The “Humanitarian System”

Objectives To understand the complexity of the ‘humanitarian community’ To understand the principles and characteristics of humanitarian actors Identify UN humanitarian coordination mechanisms

Components of a Response International Organizations (IOs) UN humanitarian agencies/funds/ programmes Regional Organizations International Organization for Migration (IOM) Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) The Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement Donor Governments/Agencies (USAID/DfID, etc) Affected Population Host Nation Organizations/Agencies International/Regional Financial Institutions Business Community General Public (public opinion/direct donations) And when requested/needed… UN/Coalition Military Forces

Voluntary IMPARTIALITY: Aid is given regardless of race, creed, or nationality. NEUTRALITY: Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious standpoint. Independence Humanity Unity Universality Guiding Humanitarian Principles

United Nations: Coordination Integrated Mission Task Force (IMTF) HQ level: UN Agencies/Funds/Programs, Secretariat Departments Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) Relief web: Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) UN Country Teams UN Agencies, Funds, Programs in country UN Lead Agency UN Humanitarian Coordinator Shepherds coordination process UN Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD) Responsible for UN Staff Security in the field Joint Logistics Centers (JLC) WFP led (Mozambique, AFG) Humanitarian Information Centers Who’s Doing What Where? (Kosovo, AFG)

Humanitarian Logistics origin warehousebeneficiary UNNGO  Ad hoc and horizontal; situation/personality/funding dependent  Military assets will be LAST RESORT  Able to take bigger risks  Rely on commercial contracting  Transport  Material Handling Equipment  Storage  Delivery through distribution; chain of custody

The “NGO Community” Broad Definition: Every organization in society which is not part of government, and which operates in civil society 1 Who they are… Skilled professionals to volunteers (local and expatriate) Why they respond… Humanitarian Principles and Geneva Conventions Host nation agreement and/or CNN Effect Some claim the “right” of intervention Diverse sizes/programmatic focus International, regional, national or community (local) interests Implementing partners of UN/Donor agencies UN Agencies/Red Cross are not NGOs! 1 Source: The Commonwealth Foundation, February,1996

NGO Types no strict categories – often based on programmatic/regional focus Advocacy Press international community for action on particular issues Development knowledge of pre-existing disaster levels of basic service Disaster Relief Attempt for programs/actions to be “Apolitical” food/relief are “above the battle” Human Rights Organizations - Speak out policy: Monitor actions of politicians, military, police, other organizations, etc. Indigenous Many are implementing partners for int’l NGOs community level knowledge of actors and customs

NGO Strengths Critical beneficiary-level work Less bureaucratic/more cost-effective Access to local knowledge Neutrality essential to security Source: Paula Hoy, Players and Issues in International Aid, 1998 NGOs Weaknesses Not homogenous system Lack of collaboration Failure to see the ‘big picture’ Government $$ erodes independence Can be perceived as threat to host nation

NGO funding sources Government Donors: Give with humanitarian objectives in mind but may be constrained by other political/policy issues USAID, AusAID, ECHO, Bi-lateral, etc View NGOs as critical partners in aid delivery Identify gaps in humanitarian response and target aid to fill gaps Will have some form of accountability mechanism Implementing partners of UN Agencies Foundations Individuals/general public Effect of donor fatigue and/or lack of strategic interest on NGO operations? COMPETITION FOR FUNDING

Major Government Donors to NGOs ECHO European Community Humanitarian Office JICA Japanese International Cooperation Agency AusAID Australian Council for International Aid DfID UK Department for International Development USAID United States Agency for International Development CIDA Canadian International Development Agency

NGO Coordination VOLUNTARY AS NEEDED CONSENSUS AND PERSONALITY DRIVEN Strategic level coordination IASC, InterAction, ACFOA, VOICE, etc. Tactical level, typically will coordinate around sectoral or functional areas, i.e. Health, Wat/San, Food/Nutrition, logistics, etc. Some by policy will not collaborate with uniformed/armed military NGOs may have own coordination mechanism separate from the UN.

Major Int’l NGOs in Emergencies CARE World Vision Catholic Relief Services Save the Children International Medical Corps Médecins sans Frontières Doctors of the World World (IRISH) Concern Adventist Dev. & Relief Int. International Rescue Committee Joint Relief International Mercy Corps Action Interational Contre la Faim Concern World Relief OXFAM Lutheran World Relief Refugees International American Friends Service Committee International Aid American Refugee Committee

SECTORS/FUNCTIONS: Food Non-Food Items (NFI) Shelter Health Nutrition Water & Sanitation Education Mine Action REGIONS: Eastern Central East Central (Kabul) South West North North East Humanitarian Coordination - AFG December 01

UN MISSION IN TINDORO Head UN Administration Component Head Humanitarian Component Chief Military Observer Component Head Civilian Police Component Deputy SRSG Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Head Human Rights Component

UN Humanitarian Coordination in Tindoro Region UN Humanitarian Coordinator Reports to SRSG, no authority over UN Agencies/NGOs UN Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) Coordination focal point at national level for UN Agencies/participating NGOs - HOBART & COORDINATION STRICTLY VOLUNTARY UN Regional Coordination Offices National Capitals (HOC located at this level) Northern Border Region (Queensland) Southern Border Region (Fingal) UN Joint Logistics Center (JLC) Focal point for UN requests for civil-military defense assets Can provide information on MSRs and logistics hubs

NGO ICRC Affected Country Requirements THE FOG OF RELIEF: International Relationships During Disasters Donor DONOR NGO DONOR NG O NGO NGO UNHCR WFP Red Cross/ Crescent UNICEF Private Donors NGO UN Coordination: HOC, OSOCC, etc. INT’L MILITARY FORCES CIMIC, CMOC, etc)

Civil-Military Relations ‘Cultural’ level “tree-hugging” NGO with no discipline “jar-head” soldier trying to control everything Professional level different operating cultures and systems different acronyms different “end-states”

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NGO Training RedR Security Management Workshops Transport/Access in Emergencies Site Selection and Planning People in Aid World Vision Security Training Individual organization training/recruitment policies i.e. OXFAM GB: job applicants require knowledge of Sphere Standards

Guidelines for Military Support Last resort – which means all civilian / humanitarian alternatives have been exhausted Unique capability – which means no appropriate civilian humanitarian resources exist which can do the task Timeliness – the urgency demands immediate action Clear humanitarian direction in the use of the assets See: Oslo Guidelines and UN Secretary- General’s Guidelines for Afghanistan

Coordination Considerations Establish common AORs Establish liaison at all levels (strategic to tactical) Compatibility of communications Understand each other’s mission: Early agreement of roles (capabilities/constraints) Coordination is consensus driven; personalities important Civil-Military interface: level of representation often not as important as responsiveness Consider the “market prices” for translators, rent, etc. INFORMATION: Timeliness and accuracy…declassify information and push to the tactical level as early as possible

Selected NGO/Red Cross/Donor web sites International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) InterAction Voluntary Organizations in Cooperation in Emergencies (VOICE) Australian Council for Overseas Aid (ACFOA) The Sphere Project International Committee of the Red Cross _____________________________________________________________________________________________ US Agency for International Development (USAID) European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) Australian Government’s Overseas Aid Program (AUSAID)

Selected UN System web sites Humanitarian Information Center - Afghanistan United Nations Joint Logistics Center Relief Web and UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Online United Nations System Locator United Nations United Nations Children’s Fund UN Development Program UN High Commissioner for Human Rights UN High Commissioner for Refugees World Food Program

QUESTIONS