ODI

Launching the 84th issue of the Humanitarian Exchange: Climate change, conflict and displacement

"Climate change is impacting the ability for vulnerable populations who have been affected by conflict and displacement into return and recovery on the path to achieving durable solutions."

HPG's Humanitarian Practice Network recently published the 84th issue of the Humanitarian Exchange magazine on the topic of climate change, conflict and displacement – with a launch event at HNPW.

In this session, authors of three of the articles shared and critically reflected on their experiences, initiatives they’ve been involved in, and their perspectives on this theme.

Speakers/participants:

• Madison Jensen, World Jewish Relief
• Madina Yunis Mahat, Pastoralist Girls Initiative
• Imrul Islam, Norwegian Refugee Council
• Thomas Wilson, Norwegian Refugee Council
• Helena O’Mahony, Mishcon de Reya LLP
• Kerrie Holloway, HPG/ODI

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Embracing the nexus of climate, localisation, and faith: A call to collective action

"Because of assumptions and biases still running through the humanitarian sector, faith-based organisations are still not recognised enough for the role they play in communities in times of peace, crisis and post-crisis."

As communities worldwide grapple with the far-reaching impacts of climate change, from extreme weather events to rising sea levels, the need for innovative solutions and collaborative efforts has never been more pressing. At the heart of this complex landscape lies the nexus of climate, localisation, and faith – a dynamic intersection that offers challenges and opportunities for creating positive change.

Organised by Islamic Relief Worldwide, this panel brought together policymakers, donors, operational actors, researchers, and academics interested in enhancing the efficacy of humanitarian response and climate adaptation through innovative and collaborative approaches.

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Reconstructing accountability narratives to centre the interests and priorities of affected communities

"I believe that the idea of accountability to affected people is that the closer you are to to the problem, the quicker it is to find a solution to it."

This panel aimed to help interrogate and strengthen the AAP (Accountability to Affected People) agenda by focusing on the narratives through which AAP is understood and justified, and how narratives around ongoing and future AAP interventions can be grounded in the voices of affected communities. Panellists considered whose interests and assumptions are and are not present in the narratives that are told about the need, justification and aims of the AAP agenda. The panel also discussed roles that different actors, including in the humanitarian and media sectors, can play to reconstruct narratives around AAP grounded in the voices of affected communities.

The panel and anticipated audience comprised of experts and practitioners within the AAP community, as well as from the media sector and local civil society working on accountability.

Speakers/participants:

• Mahad Wasuge, Somali Public Agenda
• Meg Sattler, Ground Truth Solutions
• Abdurahman Sharif, Save the Children International
• John Bryant, HPG/ODI
• Stephanie Diepeveen, ODI

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Confronting disparities in humanitarian responses: Lessons from Nigeria

"There is the constant perception that we need capacity-building, so one recommendation I would offer is never make the assumption that what we need is capacity-building to be able to engage in humanitarian or development support – there's often a lot of existing capacity."

This session focused on prioritisation in situations of protracted humanitarian crises, drawing on findings from a comparative study of the responses in the north-west and north-east of Nigeria.

Recent research carried out by Neem Foundation and HPG has focused on the disparity in humanitarian service provision and assistance within Nigeria. It asks in a situation of protracted crisis, limited attention and resourcing, and high needs, how have responders prioritised their actions and what has been the impact of how crises have been framed upon them?

In this session, researchers distilled some key lessons from Nigeria, including on engaging state-level authorities, limits on ‘nexus’ approaches, and upholding principles around assistance according to need. They also considered the wider relevance of these findings to global conversations around effective prioritisation as an increasingly urgent necessity as resources for the humanitarian system grow further strained.

Speakers/participants:

• Ahmad Jumare, Neem Foundation
• John Bryant, HPG/ODI

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Protection and the HDP nexus: Working in complementarity across humanitarian and peace action for violence reduction

Many humanitarian and protection actors are not proactively addressing threats to civilians in conflict, with limited focus on preventing or reducing risks of violence, coercion or deliberate deprivation. There is growing recognition of the need to shift approaches to humanitarian protection. Based on new and on-going research, HPG convened this interactive discussion on how humanitarian, protection and peace actors can work in complementarity with each other to reduce violence and thus improve the protection of people affected by conflict.

The roundtable aimed to:

• Inform HDP nexus conversations, practice and policy with new evidence and analysis with a focus on the ‘P’ component of the nexus.
• Convene humanitarian and peace actors to discuss their roles in reducing and preventing violence and explore the optimal roles of humanitarian, peace (and development) actors in reducing violence.
• Identify, with humanitarian and peace actors, ways to ensure they can focus on their comparative advantages while complementing each other’s actions to ensure greater impact on violence reduction.

Speakers/participants:

• Mike Jobbins, Search for Common Ground
• Marc Linning, Center for Civilians in Conflict
• Lisa Monaghan Norwegian Refugee Council (TBC)
• Marie Brüning, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office in Geneva
• Kristina Preiksaityte, Nonviolent Peaceforce
• Gregory Connor, UNDP
• Veronique Barbelet, HPG/ODI
• Gemma Davies, HPG/ODI