Key Stakeholders In Humanitarian Assistance Humanitarian Assistance refers

Key Stakeholders In Humanitarian Assistance • Humanitarian Assistance refers the assistance given to a group of people during/affected by calamity or disaster. • Emergencies have become more complex and therefore skills to respond have also become more complex.

Key Stakeholders cont. . • • Major Humanitarian agencies: ICRC IFRC MSF Oxfam Save the Children Tearfund and many others in recent years

Key Stakeholders cont. . • Responsibilities of Humanitarian Agencies is to provide: • Shelter • Food • Water • Health services • Psychological/emotional needs

Key Stakeholders cont. . • The Humanitarian Charter governs the Roles and responsibilities of Humanitarian Assistance. The Charter is based on the principles and provisions. • The Humanitarian Charter governs the Roles and responsibilities of Humanitarian Assistance.

Key Stakeholders cont. . • The Charter is based on the principles and provisions of: • The International Humanitarian Law • Refugee Law • The code of conduct for the ICRC and the Red Crescent Movement and the NGOs in Disaster Relief

Key Stakeholders cont. . • The Charter describes the core principles that govern humanitarian action and asserts the right to populations to protection and assistance. • It defines the legal responsibilities of states and parties to guarantee the right to assistance and protection • When states are unable to respond, they are obliged to allow interventions of humanitarian organizations.

Key Stakeholders cont. . • Minimum Standards (SPHERE PROJECT) • Provide guidelines on how to respond to the needs of the affected in order to achieve impact. • Limitations of the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards: • Political and security factors outside the control of the humanitarian agencies

Key Stakeholders cont. . • The extent to which the agencies have access to the affected population • The availability of sufficient financial, human and material resources is essential • The cooperation of the authorities in charge, and whether they can operate in conditions of reasonable security. • The Charter is a set of general principles and do not attempt to deal with the whole spectrum humanitarian concerns.

Principles of the humanitarian Charter 1. The right of life with dignity reflected in: • The right to an adequate standard of living • Freedom from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment • Not with holding or frustrating the provision of life-saving assistance

Principles of the humanitarian Charter 2. Non-combatants are entitled to immunity from attack. 3. The principle of re-foulement. No refugee shall be sent back to a country which is or his life or freedom would be threatened ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES § Those affected are entitled to protection and assistance § Recognition and support the protection and assistance mandates of the ICRC and UNHCR under the control of the human agencies.

The SPHERE Project • The minimum standards are based on agencies experiences of providing humanitarian assistance • The achievement of the standards depends on a large range of factors, many which may be outside the control of the agencies.

The Sphere Project • Started in 1997, born out of the inconsistencies in disaster response and lack of accountability • Developed by the Steering Committee for Human Response and Inter. Action. Red Crescent Networks represent many hundreds of agencies committed to improving in quality and accountability of disaster response. • SPHERE minimum standards have been universally tested in various set ups.

The Sphere Project cont. . • Sphere is a consolidation of standards to enable the agencies undertake their work in a more professional, responsible and accountable manner • Based on the Humanitarian Charter • It covers: _ water supply and sanitation, - nutrition – Food Aid, shelter and site planning – Health services

The Sphere Project cont. . • The project is: 1. A Process: It gives guidelines on how to implement assistance. v It gives the minimum levels to be attained in each area of assistance v The key indicators that show that standards have been attained. 2. Handbook: it provides guidance notes to include practical guidance 3. Commitment: Reflects a legal and moral commitment to adhere the standards

Minimum Standards in Nutrition • • • Initial Assessment of nutritional situation Response based on the causes of malnutrition Monitoring and Evaluation Community participation General nutritional support for the population Nutritional support to those suffering from malnutrition • Human resource capacity building and training • Competence of staff • Use of local capacity and skills