NGOs in Complex Emergencies

1. NGOs in ComplexEmergencies Center of Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance

2. Components of a Response • UN Humanitarian Agencies • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) • International Committee of the Red Cross • The Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement • Donor Governments/Individuals • International/Regional Organizations and Financial Institutions • Effected Population • Host Nation Agencies • Business Community And when requested/needed… • UN/Coalition Military Forces

3. Voluntary Impartiality Neutrality Independence Humanity Unity Universality Humanitarian PrinciplesWhich Guide NGO Action

4. The “NGO Community” • NGO Definition: • Organizations, both national and international, which are constituted separate from the government of the country in which they are founded1 • Diversity: • Size • Operating Styles/language differences • Geographic Focus • Religious background • Programmatic Orientation2 • Funding Sources 1 Source: Code of Conduct for Int’l Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and NGOs 2 Source: Paula Hoy, Players and Issues in International Aid, 1998

5. Who they are… skilled professionals volunteers local/expatriate staff varying levels of experience/skills Administrators/ practitioners Why they respond… Humanitarian Principles Geneva Conventions The “right” of intervention Implementing partners of UN agencies/donor nations host nation agreement CNN Effect Board of Directors/charter The “NGO Community”

6. 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 • Individuals/general public • Foundations • Effect of donor fatigue/lack of strategic interest on operations?

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8. NGO Strengths • Less bureaucratic/more cost-effective • Access to local knowledge • Flexibility in operations • Work protected by international conventions NGOs Weaknesses • Not homogenous system • Inter-organization planning – ad hoc at best • Often act independently • Many only see small part of the ‘big picture’ • Sometimes at odds with local authorities

9. 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” Operate on principle that food/relief are “above the battle” Human Rights Organizations Speak out policy: Monitor actions of politicians, military, police, other organizations, etc. Indigenous/Grass-roots Many become implementing partners for int’l NGOs during disaster NGO Typesno strict categories – often based on programmatic/regional focus

10. Major 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. • Food for the Hungry • International Rescue Committee • Joint Relief International • Mercy Corps • Africare • Concern • World Relief • OXFAM • Lutheran World Relief • Refugees International • American Friends Service Committee • International Aid • American Refugee Committee

11. NGO Coordination • VOLUNTARY • CONSENSUS • 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

12. Elements of Humanitarian Response • Logistics/Planning • Assessments • Security/Protection • Engineering • Health Care (physical/mental) • International/national law • Management/Administration • Advocacy/Public Relations • Fundraising!

13. Efforts to improve accountability • Sphere Project: Minimum Standards in Disaster Response • water supply and sanitation • nutrition • food aid • shelter and site planning • health services • Red Cross/NGO Code of Conduct • Some 130 organizations have signed • Donor demands for increased accountability • What is “acceptable loss”

14. Civil-Military Tensions • Stereotypes • “tree-hugging hippie” NGO with no discipline • “Rambo” trying to take control of everything • Professional and cultural level • different operating cultures and systems • different acronyms and terminology • different objectives or end states

15. Possible Security Needs of Humanitarian Organizations • Evacuation • Mine awareness • Security of facilities/operations • Personal Security • Stress Management • Communication within & between relief organizations Lauren Landis: Interaction questionnaire, 1994

16. THE FOG OF RELIEF: International Relationships During Disasters Affected Country Requirements NGO Red Cross/ Crescent NGO NGO NGO Donor NGO UNHCR UN Coordinator or HOC, OSOCC, etc. ICRC DONOR WFP UNICEF DONOR Other Donors CTF MILITARY FORCES (CMOC, etc)

17. Selected NGO/Donor web sites InterAction www.interaction.org International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) www.icva.ch Voluntary Organizations in Cooperation in Emergencies (VOICE) www.oneworld.org/voice The Sphere Project www.sphereproject.org US Committee for Refugees www.refugees.org Global IDP Project (Norwegian Refugee Council) www.idpproject.org _____________________________________________________________________________________________ US Agency for International Development (USAID) www.usaid.gov European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) www.europa.eu.int/comm/echo/en Australian Government’s Overseas Aid Program (AUSAID) www.ausaid.au

18. QUESTIONS? Sharon McHale sharon.mchale@coe-dmha.org