The problem of gauging a closed form is considered. When the target manifold
is a simple Lie group G, it is seen that there is no obstruction to the gauging
of a subgroup H\subset G if we may construct from the form a cocycle for the
relative Lie algebra cohomology (or for the equivariant cohomology), and an
explicit general expression for these cocycles is given. The common geometrical
structure of the gauged closed forms and the D'Hoker and Weinberg effective
actions of WZW type, as well as the obstructions for their existence, is also
exhibited and explained.