A shrinking humanitarian space? Dr Sara Pantuliano October 2015

Definition of ‘humanitarian space’  Agency centred definition: ability of agencies to evaluate and respond to needs, monitor programmes and dialogue with the people vs  People centred definition: people’s ability to access both assistance and protection  In reality humanitarian space entails complex negotiations with military, political and legal actors on an ongoing basis

Is humanitarian space shrinking?  Common narrative: things are getting worse Politicisation of aid is increasing (9/11) More aid worker attacks Access more difficult to establish  But a look at the history reveals that there has been no past ‘golden age’ of humanitarian action

Expansion of agency space  More aid organisations  More aid workers  More money  Humanitarian action has always been difficult and dangerous in situations of active conflict  Targeting of aid as a result of politics of humanitarian rejection, the underlying causes of which need to be understood

External challenges  Scrutiny is often on external players or factors, e.g.:  national governments  stabilisation operations  UN integrated missions  counter-terrorism legislation

Humanitarian system itself needs greater scrutiny  Humanitarian organisations represent a relatively powerful and well resourced group  Power highly concentrated in the hands of a core group of UN agencies and international NGOs  ‘Humanitarian cartel’  2008: 6 INGOs combined annual spending of $1.7 bn and 60% of NGO staffing presence  2012: 5 INGOs combined annual spending of 38% of total  2014: ‘Big Five’ (0.1% of humanitarian NGOs worldwide) still account for 31% of total annual NGO expenditure

Evolving humanitarian space  Impression of the humanitarian sector as a predominantly Western construct  Aid agencies driven by competing priorities and imperatives, not just a commitment to principles and best practice  The space has increased and so have the needs of people affected by disaster and conflict  Established system must evolve and involve – not isolate – new players. China has a role to play!

A shrinking humanitarian space? Dr Sara Pantuliano October 2015