Humanitarian Response

1. Australian Agency for InternationalDevelopment Humanitarian Response Presented by Garry Dunbar Director, Humanitarian and Emergencies Section

2. 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?

3. Disasters and Humanitarian Emergencies • Hazards, risks, disasters

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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 Disaster

8. 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 Defence Forces Host Nation Defence Forces Assisting Nations Disaster

9. Use of military assets ‘Oslo Guidelines’ and UN Guidelines on the use of Military Civil Defence Assets to Support UN Humanitarian Activities in Complex Emergencies • 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.

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

11. 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

12. 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).

13. CLUSTER APPROACH Adequate capacity and predictable leadership in all sectors

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

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

20. AusAID Who are we?

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

22. Humanitarian Response • AusAID’s 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

23. 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 Key Implementing Partners

24. Thank You Garry.Dunbar@ausaid.gov.au www.ausaid.gov.au