Championing locally led development | A perspective from Water for Women Funds' journey

The Water for Women (WfW) Fund has been the Australian Government’s flagship water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program from 2018 to June 2025. Over several years, it delivered climate-resilient and socially inclusive WASH projects and research in 16 Asian and Pacific countries, investing AUD 159.9 million with its partner Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and research organisations (ROs).

Lead article author and biography: Lee Leong is a development program manager and engineer who has a passion for supporting locally led development (LLD).  Her dedication to this passion has been visible through her roles within a WfW CSO partner in Phase 1, and later as WASH Specialist and Grants Manager within the Fund Coordinator team. 

This 'Dive deeper' series give readers a chance to learn more from Water for Women's experience and should be read in conjunction with our more detailed Impact Report.

 The landscape

At the centre of many development approaches for over 30 years is the ethos that locally led development (LLD) is best practice and should be strived for. In practice, this can be difficult, nuanced and complex work. At the heart of the challenges to achieve this are power dynamics which can sit just below the surface and often go unspoken in our everyday interactions with each other in the development sector.

Whilst LLD was not explicitly a key theme or directly referred to in Phase 1 of Water for Women (WfW) from 2018 to 2022, it was certainly present within civil society organisation (CSO) and research projects, and could be considered as part of the broader intention of WfW. It was also implicitly built into the WfW design and theory of change through the central role that partnership and gender and social inclusion played in its framing. 

During Phase 1 of WfW, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a renewed light on global issues of race and colonialisation, exemplified by the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement and the rise of anti-Asian hate during that time.

Against this background, the aid and development sector was also questioning and re-examining itself, highlighting “a fundamental challenge facing the sector: to accept and embrace the truth that the development industry is systematically flawed along colonial and neo-colonial lines…Transformation cannot occur independently of the dialogue on racism, decolonisation and other hidden dimensions of power”[1]. 

Following this in 2023, Australia’s International Development policy was released in which LLD is unequivocally prioritised. Shortly after, DFAT released its practical and concise guidance note on LLD. 

The coming together of these threads particularly DFAT’s policy prioritisation, were useful elements to create space for LLD to be explicit in the WfW Fund’s Extension Phase from 2023 to 2025 which may not have been possible otherwise.  This is a good example of policy creating a window of opportunity for change.  In this context, was Water for Women able to take full advantage of this policy window?  What constraints were there to overcome?

While localisation in WfW was focused at project level and is described elsewhere, below are some reflections drawn from WfW where wider framework approaches and strategies can support an environment that creates more space for LLD within projects and programs.  Application and implementation of partnership principles also contributed to LLD, but that initiative is discussed elsewhere.  Without detracting from the many commitments and achievements within WfW Fund and its partners, this article seeks to provide a reflection and contribution to lessons for ourselves as development practitioners, and well as others in the sector, to support future development programs to embed LLD in more meaningful ways.

Why LLD?

Locally led development approaches will help deliver Australia’s commitment to genuine partnerships, working with and listening to our partners in the region, and will create opportunities to deliver better development outcomes by:

• Building effective resilient and accountable states to drive development effectiveness
• Strengthening relationships through shared values
• Deepening economic partnerships and cooperation
• Increasing civil society engagement
• Delivering value for money[2]

The following reflects on select elements of the WfW Fund with respect to LLD - a program that had people and communities from across the Asia Pacific at its core.  It explores ideas that could have further embodied LLD especially if further supporting operating environment factors were available and how these could be reflected in future programs, particularly at management and systems level.

Explicit in project concepts and designs

Within the Fund’s Extension phase, LLD was one of the seven ‘Inclusive climate resilient WASH’ principles agreed by the Fund’s CSOs, ROs and the Fund Coordinator (FC, managed by GHD).  The principle was that project “Concepts [designs] contribute to progressing the localisation agenda and decolonisation of aid and research, ensuring people who are the focus of the work are core to its design and implementation, and the design is aligned to the local values, relevant to the local contexts, and suitable to the local capacities, and shares power and decision-making with partners”. With this, all CSO Project Design Documents included localisation sections and all RO proposals incorporated approaches to localisation in their research strategies – that is, each project design had to articulate how LLD was being considered.  For CSOs, these sections largely validated their approach to implementation (e.g. investing and supporting local community-based organisations and rights-based organisations to work alongside Government duty bearers to improve WASH conditions in communities). For ROs it drew out how they were, and could further explore, ways to localise research processes including supporting knowledge and skills building and exchange with local researchers.

WfW research projects sought to continue shifting the needle of how research is done.  For global research, global south in-country inputs are commonly drawn on for data collection support, with fewer or limited opportunities to play leading roles in primary design, analysis, write-up and dissemination at international conferences. As one example in the extension phase of how the needle was shifting, International Water Centre (IWC)’s design consciously built in LLD into their research processes by working purposefully to create leadership roles for Pasifika researchers through their linkages with University of the South Pacific and Solomon Islands National University. This led to opportunities for local Pasifika researchers and CSO representatives to present at international sector forums including the 2023 to Stockholm International Water Institute’s World Water Week and to the establishment of a Pasifika Research Network.

• Practical takeaway: Consider LLD processes and outputs within project concepts and designs (with related workplans and budgets).
• Create space for local actors to determine research agendas and how that links to local policy and practice

Operations set a foundation

Compared to the opportunities that arise for a ‘redesign’ or new program, particularly at the contracting and compliance levels, the WfW Extension Phase was not in a position to make significant operational level changes for LLD. However, a review of the existing model is an opportunity to identify what could contribute further to LLD for future programming. For example, WfW contracts and funding were largely channelled through the Head Offices or National Offices of CSOs (mostly in global north countries). These were then provided to in-country CSO offices where the implementation programs were run (largely in global south countries). This represents currently common aid flows which can inadvertently reinforce traditional power dynamics around money and decision making. As part of a shifting approach to LLD in the aid sector, there are opportunities to evolve with respect to contracting and resourcing practices that shift power dynamics. DFAT’s LLD Guidance note refers to an ongoing need to the balance requirements of local partners to demonstrate compliance accountability with supporting and investing in continuous improvements of their systems and processes. 

• Practical takeaway: There is an opportunity for future programs to consider how the primary contract holder, and related resources, can be primarily directed to global south actors, with global north actors as support offices receiving downstream funding and providing ongoing support to evolve local systems and processes. 

Importance of embedding LLD at the strategic level  

Within the short period of the WfW Extension Phase, not every important topic could receive a strategic ‘spotlight’. This was the case for LLD, where efforts relied heavily on individual champions to keep it on the agenda. In the future an increased prioritisation of LLD with dedicated resourcing would increase impact of institutionalisation across various dimensions.

Practical improvements include integrating LLD intent within management and governance structures, as well as across implementing partners to ensure it is substantially and deeply embedded in a program. For example, while there were some global south partner representatives in the Fund governance structure (Fund Partnership Group) from the outset, an increased number of these actors in this and other WfW forums may have better supported localising and contextualising core strategic decision making within the project implementing countries and staff. Committing to and prioritising the creation of such ‘new space’ can support opportunities for those who are underrepresented in key leadership roles across many high-level international development decision-making spaces. 

• Practical take way:  LLD is an ongoing practice and embedding LLD at the strategic level moves beyond words to action in the sector.

Creating space in existing learning structures

The WfW Extension phase had a strong learning focus to improve understanding of how to transition to climate resilient inclusive WASH.  Learning was a large and resourced feature of the Fund and one of its End of Program Outcomes.  The following section explores one aspect of this which was the internal Fund level events with respect to LLD.

There were several WfW Fund learning events to promote cross-sharing and learning across all the partner projects.  These events provided a useful, and increasingly prominent platform to discuss and promote LLD amongst partner CSOs, ROs and the FC. However, creating space for LLD within the existing WfW learning structure provided a glimpse of the challenges of getting it on the agenda as a strategic priority.  Unconscious power dynamics can hinder discussion as can competing priorities.  Nevertheless, this points to the importance of utilising existing resourced structures and frameworks, where they exist, as a way to progress the LLD agenda.  Further, decisions made at this wider strategic level are critical to supporting an LLD agenda (as mentioned in the above section). 

The following timeline progression with respect to LLD within the WfW learning events tell an interesting story of how discussing LLD gradually increased through the Extension phase:

• February 2023: Extension phase ‘Kick-off’ meeting: LLD was not part of the agenda, however there was an ‘Open Space’ session which allowed any attendee to lead on small group discussions on topics they believed important for the WfW Extension Phase as well as individual projects. This provided a good opening for LLD champions to pitch a discussion on this issue which was recognised as an important topic largely from in-country staff.  This included some focus and ‘call to action’ to further diversify the Fund governance structure which was subsequently discussed at the next meeting. 
• March 2024: The Asia Learning Event:  LLD was not specifically on the agenda however in a final session around what participants would like to learn more about, LLD was voted (largely by in-country staff) as an important area for further exploration within the Fund. 
• October 2024: Final Fund Event: An LLD session was facilitated as a parallel session and was a key reflection point in the wrap-up. For example, one CSO participant stated: “The localisation session was an ‘aha’ moment for me as it was something new for me …I've been in the position of the oppressed and I've been in the position of the privileged. I've been doing different roles as a power holder [in my CSO] so I think all of those experiences were conceptualised in the localisation session well.  It gives me a lot of aspirations…”  Further, within the debrief session with facilitators and moderators a key reflection was that they themselves needed to be constantly reflecting on how they were showing up in the session space and what constitutes facilitating good transformative processes.  This is summarised below in Box 1.
• May 2025: ‘Climate Resilient Pathways - Water Security and WASH in Asia Pacific’ conference: This conference was funded by WfW and open to all in the development sector to attend in either Suva, Fiji or Bangkok, Thailand, to support more accessible attendance for those based in the regions.  A session abstract on LLD formed part of the official conference programme as a parallel session led by the FC, together with DFAT Timor-Leste, Plan International, CFAR and PARTISIPA/ DT Global.  Further, a powerful closing keynote speech on LLD was provided by Akmal Ali (from the Pacific Islands Association of NGOs) in the conference plenary: “We must ask difficult questions. Are we unintentionally reinforcing our exclusion through the lens of inclusion?”  

The increased attention demonstrates that the persistence of topical champions, like those who consistently sought to create space in existing structures for LLD in this program, can result in a swell of demand for LLD to be considered at the wider programming level.

• Practical take ways:
  • Look for opportunities to create ongoing space for reflexive learning around LLD within an organisation, department, program and/or project.  Using existing structures and frameworks can mean LLD is built into existing resourcing and prioritisation.
  • LLD champions/focal points can be very valuable including meeting people where they are at and supporting their inclusion journey.  
  • Collective support for LLD should not be assumed and it is important to continuously gain support including from key decision makers and power holders.  This includes at wider strategic level down to operational activities.  

Supporting and navigating at multiple levels

As development practitioners it can be easier to talk more about power in the communities and systems we work in and less about how power shows up in our everyday work such as our decisions, choices and ways of working within our teams, organisations and partnerships. This was no different for WfW. LLD, like many issues of power and equality, requires continued examination and action steps to progress at various levels. This includes continuously reflecting on one’s own use of power and behaviour; and potentially having uncomfortable conversations. There were mixed comfort levels and opinions when discussing what constituted LLD across the Fund, with differing and growing appetites for LLD amongst individuals to openly discuss this topic.

Early in the Extension Phase the COVID-19 pandemic, perhaps ironically, provided opportunities for more local representatives to present their project work in webinars, compared to previous face-to-face events. Early in the Fund representation of WfW at global WASH events was usually undertaken by the FC and contract holders. From late 2022 onwards, intentional efforts were made to support at least one in-country project representative to attend international conferences, and global south colleagues were keen to see increased participation from the in-country representatives.  This further evolved to supporting in-country global south staff to co-facilitate and co-present at regional events alongside FC members and contract holders, who provided valuable peer support. The World Water Forum was a key example, where local partners took centre stage in presenting their work. There was increasing awareness within WfW to actively support in-country global south partners to present their work in other internal and external forums such as webinars and regional events.

The next step is supporting in-country global south partners to set the agenda and have decision-making roles as to overall representation at international conferences; and perhaps to a point where potentially there are predominantly global south staff representing and leading development discussions. With more time, WfW may have been able to progress along this continuum.   

While WfW was able to improve over the short period of the Extension Phase, future programs have the opportunity to leapfrog parts of the LLD continuum by considering different ‘advanced’ LLD dimensions.  

• Practical take away: Consider ‘where’ and ‘how’ you/ your team/ your project/ your organisation / your partnership /your work might be with respect to the LLD continuum dimensions and strive for continuous improvement. The LLD Continuum in Annex A of DFAT’s LLD Guidance Note provides a useful framework for this work.
• Key take away: The challenge for the sector is to acknowledge diverse views and collectively continue to transfer power to those that the sector seeks to support the most. It is a call to action to us all to hold our mirrors up to ourselves for continuous reflexive practice to ‘walk our talk’ - this is LLD in action.   

[1] DFAT Guidance Note: Locally Led Development (2023)

[2] Reference: G Bond, From Hubris to Humility: Localisation and Legitimacy of International Non-Government Organisations (2022)

The views expressed in this article are the authors’ alone and are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government.

We hope the above sharing and reflections provides useful learning for future programming around the importance of embedding LLD at the programming level, creating an enabling environment through both operations and program designs, and the need to support and navigate LLD at various levels (including individual, organisational, inter-organisational partnership and at the program level). The author has written this reflection piece in this light and does not wish to take anything away from the significant and incredible achievements and impacts by all involved in the Water for Women Fund - refer to the Water for Women Fund Impact report. 

Co-author: Mia Cusack (Communication Specialist) and Alison Baker (Fund Manager)

Article acknowledgements: Jose Mott (GEDSI Specialist) and Matthew Bond (WASH Specialist).  

Authors for ‘Fifteen tips to support inclusive workshop environments, including those on LLD’:  Betty Amos, Ravie Kiran Bokam, Darshan Karki, Lee Leong, Malaphone Inthilath, Jose Mott, Shahpara Nawaz, Neky Nitbani, Heman Paneru, Antoneta Soares, Wahyu Triwahyudi, Geraldine Valei, Turea Wickham, and Nancy Wobo.

This blog has been edited for this final version.