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| Blurred lines: who should lead post-crisis recovery? | Blurred lines: who should lead post-crisis recovery? |
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| When is a crisis officially over and whose responsibility is it to drive recovery when it ends? How do you ensure gaps and overlaps do not appear when humanitarian assistance withdraws and development begins? And if the two processes are defined not only by their objectives, but by their place on a timeline, how short is 'short term' when humanitarian organisations continue to operate in certain contexts for years? | When is a crisis officially over and whose responsibility is it to drive recovery when it ends? How do you ensure gaps and overlaps do not appear when humanitarian assistance withdraws and development begins? And if the two processes are defined not only by their objectives, but by their place on a timeline, how short is 'short term' when humanitarian organisations continue to operate in certain contexts for years? |
| While none of the above questions are new, finding appropriate, context-specific answers remains problematic. The distinction between humanitarian assistance and development has implications beyond simply prescribing a timetable for intervention, it influences financing mechanisms, programme design and implementation, as well as how development actors define themselves, interact with each other, local government and civil society partners and the communities they serve. | While none of the above questions are new, finding appropriate, context-specific answers remains problematic. The distinction between humanitarian assistance and development has implications beyond simply prescribing a timetable for intervention, it influences financing mechanisms, programme design and implementation, as well as how development actors define themselves, interact with each other, local government and civil society partners and the communities they serve. |
| On the one hand, it seems the line we have drawn in the sand is too deep: distinguishing two separate objectives has produced organisational and budgetary 'silos'. As a recent Cafod report (pdf) puts it: "Widespread institutional segmentation among international actors leaves little space for supporting organisations and activities – including institutional capacity building and support – in the grey zone between crisis response and development." On the other hand, the distinction appears to be blurring as more people speak of a humanitarian development 'continuum'. Still, there remains certain situations – dealing with refugees and internally displaced people, for example – that defy neat categorisation. | On the one hand, it seems the line we have drawn in the sand is too deep: distinguishing two separate objectives has produced organisational and budgetary 'silos'. As a recent Cafod report (pdf) puts it: "Widespread institutional segmentation among international actors leaves little space for supporting organisations and activities – including institutional capacity building and support – in the grey zone between crisis response and development." On the other hand, the distinction appears to be blurring as more people speak of a humanitarian development 'continuum'. Still, there remains certain situations – dealing with refugees and internally displaced people, for example – that defy neat categorisation. |
| So what should be done? Could the answer be as simple as changing the way interventions are financed? A report from the European Parliament on lessons from Chad, Haiti and Afghanistan suggests flexible financing mechanisms may facilitate a more systematic and linked-up response between relief and development. Would better communication and coordination cut it? Or faced with rising humanitarian needs, is it time for a more radical rethink of humanitarian and development boundaries? | So what should be done? Could the answer be as simple as changing the way interventions are financed? A report from the European Parliament on lessons from Chad, Haiti and Afghanistan suggests flexible financing mechanisms may facilitate a more systematic and linked-up response between relief and development. Would better communication and coordination cut it? Or faced with rising humanitarian needs, is it time for a more radical rethink of humanitarian and development boundaries? |
| Where do you think a line should be drawn? Join us online from 1-3pm BST on Thursday, 26 September, to share your expertise and opinions. If you would like to be on the panel, send an email to globaldevpros@theguardian.com. | Where do you think a line should be drawn? Join us online from 1-3pm BST on Thursday, 26 September, to share your expertise and opinions. If you would like to be on the panel, send an email to globaldevpros@theguardian.com. |
| The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive | The live chat is not video or audio-enabled but will take place in the comments section (below). If you are unable to get online on Thursday, email your views to globaldevpros@theguardian.com or follow our tweets using the hashtag #globaldevlive |
| Panel | Panel |
| Daniel Tillias, executive director, Pax Christi Haiti, Port au Prince, Haiti @Sakalaayiti Daniel grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Haiti. He now runs Pax Christi Haiti, a local organisation seeking to create opportunities for peaceful social transformation and economic welfare. | |
| Ignacia Ossul, executive director, Techo, London, UK. @ignaciaossul Ignacia is the executive director of Techo, a Latin American youth-led organisation working in the slums. She has spent four years in Chile working on social programmes and developing permanent housing solutions in slum areas. | |
| Dr. Bishnu Hari Nepal, country director, South Asian Policy Analysis Network, Kathmandu, Nepal. @drbishnuhnepal Bishnu is the former ambassador of Nepal to Japan. He is now a development consultant who focuses on peace and conflict in the South Asian context. | |
| Volker Hauck, head of programme, European Center for Development Policy Management, (ECDPM), Maastricht, The Netherlands. @ECDPM Volker is head of the programme on conflict, security and resilience at ECDPM. His research focuses largely on capacity development. Prior to this, he worked in Africa and Asia where he gained experience of working at the interface of relief, rehabilitation and development. | Volker Hauck, head of programme, European Center for Development Policy Management, (ECDPM), Maastricht, The Netherlands. @ECDPM Volker is head of the programme on conflict, security and resilience at ECDPM. His research focuses largely on capacity development. Prior to this, he worked in Africa and Asia where he gained experience of working at the interface of relief, rehabilitation and development. |
| Sandra Aviles, senior officer of humanitarian affairs and programme development, FAO, Geneva, Switzerland. @FAOnews Since joining the office in Geneva in 2008, Sandra has been a representative for matters related to FAO's humanitarian work. She has also worked on assignments for other international organisations including IFAD, ILO and the World Bank. | Sandra Aviles, senior officer of humanitarian affairs and programme development, FAO, Geneva, Switzerland. @FAOnews Since joining the office in Geneva in 2008, Sandra has been a representative for matters related to FAO's humanitarian work. She has also worked on assignments for other international organisations including IFAD, ILO and the World Bank. |
| Maria Kiani, senior quality and accountability advisor, Hap International, Geneva, Switzerland. @hapint Maria leads Hap's roving team, which is deployed to escalating emergencies across the globe to strengthen accountability and quality of the humanitarian response. She has over nine years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors with direct experience of working with those affected by natural disasters in Asia and Africa. Katy Long, lecturer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. @mobilitymuse Katy is a lecturer in international development at the University of Edinburgh, who researches and writes about migrants, refugees and citizenship. She blogs on the topic of humanitarian assistance and is the author of The Point of No Return: Refugees, Rights and Repatriation. | Maria Kiani, senior quality and accountability advisor, Hap International, Geneva, Switzerland. @hapint Maria leads Hap's roving team, which is deployed to escalating emergencies across the globe to strengthen accountability and quality of the humanitarian response. She has over nine years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors with direct experience of working with those affected by natural disasters in Asia and Africa. Katy Long, lecturer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. @mobilitymuse Katy is a lecturer in international development at the University of Edinburgh, who researches and writes about migrants, refugees and citizenship. She blogs on the topic of humanitarian assistance and is the author of The Point of No Return: Refugees, Rights and Repatriation. |
| Anthony Zwi, professor of global health and development, UNSW Australia, Sydney, Australia. @HEARDatUNSW Anthony researches on the impact of conflict on health systems, and is particularly interested in building links between humanitarian relief, development organisations and academic institutions. He is currently involved with a number of projects seeking to promote learning and innovation in the humanitarian and development systems. | Anthony Zwi, professor of global health and development, UNSW Australia, Sydney, Australia. @HEARDatUNSW Anthony researches on the impact of conflict on health systems, and is particularly interested in building links between humanitarian relief, development organisations and academic institutions. He is currently involved with a number of projects seeking to promote learning and innovation in the humanitarian and development systems. |
| André Heller Pérache, head of programmes unit, MSF UK, London, UK. @MSF_uk Before joining MSF UK, Andre worked for the organisation in Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Haiti and South Sudan. He has recently also worked as a consultant in the Middle East, researching on local actor networks responding to the Syria crisis. | André Heller Pérache, head of programmes unit, MSF UK, London, UK. @MSF_uk Before joining MSF UK, Andre worked for the organisation in Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Haiti and South Sudan. He has recently also worked as a consultant in the Middle East, researching on local actor networks responding to the Syria crisis. |
| Alexander Carnwath, senior humanitarian policy and advocacy officer, Christian Aid, London, UK. @christian_aid Alexander has been leading on Christian Aid's humanitarian policy and advocacy for the past year with a particular focus on resilience and working with local organisations in humanitarian settings. | Alexander Carnwath, senior humanitarian policy and advocacy officer, Christian Aid, London, UK. @christian_aid Alexander has been leading on Christian Aid's humanitarian policy and advocacy for the past year with a particular focus on resilience and working with local organisations in humanitarian settings. |
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