The Horn of Africa is experiencing consecutive failed rains and the worst drought and food insecurity in the region in more than a decade. In a crisis of this magnitude, effective communication, community engagement and accountability (CCEA) are a matter of life and death, enabling affected people to make critical decisions and to communicate with service providers about their needs and concerns.

Simply put, communication is aid – and a right of affected people. Yet, challenged by insufficient dedicated funds and prioritisation, CCEA remains a weak link in the complex humanitarian response in the region.

Affected communities cannot afford to wait. In the face of insufficient funding and operational constraints, CDAC Network and its members, key stakeholders and regional and in-country CCEA coordination structures are calling for all humanitarian actors and other CCEA-related service providers to ‘work with what we have’ – including existing local structures, initiatives and partnerships – to drive inclusive and quality CCEA in affected areas.

This note presents critical areas of focus to prioritise within existing programmes in order to catalyse change in the Horn of Africa context.