IASC TRANSFORMATIVE AGENDA GenCap Technical Workshop February 2012

Humanitarian Reform (2005) PREDICTABILITYACCOUNTABILITYRESPONSIBILITYPARTNERSHIP

“The inadequate cholera response in Haiti – coming on the heels of the slow and highly politicised flood relief effort in Pakistan – makes for a damning indictment of an international aid system whose architecture has been carefully shaped over the past 15 years… these clusters, at best, seem capable of only passing basic information and delivering few concrete results” Dr Unni Karunakara, MSF President “There were two major humanitarian disasters in 2010, which required international humanitarian assistance – the earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan. In both cases, the international humanitarian system showed itself to be less than the sum of its parts and the responses were characterised by weak leadership, poor coordination and a slow response.” UK Humanitarian Emergency Response Review

Lessons from Haiti and Pakistan Emphasized the need to: Enhance leadership at all levels (HC, HCT and Cluster itself); Enhance leadership at all levels (HC, HCT and Cluster itself); Understand the operating contexts and their specificities, such as the urban environment in Haiti Understand the operating contexts and their specificities, such as the urban environment in Haiti Work with governments and civil society, supporting their leadership, ensuring that the structures and mechanisms encourage rather than discourage participation. Work with governments and civil society, supporting their leadership, ensuring that the structures and mechanisms encourage rather than discourage participation. Establish partnerships with national and local NGOs, Establish partnerships with national and local NGOs, Increase dialogue with affected communities, capturing the views of those affected and to inform better and more appropriate response and recovery planning. Increase dialogue with affected communities, capturing the views of those affected and to inform better and more appropriate response and recovery planning. Strengthen linkages between humanitarian & recovery communities Strengthen linkages between humanitarian & recovery communities

Leadership: “In every major emergency there must be sufficient capacity within the system to ensure senior, experienced humanitarian leadership immediately and in key functions.” Accountability: “Country representatives of cluster leading agencies need to recognize that the HC has the authority to lead and coordinate humanitarian action in complex emergencies” “There is currently little possibility for members of the HCT to hold an RC/HC accountable for his/her performance in leading the humanitarian operation” Coordination: “The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), led by the HC, is not always seen as the primary venue for humanitarian decision making and strategic planning.” “Clusters have become overburdened by process rather than focusing on improved results.”

IASC Transformative Agenda, Mechanism to deploy strong, experienced senior humanitarian leadership to guide the humanitarian response from the outset of a major crisis Mechanism to deploy strong, experienced senior humanitarian leadership to guide the humanitarian response from the outset of a major crisis Strengthening leadership capacities and rapid deployment of humanitarian leaders at various levels, to ensure the coordination architecture functions well Strengthening leadership capacities and rapid deployment of humanitarian leaders at various levels, to ensure the coordination architecture functions well Improved strategic planning at the country level, clarifying collective results and roles in contributing to these Improved strategic planning at the country level, clarifying collective results and roles in contributing to these Enhanced accountability of the Humanitarian Coordinators and members of the Humanitarian Country Team for achieving results Enhanced accountability of the Humanitarian Coordinators and members of the Humanitarian Country Team for achieving results Streamlined coordination mechanisms adapted to operational requirements and contexts Streamlined coordination mechanisms adapted to operational requirements and contexts