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Recurring violence against civilians and humanitarian aid workers affects both the quantity and quality of protection and assistance reaching the most vulnerable populations. It also requires a reassessment of how humanitarian professionals plan and strategically implement aid delivery in insecure environments. Global data indicate that there is a relatively small pool of international aid agencies that consistently work in the most dangerous countries, and not enough to meet demand. This results in significant gaps in assistance where it is needed most.
In conversations with key experts and practitioners, this podcast will consider how to compensate for this gap and ensure continued presence and proximity in insecure environments. The podcast will build upon the preliminary findings of the “Securing Access in Volatile Environments” (SAVE), research project of Humanitarian Outcomes and the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), which has been researching the ways in which organisations gain and maintain humanitarian access and sustained proximity to vulnerable populations in highly insecure environments, namely in Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria. Panelists will discuss lessons for retaining access while ensuring the delivery of quality aid in insecure locations. This podcast will address the following questions:
1.- How do we improve our understanding of humanitarian presence, particularly given the reluctance of organizations to share information on their operations in insecure environments?
2.- What enables certain organizations to maintain access and quality programming despite insecurity, while others cannot?
3.- How have humanitarian practitioners navigated the challenges of negotiating access and consistent presence in insecure settings? What methods or tools are needed to continually enhance access in these constrained environments?
4.- What are the implications of operating in environments with reduced visibility, oversight, and increased reliance on local and national partners?
Expert Commentators:
John Caccavale
Research Associate, Humanitarian Outcomes
Twitter: @jtcaccavale
Will Carter
Senior Researcher, Humanitarian Outcomes
Katherine Haver
Partner, Humanitarian Outcomes
Twitter: @kchaver
Shaun Hughes
Head of Programme at United Nations World Food Programme, South Sudan
Twitter: @ethiopiashaun
Andre Heller Perrache
Head of Programs, MSF UK
Twitter: @hellerperache
Abby Stoddard
Partner, Humanitarian Outcomes
Twitter: @AbbyStoddard
Rehan Zahid
Policy Officer, WFP
Steve Zyck
Independent Researcher/Consultant
Twitter: @SteveZyck