Third Annual Global Humanitarian Policy Forum 3-4 December 2014, United Nations Headquarters, New York
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
THIRD ANNUAL GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN POLICY FORUM 3-4 DECEMBER 2014, UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK ANALYTICAL SUMMARY: ENHANCING COOPERATION, ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS This publication was developed by OCHA Policy Development and This is an analytical summary of the Studies Branch (PDSB), Policy Analysis and Innovation Section. Global Humanitarian Policy Forum (GHPF) Conference organizers: Brian Grogan, Andrew Billo, Lilian Barajas discussions, summarizing the perspectives Managing Editor: Andrew Billo and inputs of the participants. It does not necessarily represent the official view of Visual Illustration Credits: Stephanie Brown OCHA, unless stated as such. The elements Photo credits: Paolo Palmero, OCHA captured are meant to encourage further Graphic Design: Girish Arora thought and dialogue around interoperability and the key challenges confronting the For more information, please contact: humanitarian system today. It presents key Policy Development and Studies Branch (PDSB) policy–and-research questions, alongside UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) responses from GHPF participants. This E-mail: [email protected] summary will make further contribution to the Twitter: @OCHAPolicy World Humanitarian Summit deliberations. CONTENTS Introduction 02 Symposium Overview: From ‘Saving Lives’ to ‘Saving Livings’ 04 Key challenges and opportunities 06 Interoperability: How can the Different Systems Work Better Together? 06 Meeting the Needs of Affected People: Where are the Gaps? 07 The Interlocking Systems: Making Interoperability Work 07 Achieving Effective Resource Usage 08 The Sliding Scale of Interoperability: Does it Work in Conflict? 08 Short-term Recommendations for Creating an Interoperable Humanitarian System 09 Annex I: Poll 12 Annex II: Audience Questions 13 Annex III: Report of Workshop I 14 Annex IV: Report of Workshop II 16 Annex V: Report of Workshop III 18 Annex VI: Report of Workshop IV 20 Annex VII: Report of Workshop V 22 Annex VIII: Fact Sheet from World Humanitarian Data and Trends 24 Annex IX: Visual Facilitation 26 Annex X: Global Humanitarian Policy Forum Agenda 28 Annex XI: Participants List 32 Annex XII: Speaker Biographies, 3 December Symposium 35 INTRODUCTION On 3 and 4 December 2014, OCHA hosted its third annual Global and serving the needs of people in conflict). The workshops exam- Humanitarian Policy Forum (GHPF). The forum was convened by ined the following topics: the Policy Development and Studies Branch (PDSB). Participants included over 100 humanitarian practitioners, academics, private • Improving effectiveness through better response. sector partners, and representatives of international organizations • Managing risk through more effective planning and non-governmental organizations. and programming. • Enhancing research-and-development efforts in the area of The GHPF aims to build a more inclusive policy community, iden- innovation. tify latest trends, showcase research, and foster a coordinated • Best practices for reaching hidden populations of urban inter- policy-and-research agenda that contributes to the 2016 World Hu- nally displaced persons, including the use of tools and data manitarian Summit (WHS). The 2014 GHPF focused on the following methods. specific objectives: A fifth workshop examined the application of complexity science • Build a common understanding of the term “interoperability”. theory to improve humanitarian response capabilities. • Identify the systemic issues and priority research, policy and operational gaps pertaining to interoperability on which the international community should focus. • Identify initiatives to be taken by different actors to foster interoperability as a way to enhance the effectiveness of global humanitarian action. Interoperability1 describes the effort to optimize the “As a participant I gained valuable response to affected people’s needs by making systems information from the discussion and work better together in a predictable way, based on their respective comparative advantage. comments that you contributed. Platforms such as this, with so many important actors and stakeholders from The GHPF comprised a Humanitarian Symposium, open to the around the world, allow us to make public. This was followed by an off-the-record Policy Conclave with working-level experts. Both sessions analysed the concept of valuable connections with likeminded interoperability. The second day included a series of workshops, organizations and individuals—something four of which supported the thematic areas identified under the that we look forward to building upon in auspices of the 2016 WHS (effectiveness, managing risk, innovation the near future as we take the lessons and 1 The definition of “interoperability” included in the summary reflects discussions from the conference and put thinking in December 2014. As of May 2015, OCHA defines interoperability them into practice.” as “The effort to optimize the response to the needs of affected people by making systems that are by nature very different work better together Lana Ghawi Zananiri, ARDD-Legal Aid in a predictable way, based on their respective comparative advantage, without co-opting and while accommodating different values.” 02 aid broken crisis agencies connectivity affected better conflict disaster coordination communities effective information different humanitariansim actors challenge development international governments mechanisms funding interoperable humanitarian help nations local interoperability private NGOs Capacity-building Phillipines power sector Affected communities standards response needs working role system 03 SYMPOSIUM OVERVIEW: FUTURE HUMANITARIAN CRISES FROM ‘SAVING LIVES’ TO ‘SAVING LIVINGS’ The scale and complexity of humanitarian crises will con- tinue to grow, driven by global challenges such as urban displacement, the rise of intra-State conflict, food inse- curity and climate change. In the last 10 years, the cost of “When you visit crisis-affected areas as a inter-agency appeals has increased sixfold, while the num- member of the UN, you hear people say ber of people targeted for assistance has doubled. Crises ‘thank you for saving my life,’ but very are increasingly protracted, with inter-agency appeals quickly they are wondering, ‘what about lasting for seven years on average. Aid workers are also facing increasingly dangerous situations: a record 264 aid saving my living?’” workers were killed in 2013. Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary-General To meet these challenges, the humanitarian response of the future will need to adapt, bridging the humanitar- ian-development divide through multi-year planning, The GHPF Symposium included two panel discussions, com- flexible funding options – including from non-traditional mencing with an introductory statement by UN Deputy Sec- sources—and increased investment in solutions that re- retary-General Jan Eliasson. He then joined UN Under-Sec- duce need, and through bolstering national capacities and retary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie making better use of partnerships. Amos, USAID Assistant Administrator Nancy Lindborg and moderator Laura Trevelyan of BBC News America for an hour-long discussion on interoperability, titled “The International • Leadership accountability remains a major gap within affected Humanitarian System: Preparing for the Future”. States, and the interoperability discussion raised important questions in this respect. Some participants suggested that Following their discussion, Ms. Trevelyan presided over a second leadership accountability is imperative for creating an panel featuring Alicia Bala, Deputy Secretary-General of the interoperable system, and that interoperability without Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); Camilo Bui- an accountability mechanism is simply “diffused respon- trago Hernandez, National Director of Social and Humani- sibility.” Although there are measures that do hold leaders to tarian Assistance, Special Administrative Unit for Assistance account, rules and laws too frequently fall short of expectations: and Comprehensive Reparation of Victims, Colombia; and new strategies are needed to ensure the humanitarian principles Robert Piper, UN Humanitarian Relief Coordinator for the are adhered to, particularly in light of the expanding list of actors Sahel. The panel discussed interoperability through the lens of involved with humanitarian response. In addition to Security affected States. Council resolutions, participants mentioned that information and data sharing can put pressure on leaders to meet humani- The two symposium panels identified the following tarian needs, and that new technology and coordination efforts main challenges: are helping to streamline work in this area. • Lives and resources are lost when humanitarian assis- • Other participants held the view that the distinguishing feature tance is siloed. Despite overwhelming evidence that human- of an interoperable approach is that it recognizes multiple power itarian needs would best be met through long-term planning centres that create flat hierarchies. By virtue of multi-polarity, and better coordination with development partners, funding some poles, including those occupied by Governments, may play streams remain short term in nature, and coordination be- a bigger role than others. However, their interaction must be gov- tween humanitarian and development actors is insuffi- erned by shared standards and collective responsibility, rather cient. The present “band-aid”