Message from the ICVA Secretariat: 5 August 2009

[GHP] Save the Date - 2-3 FEBRUARY 2010 - and PoP Indicator

E-mail Message to GHP Invitees by ICVA

Dear Colleagues,

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you with the final dates for the next meeting of the Global Humanitarian Platform (GHP). Given the difficulties in finding convenient dates for the meeting in 2009, the next meeting of the GHP has had to be postponed until 2010.

The GHP will begin with a reception on the evening of Tuesday, 2 February 2010 and will continue all day on Wednesday, 3 February 2010.

You may also wish to note in your calendars that the annual ICVA Conference will be held on Monday, 1 February 2010 (full day).

In the meantime, as agreed at the GHP meeting in 2008, organisations are to monitor partnership in some key contexts where they are working, so that they can report back on progress at the next meeting. To this end, the GHP Task Force has proposed the following qualitative indicator (also available at: http://www.icva.ch/doc00003804.html):

‘Field coordination mechanisms are possibly co-chaired (UN/non-UN) and balanced (UN/non-UN) and based on facilitation, not hierarchy.

Interaction is flexible and constructive and includes main operational humanitarian partners. Organizations are invited to participate according to open and known criteria. Meetings are focused on clear objectives, they are action-oriented, and produce reality-based decisions that will be followed-up.

NGOs on the mechanism represent a larger NGO community which includes national/local NGOs. Documentation and meetings are translated into local languages, when needed.’

We hope that you can disseminate this indicator to your field staff so that they can monitor progress being made before the next meeting, which you will then be able to bring to the meeting in February.

In terms of the discussion at the GHP meeting, the GHP Task Force has been working on compiling the suggested topics submitted by a broad range of Principals. The issues that had the most interest from those GHP Principals who provided input include the topics of climate change, humanitarian space, the new business model, and humanitarian financing. With the inclusive nature of the GHP in mind, the Task Force is refining the presentation of the issues to ensure a strategic discussion, but also to ensure that these broad and complex issues are presented in a succinct manner focusing, of course, on partnership.

We look forward to your active participation at the meeting in February. Further details will be provided as they become available.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

With warm regards,
ICVA Secretariat