Humanitarian Response Plan

Humanitarian Response Plan
Name	Humanitarian Response Plan
Type	Strategic appeal
Established	Various annual and crisis-specific processes
Administered	United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; cluster partners
Jurisdiction	International humanitarian crises
Purpose	Coordinate relief, mobilize resources, set strategic priorities

Humanitarian Response Plan

A Humanitarian Response Plan is an inter-agency strategic appeal used during acute humanitarian crises to coordinate international United Nations-led relief operations and prioritize life-saving assistance. Developed by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in concert with United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières, international organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross, and bilateral donors including the United States Agency for International Development and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office, these plans guide programming across sectors such as World Health Organization-led public health, UNICEF-led child protection, and shelter by partners like Norwegian Refugee Council and International Rescue Committee.

Overview

Humanitarian Response Plans are produced for crises involving actors such as the Syrian Arab Republic conflict, the Yemen emergency, the Democratic Republic of the Congo outbreaks, and the South Sudan displacement situation. They build on precedents including the Consolidated Appeals Process and draw on frameworks like the Cluster approach initiated by the IASC and endorsed by the UN General Assembly. Typical documents enumerate affected populations, strategic objectives, priority locations including cities such as Aleppo, Gaza City, and Bangui, and appeal for funding from states like United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan as well as multilateral mechanisms such as the Central Emergency Response Fund. Major humanitarian actors—Oxfam, Save the Children, CARE International, World Food Programme, and UNHCR—participate in plan development and implementation.

Objectives and Scope

Objectives are often aligned with humanitarian principles reflected in instruments like the Geneva Conventions and operationalized through goals similar to those in the UN Sustainable Development Goals where relevant. Scope defines geographic coverage—provinces, governorates, refugee camps such as Za'atari Camp and Dadaab—and sectoral priorities including food security coordinated with Food and Agriculture Organization, health with WHO, water, sanitation and hygiene with UNICEF, and protection with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The plans set beneficiary targets, timetables, and risk matrices referencing hazards such as Ebola virus epidemic outbreaks, Typhoon Haiyan, and Sahel droughts.

Planning and Coordination

Planning follows interagency needs assessments led by actors like Humanitarian Country Teams and technical clusters including Health Cluster, Nutrition Cluster, Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, and Protection Cluster. Coordination mechanisms involve periodic meetings chaired by the Resident Coordinator or Humanitarian Coordinator, supported by information management systems such as Humanitarian Data Exchange and tools like multi-cluster rapid assessment. Donor coordination engages entities including the Grand Bargain signatories, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, and national donors such as Canada and Australia, with liaison to regional bodies like the African Union and Arab League.

Funding and Resource Mobilization

Funding appeals are presented to pooled funds such as the Central Emergency Response Fund and bilateral donors like United States Department of State and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, as well as private philanthropies exemplified by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Resource mobilization strategies include flash appeals, strategic response plans, and the use of financial instruments like humanitarian cash transfers coordinated with World Bank-linked facilities. Financial monitoring draws on standards from International Organization for Standardization guidance and audit practices of organizations such as Office of Internal Oversight Services.

Implementation and Activities

Implementation mobilizes clusters to deliver activities: World Food Programme food distributions, UNICEF immunization campaigns, UNHCR protection services, International Committee of the Red Cross family tracing, Médecins Sans Frontières emergency surgery, and Mercy Corps livelihood support. Logistics rely on assets including the UN Humanitarian Air Service, regional hubs like Dubai, and partnerships with commercial carriers. Access negotiations may involve mediation actors such as International Crisis Group and engagement with state actors like Indonesia, Pakistan, or Sudan to secure humanitarian corridors.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability

Monitoring combines field reporting from agencies like CARE International, evaluations by independent bodies such as the Independent Review Panel and the Evaluation Office of the UN Secretariat, and real-time data from platforms like ACAPS and ReliefWeb. Accountability to affected populations is operationalized through feedback mechanisms, complaints and response systems modeled after standards from Sphere Handbook and the Core Humanitarian Standard. Performance indicators include indicators tracked by OCHA Financial Tracking Service and outcome evaluations referencing donor frameworks from DFID and USAID.

Challenges and Criticisms

Critics point to recurring challenges: funding shortfalls highlighted in appeals for crises like Syria and Yemen; humanitarian access impediments around frontlines such as in Donetsk and Rakhine State; coordination gaps between international agencies and local actors including Red Crescent societies; and constraints posed by counterterrorism laws and sanctions such as those involving Iran or North Korea that affect delivery. Additional criticisms concern donor-driven priorities, bureaucratic fragmentation between clusters, and limited localization despite commitments under processes like the Grand Bargain. Reforms debated include strengthening predictable financing via mechanisms like the Start Fund and enhancing collaboration with regional institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States.

Category:Humanitarian aid