World Disasters Report 2015: local actors, the key to humanitarian effectiveness
Chair:
Christina Bennett - Research Fellow, Humanitarian Policy Group, ODI
Speakers:
Mo Hamza - Editor, World Disasters Report 2015 and Professor, University of Copenhagen
Joanna Macrae - Head of Humanitarian Policy Team, Department for International Development
Alexander Matheou - Director of International Programmes and Partnerships, British Red Cross
Rana Khalaf - Independent Syrian researcher
Abdurahman Sharif - Director, Somalia NGO Consortium
Description
International humanitarian aid is a 20-billion-dollar industry. Yet, just 1.6% goes directly to national NGOs.
This event, held in partnership with the British Red Cross, will launch the World Disasters Report 2015, which explores the role of local actors in humanitarian response and the factors that often prevent them from leading major humanitarian operations.
The report finds that local actors determine the effectiveness of any operation just as much as, if not more than, their supporting international partners. It also highlights efforts under way to improve cooperation between international humanitarian agencies and local actors.
The report calls for a radical redefinition and reframing of what partnership with local responders means, in order to adequately address the complex, specific and changing nature of disasters, health crisis and conflicts.