Challenge of Localization under Restrictive Government Rule

Abstract The idea of localizing development assistance continues to gain traction in donor rhetoric and to a lesser degree in practice. Specifically, the operationalization of localization—increased investment in and support to locally led action—remains elusive. This article examines challenges in foreign assistance within restrictive political contexts to understand the extent to which local actors can be supported by the localization agenda through more effective and equitable aid. My findings show that efforts to transfer leadership to local organizations are doubly stunted when civil society organizations (CSOs) are co-opted and their scope of civic action is restricted by both the regime and international donors. The article draws on my participation as an evaluator of donor programs implemented in Jordan during the period of 2013–2021 and within an accumulated value of USD 150 million. The article also draws on the results of an extensive literature review and key informant interviews with representatives of CSOs, the donor community, and government. The article identifies four key barriers to localizing aid to civil society in authoritarian contexts: (1) Local actor agency is diminished by government restrictions on civic actors and space; (2) Donors’ complicity enables these restrictions through strategies that determine what activities are supported, who receives support and how support is provided; (3) Local capacity is limited to translate assistance into a systemic dynamic for change; and (4) The localization agenda lacks contextualization. These findings have implications for how scholars understand challenges that can emerge as localization efforts are initiated across national and local levels.