Local Knowledge and Participation in the Covid-19 Response

Abstract

This report explores approaches to participation in humanitarian response and evidence on the contributions of community engagement in effective response and recovery efforts.It begins with a brief overview of decolonial perspectives on the Covid-19 pandemic to situate participation in the wider context and history of humanitarian and development theory and practice. This is followed by a brief summary of evidence on the role of participation in humanitarian activities andsituates the now ubiquitous concept of ‘Building Back Better’ (BBB) inthe discussion of participatory crisis response and recovery. The remaining sections of the report introduce participatory approaches that have been applied through the Covid-19 pandemic: decentralised decision-making, technological adaptations to engage local communities, and Southern-led research and participatory research methods.