NGOs, Complex Emergencies & Humanitarian Action
Complex emergencies are usually associated with widespread destruction of property and/or massive displacements of populations.
They are also associated with increases in mo
idity, mortality and the potential for disease out
eaks is usually high.
Consequently complex emergencies require rapid and coordinated response in order to deliver essential services to the affected population and reduce the likelihood of increase in mo
idity, mortality and out
eaks.
NEW WORLD OF COMPLEX EMERGENCIES
Worldwide Humanitarian Response (1998).
Rough Estimate of Global Humanitarian Aid ($$).
NEW CHALLENGES
At the end of cold war, global peace was expected but…... Few reasons for recent disasters, both natural and man-made:
Explosive population growth
Collapse of Soviet Union
Media –
inging these into our living rooms
Large number of IDPs
Cu
ent international response system ill-equipped to respond to needs of IDPs and new complex emergencies
Fragile ecosystem due to cutting of forests etc and compete with local population for resources
Some countries do not allow aid agencies to operate and in some the state has totally collapsed.
Responsible sovereignty developed by the UN Secy. General
– global application not fully understood.
MAN-MADE CRISES
The new largely internal, conflicts have changed the world of humanitarian response in which NGOs work.
Example: Syria crisis
Complex Emergencies Challenge Traditional Roles:
Highlights the critical differences between world of traditional international armed conflict and the new reality of complex emergencies.
Comparative Forced Displacement:
IDP and Refugees, XXXXXXXXXX.
NATURAL DISASTERS
Since 1980’s, on an average 144 million people are affected by natural disasters such as drought, famine, floods, hu
icanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, blizzards, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires.
Of the 90,000 people killed in 1998 due to natural disasters, largest number were caused by drought and famine, with earthquakes and floods ranking next.
Asia and Pacific hardest hit with 64 percent of the total number of affected people, followed by Africa at 31 percent.
THE GLOBAL RELIEF SYSTEM
Complex emergencies tend to attract 3 major actors:
*Bilaterals (governments of individual countries),
*Multilaterals (UN relief work agencies like UNHCR),
*Non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
*Military - also recognized as major actor in emergencies.
NGOs can be local or international and play a crucial roll in delivering various services in complex emergencies.
Vary greatly - financial/technical/operational capacities.
But local NGOs with their limited resources but great knowledge of local situation can have as much or greater impact in terms of delivering services.
THE ACTORS
RESOURCE SUPPLIERS
In 1998 more than $3 Billion came from a very small group of public donors – European Union, Individual European Countries, Japan and the United States. In addition many individuals, private foundations and corporate donors provided $500 million
COORDINATING ORGANIZATIONS
HQ and field coordination is done by UN agencies, national governments, and NGOs themselves. Within NGO confederations, governing bodies try to coordinate. Within NGO community coordinating bodies ICVA help in coordination.
THE ACTORS
OPERATIONAL RESPONSE AGENCIES
About 20 different groups like the ICRC, MSF, CARE, IRC, World Vision and National Governments provide most of the ‘operational services on the ground.
MEDIA, ADVOCATES, AND PEACE BUILDERS
Media, advocacy groups that favor a particular side in a conflict, play a role in how emergency response is ca
ied out.
THE GLOBAL RELIEF SYSTEM
The Global Relief System is also complex, many times overlapping and mostly not sequential.
It is rare for an emergency to move from early warning to mobilization to operational response and post-conflict reconstruction.
The Key Players in Emergency Response
Strengths of NGOs as actors in complex emergencies.
Complex emergencies pose varying political/security risks.
Different actors approach complex emergencies in different ways, depending on their political/security considerations.
On the other hand, among the actors in complex emergencies, NGOs have the least ba
iers to entry in the disaster zone.
In addition NGOs have other strengths that make them ideal actors in emergencies. These strengths include;
1. Ability to respond fast: most major relief NGOs have established protocols on how to respond to emergencies, be it man-made or natural disasters.
Strengths of NGOs in complex emergencies.
Flexibility: most NGOs, both large and small, do have the capacity to adapt rapidly to changing environments. Many bilateral and multilateral partners have rules and regulations that sometimes hinder their operations.
Maneuverability: NGOs can reach many hard to reach areas and populations. Some NGOs have their own air or sea transport capabilities and this makes them able to reach practically everywhere.
Strengths of NGOs in complex emergencies.
4. Creating public awareness: being part of civil society, NGOs have good links with media.
NGOs have used their relationship with the media to create public awareness and maintain focus on issues they consider important.
This relationship with media can be extremely useful in complex emergencies as it not only creates awareness of the situation but also encourages donors to provide support.
NGOs and health service delivery in complex emergencies.
In terms of providing health services in complex emergencies, NGOs play a very significant role.
This role is both short term, in the emergency phase of the disaster, and also long term, during the reconstruction phase.
For example in both the Liberia and Rwanda crises, NGOs were not only the first on ground, but at some point were responsible for about 95% of the health care delivery. Today, a large proportion of health services in both these countries are still provided by NGOs.
Some of the key public health services provided by NGOs in emergencies include:
Curative services
Assist in disease surveillance.
Vector control.
Training and health education.
Water and sanitation.
In the early stages of the emergency in Aceh, NGOs provided a bulk of the curative services.
In addition they also were the main sources of disease surveillance data.
MAJOR IMPEDIMENTS TO COMPLEX
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS
Five Operational Obstacles identified:
PERVERSE FUNDING DYNAMICS
NGOs have trouble maintaining resources for readiness capacity during non-emergency periods.
Large funders and late private funders
This slows the NGO response towards an emergency LOW LEVEL OF EMERGENCY STAFF PREPARATION
Many NGOs complain of high employee turn-ove
OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS
OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY
Poor communication tools; Affects ability to save lives and relieve suffering more quickly.
INADEQUATE COORDINATION
Lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities leads to duplication of services.
LITTLE ATTENTION TO PREVENTING CONFLICTS
Many shy away from peace building and many regional bodies lack political will and organizational mechanisms to identify potential conflict areas.
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
SUPPORTING FORCED POPULATION MOVEMENTS
Sometimes NGOs get thrown in a situation where they have to help a refugee or IDP population that might be loyal supports that a regime is trying to protect or dissidents that a government is trying to control.
Unknowingly, an NGO might be helping one or the other group.
FALLING VICTIM TO FOOD DIVERSION, LOOTING, WAR OR PROTECTIVE TAXES
War taxes; looting at gun point; protection money PERPETUATING WAR ECONOMY
Groups may sell relief supplies to buy weapons
HEIGHTENING CONFLICT AND COMPETITION
Visibility gets refugees/IDPs attention - Jealousy with locals
WEAKENING LOCAL CAPACITY
Outside relief might weaken the capacity of local institutions
STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IDPS
HUMANITARIAN ACTION WITHOUT SECURITY
MIXING CIVILIANS AND SOLDIERS PROTECTING AID WORKERS GAINING ACCESS TO REFUGEES
INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF MILITARY IN
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSES
TOUGH CHOICES FOR NGO COMMUNITY
WITHDRAWAL
NEUTRALITY
ACTIVE HUMANITARIANISM CLEAR PARTISANSHIP
Challenges faced by NGOs.
Despite huge potential and strengths that NGOs have in disaster response, there are challenges that they face in the course of doing their work which include:
1. Lack of big picture: this is particularly a big problem for small NGOs, which do not usually have established connections with governments and multilaterals.
2. Poor coordination: in complex emergencies, having a strong coordinating body is key to the successful delivery of services in affected area.
Where there is no coordination, NGOs may end up having duplicate projects in the same area, or may all be working in one location and totally undeserving other affected populations.
In many instances when the work of NGOs looks haphazard, it is usually due to lack of strong central coordinating mechanism.
3. Being ignored; host governments tend to preferentially deal with bilaterals and multilaterals and in many instances tend to ignore NGOs especially in decision making.
Also reports or concerns from NGOs that are considered to be non-technical NGOs are not taken seriously. Yet because of their presence and interaction with affected populations, NGOs especially local ones are in a better place to co
ectly identify the needs of the affected population.
NGO RESPONSES TO OPERATIONAL
DILEMMAS
OVERCOMING PERVERSE FUNDING DYNAMICS
Fast Dispersing Emergency Rotating Funds Rapid Response
Advance Positioning of Supplies
Special Multilateral/Bilateral Agreements
ENHANCING STAFF QUALITY/STAFF RETENTION
Training Certification and Staff Development Developing and Using Industry-wide Standards New Roster Systems
Building Local Capacity Humanitarian Volunteer Program
EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY
Technology Pilot Innovation Grants Technology Training and Multiplication Grants
IMPROVING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COORDINATION
Clear Division of Labo
Regional Plans that include other NGOs
Joint NGO Committees for Coordinating Operations
Joint NGO Negotiations with Donors, Governments, and Belligerents
Linking Operations to Global Advocacy
PREVENTING CONFLICTS AND FACING FORGOTTEN WARS
Famine Early-Warning Systems
Rapid Disbursing Peace and Mediation Grants Working along the Relief-to-Rehabilitation-to- Development Continuum
UN SYSTEMIC RESPONSES
The New Framework of Responsible Sovereignty Revising Agency Mandates
New UN HQs Conflict Early Warning and Operational Response System
NGO RESPONSE TO ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Countering Manipulated Access
Reducing Diversions, Looting
Reversing the incentives that Promote War Economy Reducing the Risk of Conflict and Competition Reinforcing Local Capacity
NGOS RESPONSE TO THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS:
Active Humanitarianism
The Humanitarian Imperative Timely Operational Response Assuring Humanitarian Access
Refugees, IDPs, and NGO workers have a right to Safety The Right to Withdraw
Humanitarian Response is not enough The Goal of Active Humanitarianism
Improving the effectiveness of NGOs.
Improving how NGOs work in complex emergencies would go a long way in enhancing delivery of various services in emergencies.
Host governments, bilaterals and multilateral partners need to understand and appreciate that NGOs do have a central role in disaster response.
They should not be seen as competitors, but as actors who if properly involved and engaged can improve the humanitarian response in complex emergencies.
Also NGOs need to be involved in the decision making and policy formulating process.
There must be a deliberate effort to seek out and incorporate the views of NGOs.
Training of NGO staff both at headquarters and field level is another thing that would go a long way in enhancing the technical capacities of NGOs.
This kind of skills and knowledge transfer will not only enhance the cooperation among various NGOs, but will also standardize methods used by the various partners.
Finally the work of NGOs needs to be recognized and appreciated, especially for small local NGOs who need to be encouraged as they are key in humanitarian response.
Conclusion
NGOs have always been and will continue to be involved in complex emergencies.
It is thus necessary for all actors to come together and formulate a common response to complex emergency, maximizing on the strengths of different players.
Promoting public awareness and stimulating donor response is key to a successful response to disasters. NGOs must be encouraged and supported in the roles they do best.
This will result to rapid and efficient service delivery to affected populations.