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In Yemen, the word for „localisation“ is often understood to mean the settlement of foreign populations. The „Grand Bargain“ sounds like a commercial transaction. These are not minor linguistic quirks – they reveal how humanitarian reform can lose its meaning the moment it crosses into a new language and culture. Drawing on consultations with local actors in Yemen, I reflect on why genuine localisation must begin with the words we use.
Mehr lesenBeyond Translation: Rethinking Humanitarian Terminology in Yemen
| Participants at the Yemen Grand Bargain Acceleration National Meeting in Aden, 30 August – 1 September 2026. The banner behind them carries two of the Arabic terms this article examines: al-Ṣafqah al-Kubrā ("Grand Bargain") and al-Tawṭīn ("localisation"). | Yemen Localisation Initiative – National Reference Group |
