1. The Humanitarian Community
21 August 2017 1
UNCLASSIFIED

2. Humanitarian Community: Objectives
Objectives: Discuss the responsibilities, mandates & operations of:
• The host nation (Affected State)
• The United Nations and its agencies, offices & programmes
• International & Regional Organizations
• The Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement Societies
• Non-governmental Organizations
• Donors
• The Cluster Approach

3. Host Nation (Affected State)
Department of
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation 5
UNCLASSIFIED

4. Host Nation (Affected State)
Emergency Relief Phase
Recovery / Development
International Military and
Civil Defence Relief
International Civilian Relief
Capacity building
Local / National Response
Transition
Point
UN OCHA, Modified
Crisis
UNCLASSIFIED

6. Emergency Relief Coordinator
Mr. Stephen O’Brien
UN Under-Secretary-General focusing on humanitarian affairs
Primary functions:
- Develop and coordinate strategic humanitarian policy
- Raise humanitarian issues with political organizations
Coordinate humanitarian emergency response
Ms. Ursula Mueller
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy ERC in OCHA
principal advisor to the USG/ERC, with emphasis on key policy and management issues
exercises managerial overview of OCHA

7. UN Agencies, Offices and Programs
WHO
UN World Health Organization
OHCHR
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNFPA
UN Population Fund
OCHA
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
UNDSS
UN Dept. of Safety & Security
UNHCR
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF
UN Children’s Fund
WFP
UN World Food Programme
UNDP
UN Development Programme (RC/HC)
(UNDAC team, CMCoord Officer)

8. International & Regional Organizations
International Organization for Migration
International organization with 166 member states
Leading international agency dealing with migration issues:
- Advances understanding of migration issues
- Encourages social and economic development through migration
- Upholds human dignity and well-being of migrants
UNCLASSIFIED

9. International & Regional
Organizations 12
UNCLASSIFIED

10. ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross
Mandate - to protect and assist the victims of armed conflict
Prison visits
Tracing missing persons
Safe water, food and medical assistance
Family reunification
Promoting IHL
• Protect POWs, detainees & civilians, tracing of missing persons, family reunification, humanitarian relief
• Mandate conferred under 1949 Geneva Conventions & Protocols, and ICRC Statutes
UNCLASSIFIED

11. IFRC – International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies
Founded in 1919
Consists of 186 national societies, a Secretariat and 60+ delegations worldwide
Works with & assists national societies with:
Promoting humanitarian
principles & values
Disaster preparedness and response
Health & care in the community
Guidelines on International
Disaster Responses
UNCLASSIFIED

12. National Red Cross / Red Crescent Societies
National Societies
• 186 National Red Cross or Red Crescent societies
• 1 national society in a country – either Red Cross or Red Crescent:
Membership open to all
without discrimination
Work throughout the
Country
• Auxiliaries to public authorities in their country:
Promoting humanitarian
principles & values
Disaster preparedness and response
Health & care in the community.
UNCLASSIFIED

13. NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations – NGOs
• Not agencies of any government or UN
• Private humanitarian organizations established by
individual charters
• Diverse in size, organization, motive, resources, function and mission
• Funded by grants or private donations
• National or international
• Essential to humanitarian operations:
– Implementing partners for UN and donor
government projects
– One of first responders to arrive, last to leave
– Primary “on-the-ground” humanitarian actors
Save the Children International
UNCLASSIFIED

14. NGOs Weaknesses: Strengths: • Not a homogenous system
• Potential lack of collaboration
• Can be small in size
• Identify projects in areas of expertise
• Donor dependent
• Government funding can erode independence
Strengths:
• Critical recipient level humanitarian work
• Small size = less bureaucracy, cheaper & more effective
• Increased scope &
independence
• Access to local knowledge
• Non-partisanship essential
to security
• Work protected by international convention
Oxfam
UNCLASSIFIED

15. Donors: Major Agencies and Sources
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Global Affairs Canada / Affaires mondiales Canada U.K. Department for International Development European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Japanese International Cooperation Agency United States Agency for International Development Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
also a major source of aid funding

16. National Disaster Management Coordination
Organizational Structure
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
Thailand

17. The UN Cluster (Coordination) System
The Cluster Approach is designed to provide:
Predictability, Accountability and Partnership in all response sectors
Better support for national-led response tools
Common standards and tools
UNCLASSIFIED

18. The UN Cluster (Coordination) System
Sector or Area of Activity
Global Cluster Lead
Symbol
Food Security
UN Food and Agriculture Organization
World Food Program
Camp Coordination
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
International Organization for Migration
Early Recovery
UN Development Program
Education
UN Children’s Fund
Save the Children UK
Emergency Shelter
UNHCR and International Federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Society
Emergency Telecommunications
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (owns process),
World Food Program (telecoms)
Health
World Health Organization
Logistics
World Food Program
Nutrition
Protection
UN High Commissioner for
Refugees
Water, Sanitation, Hygiene

19. Challenges of Foreign Assistance
Command and Control of Foreign Military Forces
Lack of Capabilities in Disaster Management
Huge Number within
Immediate Time
Security Issues
Emergency
Response

20. Humanitarian Community: Objectives
Discuss the responsibilities, mandates & operations of:
The host nation / affected state
The UN, its agencies and offices
International & Regional Organizations
The Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement Societies
Non-governmental Organizations
Donors
The Cluster Approach 23
UNCLASSIFIED

21. The Humanitarian Community
Discussion 26
UNCLASSIFIED