DevEx Highlights Asia Foundation Program Director in Nepal on Gaps in USAID Localization Policies
April 3, 2024 — DevEx, a media platform for the international development community, features the Foundation’s USAID CSM Program director in Nepal, Ajay Das, on the gap between USAID’s policy intentions and the actual inclusion of local voices in decision-making processes.
“As a result of these barriers, there is limited awareness among local and national actors about USAID policies,” the report continued. Many survey respondents “were not aware that policies were available for feedback and those that were aware had learned through international NGOs or social media.”
Ajay Das, a Nepal-based program director at The Asia Foundation, agreed. He felt there was limited awareness among both the foundation and other local partners about USAID policies, and the fact that organizations could contribute to their drafting.
Despite that, things do seem to be changing. USAID’s Local Capacity Strengthening Policy — which guides how the agency should invest in local partners’ capacity — was published after a three-year-long process, one that included 11 focus groups, a public comment period that gathered 600 pages of feedback, and a lengthy analysis period.
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