HOW CHANGE HAPPENS IN THE HUMANITARIAN SECTOR HUMANITARIAN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT EDITION 2018 2018 CHS Alliance Report Published by: CHS Alliance Published in October 2018 Executive Editor: Bonaventure Gbétoho Sokpoh Research and writing team: Lois Austin, Dayna Brown, Paul Knox-Clarke, Imogen Wall Contributors: Edith Favoreu, Murray Garrard, Judith Greenwood, David Loquercio Managing editor: Ann Vaessen Copy editor: Robert Bartram Graphic designer: Caroll Richon Illustrator: Leela Grace ISBN: 978-2-8399-2515-0 CHS Alliance Maison Internationale de l’Environnement 2 Chemin de Balexert 7 (frst foor, room 1-08) CH – 1219 Châtelaine Geneva, Switzerland +41 (0)22 788 16 41 [email protected] www.chsalliance.org © All rights reserved. The copyright for this material lies with the CHS Alliance. It may be reproduced for educational purposes, including training, research and programme activities, provided that the CHS Alliance is acknowledged and details of such use are provided to the Alliance prior to use. For elements of this report to be quoted in other publications, translated, or adapted for use, prior written permission must be obtained from the copyright owner by emailing [email protected] ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The production of this edition of the Humanitarian Accountability Report has involved more than 60 experts at headquarters and on the ground, including authors, discussion facilitators, thematic experts and peer reviewers. The CHS Alliance wishes to express its sincere gratitude to all contributors for their engagement throughout the process. The authors are grateful to the thematic experts for the time dedicated to this publication and for their valuable contributions. Comments and contributions from peer reviewers were also very gratefully received. Without these contributions, it would not have been possible to capture a broad enough picture of the state of change in the humanitarian sector. This publication benefited from the insights, contributions and support of some key people to whom we would like to extend special thanks. These are Judith Greenwood, CHS Alliance’s Executive Director who guided the process; David Loquercio, former CHS Alliance Head of Policy, Advocacy and Learning, who laid the foundations of the publication; Edith Favoreu, Humanitarian Encyclopedia Knowledge Manager, Lecturer-Researcher at Geneva Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action (CERAH); and Murray Garrard, independent consultant who reviewed the whole publication. We are grateful for the prompt service of all the service providers involved in this publication, especially at the publication phase. The contributions of all the CHS Alliance staff has been crucial to the completion of this publication. Their work is gratefully acknowledged. Finally, the CHS Alliance is grateful to its donors. Irish Aid, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, all generously contribute to funding the activities of CHS Alliance. / HUMANITARIAN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 2018 / 1 FOREWORD Modern warfare is generally more protracted, more fragmented and more urbanised that at any other time in recent history – with catastrophic, far-reaching humanitarian consequences that can last for generations. Beyond the devastating loss of life and livelihoods, we see failing infrastructure and public services, chronic hardship and poverty, long-term psychological suffering and displacement on a massive scale – reversing previous development gains. At the same time, international humanitarian response in general is beset by internal weaknesses and external challenges to such an extent that many organisations are increasingly paralysed, if not absent altogether, in conflict zones where the needs are greatest. The increasing assertiveness of states and their insistence on sovereignty, the politicisation of aid, the proliferation and diversification of new actors, security issues, new technologies, the drive towards a common approach to emergency relief and development and the localisation of aid are among the key factors shaping the evolving humanitarian ecosystem. While the localisation agenda has been most successful in terms of disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response – local actors are invariably the first to respond in emergencies – it is gaining ground in situations of protracted conflict too. The ‘new normal’ of protracted, largely urban conflict naturally still requires humanitarian action to save lives and meet short-term needs, but also, increasingly, to sustain basic services and infrastructure in fragile environments, to provide different types of community support and to contribute to longer-term socio-economic development. While this calls for a more holistic approach – with more creative planning and financing – neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian action remains indispensable for the ICRC to respond to actual needs, ensure proximity to the people at the centre of the response, and engage with all parties, particularly in the most constrained and complex situations of armed conflict. In order to achieve this, we need to be pragmatic and innovative. We need to maximise the enormous opportunities offered by digitalisation, whilst also managing the risks associated with data protection and privacy. We need to continuously explore how to better connect with increasingly diverse stakeholders and potential partners with the aim of co-creating innovative approaches to humanitarian action. And we need to invest more in our own staff; ensuring their diversity and inclusion in order to better connect with – and serve – affected people. Ultimately we need to ensure that the people we serve play a more central role in identifying their needs and formulating the best responses. The CHS has been a major source of inspiration for the ICRC’s approach to ensuring accountability for affected people. Indeed, the nine commitments in the CHS are largely reflected in the ICRC’s own core set of elements, driving the quality of programmes. While the actions of field staff ultimately ensure accountability, these need to be underpinned by efficient, effective and transparent systems and processes. The ICRC has designed these systems Yves Daccord and processes to be verifiable, allowing for strengths and weaknesses to be Director-General, identified and for progress to be assessed. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), The humanitarian sector is facing increasingly larger, longer and complex Switzerland emergencies with increasing needs. There is pressure to achieve more with less and a need to be more effective. The expectations of crisis-affected people for the quality of our work is legitimate. Change on many of the issues covered in this publication is long overdue and by now urgent. In a world that keeps changing and evolving, we also need as humanitarians to adapt and evolve. This publication gives us vital insights into how we can make this happen more deliberately and successfully. 2 / HUMANITARIAN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 2018 / FOREWORD In the Baringo County in Kenya, we face regular disasters. When a disaster occurs, a quick response to avoid loss of life is one of our main concerns. Fortunately, our long-term relationship with ActionAid and the knowledge that we have progressively gained through the disaster management committee helps to communicate rapidly with aid actors and to collectively address our needs. The key role of the community in responding to disasters, especially women and girls, has become more and more effective. This is recognised by local government officials and aid workers because of our determination, since 2007, for the promotion of our rights. After my participation in the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, we faced two disasters in our community that demonstrated, once again, the challenges that we had brought to the summit and that we as a community consistently face. The response to these disasters has been more prompt than before. Whilst the immediate response is fundamental, we also need – but lack – consistent support to rebuild our destroyed livelihoods. We support all initiatives by humanitarian actors to improve their response to the crises that affect us, especially accountability Amina Labarakwe towards both the community and donors. We are truly ready Member of the Tangulbei and engaged to ensure that our contributions help make these Women’s Network – initiatives a success. Churo Chapter, Tangulbei in Baringo County, Kenya / HUMANITARIAN ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT 2018 / 3 CONTENTS Acknowledgements 1 Foreword 2 Abbreviations and acronyms 5 The authors 6 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 5. INCLUSIVE HUMANITARIAN ACTION 82 TO THE REPORT 8 5.1. Introduction 83 1.1. Aim and objectives of the report 14 5.2. What has happened in the recent past 86 1.2. Methodology 15 5.3. Inclusive response maturity assessment 89 5.4. What has worked and what has not – and why? 91 2. PARTICIPATION OF CRISIS-AFFECTED 5.5. Conclusion and future direction for change 96 PEOPLE IN HUMANITARIAN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES 22 2.1. Introduction 23 6. CASH TRANSFER PROGRAMMING 98 2.2. What has happened in the recent past? 28 6.1. Introduction 99 2.3. Where are we now? 29 6.2. What has happened in the recent past 101 2.4. What seems to have worked 6.3. CTP change maturity assessment