025 book '10 Lessons in Localisation: Making Aid Work for Communities' and the co-author of the 2018 book 'Getting to Zero: A Doctor and A Diplomat on the Ebola Frontline'.
Review :
'In 10 Lessons in Localisation, Dr. Sinead Walsh delivers a courageous reflection on why aid localisation so often fails to move beyond rhetoric. Drawing from her academic and lived experience, she exposes the uncomfortable truths about power, control, and accountability in the aid sector. As a scholar and practitioner of development management in Africa, I find this book a necessary and timely call for the aid sector to confront the persistent structural barriers and genuinely center the voices of communities they support.' Prof.Dr. Rose Bakenegura Namara, Professor of Development Management, Uganda Management Institute 'Drawing on her extensive and uniquely varied practical experience in the development field, Sinead Walsh is not interested in easy platitudes about how to 'fix' international development through localisation. Recognising a complexity and a far longer history to these issues than is usually acknowledged, and drawing on detailed long term empirical research, she brings careful scrutiny and fearless analysis to the many difficult questions raised by current localisation debates around accountability, legitimacy, partnership and humility. This is a book that should be read by everyone who cares about the work NGOs do and where the NGO community is going.' Professor David Lewis, Department of International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science 'This book makes a powerful, timely, critical, but constructive contribution to the development effectiveness and localisation debates. Informed by lived experience and real world examples, written in an accessible and engaging tone, Sinead Walsh grapples with complex and uncomfortable questions concerning the structural, organisational and managerial barriers to localisation in the international development and humanitarian sector. The book shares insights on the evolution of mechanisms to enhance partnership, downward accountability and the more recent sector drive towards localisation. It provides a set of 10 practical recommendations for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on how to effectively localise their operations. In light of the rapid and radical shifts within the international development and humanitarian space and collapsing institutional donor support, this books makes a timely and important contribution, offering proposals to support the transformation of NGO practices, centring the needs and interests of the communities they serve. It is a must-read for scholars, practitioners, and interested publics.' Susan P. Murphy, Associate Professor in Sustainable Development Practice, Geography, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin In '10 Lessons in Localisation', Dr Sinead Walsh draws on grounded experience and extensive research to offer a clear-eyed examination of the real-world challenges involved in making localisation work. In the context of shrinking development budgets, it's more important than ever to learn from past experience and confront the power dynamics and organisational behaviours that shape partnership and accountability. As someone who teaches in this field, I welcome how this book opens space for difficult but necessary conversations we need in both classrooms and organisations. A vital read for anyone serious about making localisation work. Tara Bedi, Assistant Professor in International Development Practice, Geography, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin 'Based on decades of hands-on experience in the aid sector, Sinead Walsh offers sharp, instructive insights into the challenges of localisation. Drawing on robust academic evidence and vivid examples from real life, this book of hard-won lessons provides vital guidance to urgent questions facing NGOs today. Essential reading for practitioners committed to bringing about meaningful change in global development.' Angela Crack, Professor of Civil Society, University of Portsmouth
