New Working Paper: “The Locals will Know”: The Role of Local Actors and Local Knowledge in Trigger Development for Anticipatory Action

The Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) has released a new working paper as part of its multidisciplinary Working Paper Series in humanitarian studies. Titled “The Locals will Know: The Role of Local Actors and Local Knowledge in Trigger Development for Anticipatory Action”, this paper by Sören Schneider explores the critical role of local actors and knowledge in designing effective and context-sensitive triggers for anticipatory humanitarian action (AA).

The study addresses a key challenge in AA frameworks: the reliance on complex and resource-intensive scientific forecasting models, which often exclude local insights and pose barriers for smaller organizations. It provides actionable recommendations for integrating local knowledge into trigger development processes, lowering technical entry barriers, and fostering joint engagement between German humanitarian NGOs and their local partners.

The paper highlights the value of Indigenous knowledge, informal coping strategies, and participatory approaches, such as the People-First Impact Method (P-FIM), in designing flexible, cost-effective, and community-accepted trigger models. It further illustrates these practices through a case study from Catanduanes, Philippines, where local actors played a central role in developing a two-step trigger model for typhoon-related disasters, enhancing community ownership and trust in the AA framework.

Working Paper, Vol. 14, No. 2

Published as Volume 14, Number 2 of the series, the paper aims to advance discussions on humanitarian practices and policies, particularly on the integration of local perspectives into anticipatory frameworks. The full paper is available here.

The IFHV’s Working Paper Series upholds a rigorous publication process, including an international blind review, ensuring high-quality contributions to the field.

About the author

Sören Schneider was a Research Associate at the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV) at Ruhr University Bochum until 2025. His research focuses on the role of local actors and knowledge systems in anticipatory humanitarian action. He has contributed to studies on disaster risk reduction, the integration of participatory approaches into trigger development, and the challenges of aligning humanitarian frameworks with local contexts.