Localization in politicized aid: A case study on the earthquake emergency response in Türkiye

Abstract

What happens when humanitarian crises are managed by governments in politicized contexts? The enforcement of local actors in the humanitarian and development sectors has become a trend labelled as “localization” and appears in international agreements, advocacy campaigns and reports. This thesis aims to give a critical reflection on localization through the case study of the 2023 earthquake emergency response in Türkiye. The findings demonstrate how the humanitarian space in Türkiye has been dominated by the Turkish government that manipulates aid to securitize its political agenda. The imminent elections held just four months after the disaster increased the politicization of aid where international NGOs’ intervention was restricted and national and local NGOs were co-opted in order to create a group of State-aligned organizations. This case shows how a locally-led response, if dominated by a politically sided local actor, might compromise impartial and neutral humanitarian action.