"Enhancing the Effectiveness of Humanitarian Action,
A Dialogue between UN and Non-UN Humanitarian Organisations"

Outline of the Meeting

(12-13 July 2006, Geneva, Switzerland)

Objectives
On 12 (evening) and 13 (full-day) July 2006, the heads of some 20 international NGOs, national NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and the IASC (Inter Agency Standing Committee) Principals, including UN and non-UN humanitarian organisations, will meet to find means to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian action. The meeting's aim is to establish better relations among humanitarian actors both at the global and operational levels.

There is a clear recognition that humanitarian actors are diverse, not only in terms of their identities, missions, and mandates, but also in terms of their approaches, processes, and methodologies. This diversity is matched with an increasingly recognised level of interdependence among humanitarian actors, which is crucial to enable an adequate response to humanitarian needs. Too often, however, this complementarity is not capitalised upon and humanitarian needs go unmet for a variety of reasons.

The meeting should seek to clarify the nature of the relationship between the UN and non-UN humanitarian organisations in order to respond more effectively to humanitarian needs. Participants will also examine how to use existing, as well as new and innovative mechanisms, processes, and systems to ensure an effective relationship that allows for more effective humanitarian action - both in terms of operations and advocacy.

Format
On the evening of Wednesday, 12 July, the event will open over dinner with guest speakers who will to look at how humanitarian actors are responding to the real humanitarian needs that exist. Following the presentation, a discussion will follow and participants will also be able to add other issues that they would like to discuss during the meeting on 13 July.

The event will continue on Thursday, 13 July with a full day meeting, co-chaired by Jan Egeland, ERC and Elizabeth Ferris, World Council of Churches, divided into four sessions, each focusing on a different issue. Background papers will be prepared in time for the meeting to serve as guidance notes for the discussions.

Session 1: How effective are we as a humanitarian community?
This session will continue the discussion from the previous evening to look at how real humanitarian needs are being met. Are humanitarians responding to those needs based on humanitarian principles or are there other factors dictating the way that humanitarians respond to needs? Opening speakers would focus on examples of humanitarian needs that are going unmet by the humanitarian community, as well as try to analyse the reasons behind the lack of response to those needs. The respective roles of the various humanitarian entities (UN, Red Cross/Red Crescent, IOM, and NGOs) will be reviewed before looking at the implications of the relationship between the UN and non-UN humanitarian organisations in realising a more global and equitable coverage of the humanitarian needs.

Session 2: Opportunities and Constraints in the Relationship
This session will focus on the substantive issues that may be perceived as opportunities and constraints in maintaining a relationship between UN and non-UN humanitarian organisations. In particular, the session will focus on:

• The Ability to Respond in the Face of "Constraints"
  An increased emergency response capacity will depend on a range of issues, both technical and political. Institutional constraints can arise from the governance side (e.g. decisions on how and where an organisation will engage), as well as from the resource side (e.g. insufficient numbers of competent and experienced personnel, a lack of readily available funds). There are also broader issues, such as a lack of access and insecurity, which affect the ability of humanitarian actors to respond.

• The role of national and local actors in emergency response
  A major issue that has been inadequately addressed in recent humanitarian reform discussions has been the role of national and local actors, and the support and capacity building by international agencies of these actors, in responding to humanitarian crises.

• Independence and accountability
  While the UN system can have lines of accountability around humanitarian coordination and decision-making, including those in the "cluster approach," the same frameworks cannot be applied outside of the UN. By ensuring that both UN and non-UN agencies are fully and equally involved in setting directions, developing strategies, and defining activities, they may feel a greater sense of collective responsibility. What types of global frameworks does the humanitarian community need to maximise the effect of humanitarian action?

Session 3: Improving Mechanisms for Collaboration at the Global and Field Levels
This session will identify some of the main areas that need to be addressed in improving mechanisms for collaboration at the global and field levels. Areas for discussion would focus on the key elements required to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian action through institutional arrangements, processes, and systems among all humanitarian actors. The concept and establishment of IASC country teams and non-UN, in particular NGO, participation in these teams will be further discussed, with a view to providing common guidance on the teams' creation. Field studies looking at the relationship between the UN and non-UN organizations may provide some indications how a productive relationship can thrive.

Session 4: Examining Potential Common Objectives and Ways Forward
This concluding session will examine how to use strategic partnerships between UN and non-UN humanitarian actors at the global level to achieve common objectives. The definition of common objectives will be first required in order to then explore how to maximise complementarity between the UN and non-UN humanitarian actors. This session will also conclude the meeting and the aim is to agree on areas for follow-up action among participating organisations.