The ‘localisation paradox’: How INGO regulatory power undermines local ownership in Yemen

The localisation agenda in Yemen promises to empower local actors and foster locally-owned peace. Yet, despite normative commitments, international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) frequently marginalise the very actors they aim to support. This article introduces the concept of the Localisation Paradox to explain this puzzle. While existing scholarship has documented the gap between rhetoric and practice, I argue these explanations are insufficient. The novelty lies in identifying regulatory power as the specific causal mechanism that produces these dynamics. The mechanism operates through regulatory imposition, institutional isomorphism, and legitimacy erosion, creating a ‘clash of rationalities’ between international bureaucratic requirements and local community-based practices. Drawing on the Networked Peacebuilding Model and the ‘three faces of power’, I argue the paradox is a structural outcome of INGO regulatory power in Yemen's governance vacuum. INGOs impose standards such as the Sphere Handbook and Core Humanitarian Standard, forcing local organisations to prioritise compliance over local legitimacy. The analysis is contextualised by Yemen's historical evolution, territorial fragmentation, and tribal governance structures. Empirical evidence shows localisation empowers elite-led ‘sheikh organizations’ while marginalising grassroots actors. I propose genuine co-creation, context-appropriate frameworks, and a shift from substitutive governance to authentic partnership.