Title: Disaster response The International Humanitarian Framework
1Disaster response - The International
Humanitarian Framework
- Guiding Principles
- The Current Humanitarian Environment
- Civil Military Coordination
- Terje Skavdal,
- Regional Office for Asian and the Pacific
- Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs
2 General Assembly Resolution 46/182, December 1991
the suffering of victims of disasters /
emergency situations,
the loss of lives,
the mass displacement of people
the flow of refugees
the material destruction
- Strong needs for
- enhancement of the coordination of humanitarian
emergency assistance
3Guiding Principles
- 1) Humanitarian assistance is of importance for
the victims of natural disaster and other
emergencies - 2) Humanitarian assistance must be provided in
accordance with the principles of humanity,
neutrality and impartiality
4Guiding Principles
- 3) The sovereignty, territorial integrity and
national unity of states must be fully respected
in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations - 4) Each states has the responsibility first and
foremost to take care of the victims of natural
disasters and other emergencies occurring on its
territory
5Guiding Principles
- 5) The magnitude and duration of many emergencies
may be beyond the response capacity of many
affected counties.
6 GA 46/182
- Establishment of the Emergency Relief Coordinator
- Inter Agency Standing Committee
- Coordinated Appeal Process
- Humanitarian Coordinators
7Humanitarian Action Challenges
- Well-known, long-standing gaps
- Gap between response to recovery
- Limited linkages weak partnerships
- Coordination irregular and response capacity
unpredictable - Preparedness weak
- Gaps and duplication (sectoral geographic)
- Insufficient accountability
- Donor policies inconsistent
8Changing Humanitarian Environment
- Increasing complexity and frequency of disasters
- New challenges (energy/water shortages,
urbanisation, migration, climate change) - Challenges in maintaining humanitarian space and
principles - Increasingly competitive funding environment
- Increased demands for assistance,
- Increased national capacity to respond and
coordinate - Increasing number/variety of actors
- Economic, food and fuel crises
- Growing demand for a more inclusive disaster
response system - Humanitarian
Reform
9Building a Stronger, more Predictable,
Humanitarian Response System
- Partnership underpins humanitarian action
- Strengthened sectoral coordination to ensure with
full coverage of needs - Accountable humanitarian leadership to strategize
effectively for response - Flexible, adequate and timely funding
-
10Whose reform is itanyway?
- IASC-agreed reform (not a UN-driven process!)
- Principles of Partnership as the basis for reform
- Changing attitudes and the way we work as a
humanitarian community - No longer reform but the way we do business!
11 Partnership is the foundation of humanitarian
action
- Partnerships are at the centre of effective
response, and form the basis for humanitarian
action - No single humanitarian agency or actor - can
cover all humanitarian needs - Collaboration is not an option, it is a necessity
- Limited resources need more efficiency in
response - Common interest and objectives
-
12Why partnership strengthening is in the interest
of all actors
- Inclusive coordination structures
- Coordinated resource mobilisation
- Strategic and coherent response
- Access to improved information
- Recognition of mutual interdependence,
trust-building - Better understanding of expectations and
commonalities - Move away from traditional contractual
relationships
13Leadership of International Response
- Strong and accountable leadership key to
effective response - Role of RC/HC critical in leading supporting
humanitarian community, through coordination by
consent - Increased support to RCs who take on additional
responsibilities
14Humanitarian Coordinator role
- Lead preparedness efforts (including contingency
planning) - Facilitate agreement on coordination structures
and sectoral leads (with HCT partners) - Establish inter-cluster coordination mechanisms
- Strategic coordination lead strategic planning,
needs assessment, response plans, monitoring - Overall operational coordination (establish HCT)
- Advocacy and negotiation for access, human
rights, protection issues - Ensure integration of cross-cutting issues and
support to early recovery - Lead and coordinate resource mobilisation efforts
15Benefits of Sectoral Coordination
- Humanitarian response functions more effectively
with agreed coordination structures and
clearly-identified lead actors - Cluster approach should not be imposed as one
size fits all field and needs-driven - Regardless of language used, same standards of
predictability, accountability, partnership, and
leadership guide response
16Cluster Lead Agencies role
- Establish, lead and maintain coordination
mechanisms, response and early recovery planning
and strategy development for cluster/sector - Include key humanitarian partners for sector
- Establish coordination develop linkages with
national actors and govt counterparts - Lead organisation of sectoral needs
assessment/analysis, with all partners - Ensure agreed standards are applied
- Build capacity of national actors and promote
capacity-building of humanitarian partners - Ensure participatory community-based approaches
- If needed, act as provider of last resort
- Lead emergency preparedness activities for sector
- Monitor and report on impact of sectoral
activities
17Humanitarian Funding
- The Consolidated Appeal Process
- More than an appeal for money
- Tool for aid agencies to plan, implement, and
monitor their activities together
18Flash Appeals, Consolidated Appeal, Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF)
- Flash appeals
- Part of the Consolidated Appeals Process, the
humanitarian sectors main tool for coordination,
strategic planning and programming. - A tool that provides an overview of urgent
life-saving needs, within a week of the
emergency's onset. - Contains rapid needs assessment information, a
common humanitarian action plan, and specific
sectoral response plans and projects. - Addresses acute needs for up to six months (and
can be developed into a consolidated appeal if
the emergency continues beyond six months). - A Consolidated Appeal is, basically, a longer
version of a Flash Appeal (usually 12 months),
for longer-term crises, offering more analysis
and detail.
19Flash appeals and the CERF
- Flash Appeal strategic response plan which
includes a set (catalogue) of projects and
request for funds by sectors - CERF source of funds, i.e. donor
- Practically this means
- CAP planning, coordination, implementation and
monitoring tool for humanitarian action - CERF for programs not yet covered by donors
BUT essential for the overall humanitarian
response
20CERF in 2008
21UN CMCoord What is it?
UN Humanitarian Civil Military
Coordination The essential dialogue and
interaction between civilian and military actors
in humanitarian emergencies necessary to protect
and promote humanitarian principles, avoid
competition, minimize inconsistency, and when
appropriate pursue common goals.
The key elements are information sharing, task
division, and planning. Basic strategies range
from coexistence to cooperation. Coordination is
a shared responsibility facilitated by liaison
and common training.
22CMCoord - WHY DO WE NEED TO DO IT?
Increasing Role for Military Forces in Disaster
Response The scale of the Indian-Ocean
Earthquake and Tsunami and the South Asia
Earthquake disasters led to an unprecedented
level of assistance being provided by national
and international militaries to the affected
States and humanitarian community. This
assistance was central to the overall relief
efforts in quickly accessing hard-to-reach areas
and filling many technical gaps that civilian
capabilities were unable to immediately
provide.
23CMCoord - WHY DO WE NEED TO DO IT?
Shrinking Operational Environment In most
humanitarian emergencies (complex and natural
disaster) humanitarian responders will encounter
armed actors. Now, more than ever before, there
are likely to be multiple types of forces,
including domestic, foreign, international or
multinational forces and when such actors are
present there are also likely to be significant
coordination challenges.
24CMCoord What are the benefits?
- Logistical Assets Logistical support from
strategic airlift to tactical fixed wing and
rotary airlift, sealift, overland transportation
and related support mechanisms and personnel. - Medical Assistance Field Hospitals, technical
expertise and equipment, MEDIVAC etc. - Communications Support Specialised
communications capabilities and potential support
to humanitarian operations. - Manpower Perhaps the largest potential provider
of highly disciplined and well trained manpower
at very short notice to support Humanitarian
operations. - Security An clear role in providing protection
for humanitarian aid workers as required.
25Civil Military Coordination in Natural Disasters
26Guidelines on the use of Military and Civil
Defence Assets (MCDA) in Disaster Relief - The
Oslo Guidelines
AIM To establish the basic framework for
formalizing and improving the effectiveness and
efficiency of the use of military teams and
expertise in international disaster relief.
- SCOPE
- The Oslo Guidelines address the use of MCDA
following natural, technological and
environmental emergencies in times of peace. - These guidelines are primarily intended for use
by UN humanitarian agencies and their operational
partners, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators,
UN MCDA commanders and commanders of other
deployed forces performing missions in support of
the UN humanitarian agencies. - They could also be used by decision-makers in
Member States and regional organizations when
considering the use of military and civil defence
assets. - The document focuses on the use of MCDA in
disaster relief operations. The foundation for
effective coordination of military and civilian
assistance during reconstruction and
rehabilitation is often established during the
first phase of an international response.
27Civil Military Coordination in Complex Emergencies
28Civil-Military Relationship in Complex
Emergencies - An IASC Reference Paper 28 June
2004
AIM Highlights, in a generic manner, the nature
and character of civil-military relations in
complex emergencies. Reviews some fundamental
humanitarian principles and concepts that must be
upheld when coordinating with the
military. Makes practical considerations for
humanitarian workers engaged in civil- military
coordination
29Overall Challenges Ahead
- Strengthened preparedness and contingency
planning - Establishing Humanitarian Country Teams with link
to clusters and governmental response systems - Real commitment to partnership, including to
non-traditional partners - Improved and rehearsed CMC
- Improved support to governments and local
capacity-building - Better linkages to recovery and development
30