Three humanitarian aid opportunities

As 2018 begins, the challenges of humanitarian crises are momentous. Overcoming them will require creativity. But there are reasons for optimism.

1. More locally-led and contextual responses – The chorus of voices advocating the value of and need for locally-led humanitarian response is growing, and local, national and regional actors are increasing in strength and profile.
2. The role of data, technology and evidence – Humanitarian agencies are deploying technology to improve aid delivery and using data to improve our analysis of humanitarian crises. A recent US Institute of Peace report for example points to the transformative potential of renewable energy technologies allowing humanitarian actors to use solar energy instead of diesel fuel.
3. Reforming humanitarianism – Creative new models and approaches are appearing, many drawing inspiration from outside the humanitarian sector. An upcoming report from the Humanitarian Policy Group will detail a series of alternatives: from a networked approach allowing aid recipients and providers – whether international, local or individual – to interact directly based on collaboration rather than control, to a cooperative, social economy model that uses humanitarian supply chains to generate economic opportunities for communities in crisis situations.

   [Overseas Development Institute]

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation by Grant Montgomery.