Humanitarian Response Presented by Garry Dunbar Director, Humanitarian and Emergencies Section Australian Agency for International Development

Objectives of session Discuss emergency & disaster response Discuss the role of humanitarian agencies in emergency & disaster response operations. Who are the Humanitarian Actors? What are the Policy Guidelines? Introduce the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Who is AusAID? How does it operate in emergency & disaster response?

Disasters and Humanitarian Emergencies Hazards, risks, disasters

Humanitarian Goal … protect lives, alleviate suffering, maintain human dignity and assist recovery following conflict, natural and other disasters… through effective response, prevention, preparedness and risk reduction

Humanitarian Principles Humanity –To bring assistance to people in distress without discrimination Impartiality –Action is based solely on need Neutrality –Humanitarian action must not favour any side or group Independence –Humanitarian action must be kept separate from political, economic, military or other objectives

Full time Players Government of affected Country (NDMO) Major International NGOs United Nations Multilateral Agencies Development Agencies (Donors) and Banks Part time Players Defence Forces Volunteers and local NGOs Citizens on the spot Disasters and Humanitarian Emergencies

Full time Players Government of affected Country (NDMO) Major International NGOs United Nations Multilateral Agencies Development Agencies (Donors) and Banks Part time Players Defence Forces Volunteers and local NGOs Citizens on the spot Disasters and Humanitarian Emergencies Disaster

Full time Players Government of affected Country (NDMO) Major International NGOs United Nations Multilateral Agencies Development Agencies (Donors) and Banks Part time Players Defence Forces Volunteers and local NGOs Citizens on the spot Disasters and Humanitarian Emergencies Disaster Defence Forces Host NationDefence Forces Assisting Nations

Use of military assets clear humanitarian direction in the use of these assets; unique capability – which means no appropriate civilian/humanitarian resources exist which can undertake the task; timeliness – the urgency demands immediate action; and last resort – which means all civilian/ humanitarian alternatives have been exhausted. Oslo Guidelines and UN Guidelines on the use of Military Civil Defence Assets to Support UN Humanitarian Activities in Complex Emergencies

Specialized Agencies Programmes and Funds OCHA Office for the Coordination xxxxxxof Humanitarian Affairs

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) To mobilise and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national actors in order to: –Alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; –Advocate for the rights of people in need; –Promote preparedness and prevention; and –Facilitate sustainable solutions

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) OCHA carries out its coordination role by: –Developing common strategies (CHAP); –Assessing situations and needs (UNDAC); –Convening coordination forums; –Mobilising resources (CERF, CAP); –Addressing common problems; and –Administering coordination mechanisms & tools (IASC, UNDAC).

CLUSTER APPROACH Adequate capacity and predictable leadership in all sectors

Relief & Assistance ICRC* / UNHCR WHO UNICEF WFP OCHA / UNICEF / WFP UNDP UNHCR / IOM UNHCR FAO UNICEF & Save the Children Alliance Humanitarian Cluster Leads Service provision Cross Cutting Shelter Health Nutrition Water and Sanitation Logistics Emergency Telecom Early Recovery Camp Coord & Mngment Protection Agriculture Education

International Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement International Committee of the Red Cross International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies Conflict Disasters/ Emergencies

Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Thousands around the world –Major international organisations –Very small, grass roots, local Each has a different approach –Need for brand recognition Important implementing partners

Common Standards Participation (including all ethnic groups, women, aged) Initial Assessment Response (eg priority to saving life) Targeting (eg degree of vulnerability, impartiality) Monitoring (eg info - timely, useful) Evaluation

Sphere Project Project to develop minimum standards Based on human rights –the right to life with dignity –distinction between combatants and non- combatants –the principle of non- refoulment

A word of caution! Vulnerability = Need – Availability Need + Availability = Dependency However

AusAID Who are we?

AusAID Not an NGO! We are a Government agency pursuing its interests and objectives Small Agency with a range of implementing partners

Humanitarian Response AusAIDs response is guided by: –Affected Government request –Beneficiary needs –Scale –Location –Other donor responses –Partners on the ground –Our capacity to assist –Do no harm

Key Implementing Partners Exchange of Letters of Intent between AusAID and: OCHA, UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, ICRC Global Emergency Cooperation Agreements with accredited Australian NGOs : Austcare Australian Red Cross Society CARE Australia Community Aid Abroad/Oxfam Australia World Vision Australia Caritas

Thank You