The humanitarian system is facing a great crisis that has existed even after the development, institutionalization, and the growth of professionalization. This is one of the areas lagging in terms of delivery despite bringing on strong board tools as well as providing the necessary funds for delivering the services. It is clear from the recent emergencies that the humanitarian system has never learned of the past and not yet ready to provide much-needed success. There are still issues going around the system, and that is, however, to be made clear.

In most cases, the department has been let down by the existing governance systems. People are yet to embrace the humanitarian system as a fully-fledged system. There is a human made crisis in this system, which is more than the funds and professionalism in conducting the work. The system is still behind due to the existing mindset and the methods used in the delivery of humanitarian aid. The system is to take a clear stand regarding the partnership between the investors and the implementers as it ought to have done for many years.

The system should, in the first place, understand that aid is not political. Sitting in the House of Representatives and passing the law on providing humanitarian support is not all that is needed for the system. More consequences that are negative might come up from afflicted persons whenever the aid is politicized(Potts et al., 2013).

Time has come that the humanitarian system will be needed to look and address the point of origin to prevent the crisis. Providing food and shelter is not enough in the current crisis. Thus, the humanitarian system should look at this with a broader mind that will ensure that the people who flee their homes are rescued and undergo restoration and return to ensure they do not continue suffering even at the hands of the system itself(Aubyn, 2013). The system has to bring a mind of trust and reconciliation. It is time for the system to move from the traditional view of a political and impartial way of doing things. Sometimes even the most developed humanitarian organizations will fail to work together with the other small organizations due to such issues.

All these concerns and the changes will ensure that the system moves from the traditional point of view and work towards growing a whole new system. It will help solve the most common humanitarian crisis and more; help develop a new approach to humanitarian aid. More so, the humanitarian aid will not depend on the politics of the day and will not rely on the past decision in making relief decisions. It is good to put in place strategies and the tools that will hold on the new demands. This will include a complete change of culture and the mindset among the existing and upcoming systems.

References

Aubyn, F. (2013, January). Unpacking the Humanitarian and Security Repercussions of the Sahel Crises on West Africa. The draft paper for the 4th Marrakesh Security Forum in Morocco (pp. 25-26).

Potts, M., Henderson, C., & Campbell, M. (2013). The Sahel: A Malthusian Challenge?. Environmental and Resource Economics, 55(4), 501-512.

https://fic.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/Sahel-case-study-Final-09-05-16.pdf

this is the 2nd post from my classmate SWIDAN need to responded :

Thoughts on evolving causes of the crisis

The Syrian crisis has grown over time from a political crisis with a clear agenda of removing a dictator from power to a radicalized sectarian war of local, regional and global stakeholders. The western engagement in the fight specifically the US and Russia have further contributed to the growing crisis. The two and their allies have made Syria platform to showcase their power might (Howe, 2016). Additionally, the ongoing fight has employed unconventional tactics. They are targeting civilians using unconventional weapons such as chemical weapons, airstrikes, barrel bombing, and sieges. They target hospitals and schools where civilians are seeking refuge. Assad’s regime continued cling to power is a further cause for the continued fighting.

How the described changes are impacting humanitarian aid

With the difficulties and the dynamism of the situation, the work of the humanitarian players has become very difficult (Miller, 2016). The mandate of the aid workers has been the delivery of relief items. Unfortunately, the volatility of the situation and the inability of the system and the ruling government to facilitate this delivery has made it all too difficult. The aid personnel has no protection and the focus of civilians in the war is leaving too many casualties aid personnel included (Capek & Abboud, 2017). The bombing of hospitals where most aid workers are concentrated has resulted in a shortage of humanitarian personnel which has directly and negatively impacted aid delivery.

How to prepare for the changing landscape

As an emergency manager, I would recommend an unconventional approach in order to contain the situation. While conventionally, humanitarian work has been carried out by non-military organizations, having a military branch that is trained in combat and also doubles as humanitarian staff can be a good start (Miller, 2016). Additionally, using emerging technology such as drones to deliver relief aid and supplies can also help the situation. Since the situation is hostile, drones marked relief aid so that they will not be shot down could help reduce the aid workers’ casualties. Also offering first aid training to locals so that they can be equipped with basic skills of saving lives can help ease the pressure on aid workers.

References

Capek, M., & Abboud, S. (2017). The Syrian Conflict. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Abdo Publishing.

Howe, K. (2016). Planning From the Future. No End in Sight: A Case Study of Humanitarian Action and, 1-51. Miller, S. D. (2016).

Political and Humanitarian Responses to Syrian Displacement. Oxfordshire: Florence Taylor and Francis.

this is the 3rd post from my classmate ALI need to responded :

The primary causes of humanitarian crises may be considered to be specific events such as natural disasters. However, the real causes of humanitarian crises are normally tied to structural problems. These problems include persistent human rights violations, poverty and inequality, and deficiencies in disaster preparedness. If a nation has adequate institutions and sociopolitical structures, it can withstand emergency or disaster events without reaching a state of humanitarian crisis (Martin, 2014). In recent years, one underlying cause of many natural disasters has been climate change. Climate change is affecting the balance on the whole planet, causing droughts, floods, and storms, which have severely affected people.

Increasing natural disasters brought on by climate change, and lack of environmental control from governments and regulatory entities affect mostly developing countries. This is because developing countries lack proper emergency preparedness and mitigation plans, and also because they suffer the effects of practices such as deforestation and indiscriminate mining. Therefore, humanitarian aid should go from rich to poor countries in these crises. However, countries often discriminate in giving humanitarian aid depending on whether the other country is an ally or is they have causes in common (Stromberg, 2007). I believe that humanitarian aid has been impacted by climate change because more help is needed to support communities that are suffering because of the disastrous weather conditions that affect agriculture and all aspects of life. Access to food and clean water have become perhaps the essential resources needed in these cases.

In order to prepare for the effects of climate change, some changes have to be made in how resources are used and produced. For example, clean energy should slow down climate change, as well as other alternatives to harmful practices. Agriculture will have to be redesigned to fit the new climates around the world, which is a significant challenge, especially for poor and developing countries. Mitigation of the harm produced by climate change is also very challenging because it implies adapting to changing landscapes and changing agricultural and other practices previously associated with the climate of a particular place in the world. Meanwhile, as populations become affected, they must receive aid not only as immediate aid in the form of food, water, and health but also investments in the long term with alternative plans to withstand ongoing climate change.

References

Martin, S. F. (2014). Humanitarian crises and migration: causes, consequences and responses. London: Routledge.

Strömberg, D. (2007). Natural Disasters, Economic Development, and Humanitarian Aid. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 21(3), 199–222. doi: 10.1257/jep.21.3.199