Lessons for Response

Photo credit: Arlynn Aquino EU/ECHO

What can we learn from humanitarian responses to previous crises?

ALNAP was founded to improve humanitarian performance through increased learning. To help make this goal a reality, ALNAP publishes Lessons Papers, laying out the lessons of previous humanitarian responses in a concise and readable format. These Lessons Papers are aimed at staff designing and evaluating humanitarian responses, and are largely based on evaluation findings. To date, ALNAP's Lessons Papers look at earthquakes, floods, urban conflicts and disasters, droughts and epidemics.

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Urban Conflicts and Disasters

Specific Crises

Heatwaves | Essential lessons for humanitarian responders

WATCH | Learning for Pakistan: Flood response challenges and opportunities

Lessons for the 2022 Pakistan flood response: past reflections and new considerations

Jennifer Doherty Jessica Alexander

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5 July 2022 14:00–17:00, CET

From Kosovo to Ukraine: lessons from the humanitarian response to conflict and displacement in Europe

Buchanan-Smith, M. and Wiles, P.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Adapting humanitarian action to the effects of climate change

de Geoffroy, V., Knox Clarke P., Bhatt, M., and Grunewald, F. with Doherty, J.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Responding to Ebola epidemics

Lamoure, G. and Juillard, H.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Responding to Earthquakes

Juillard, H. & Jourdain, J.

Earthquakes

Photo by ECHO/Susana Perez Diaz

ALNAP's Lessons Papers draw out learning for those responding to earthquakes, providing lessons around both technical delivery and strategy and management. They present key approaches to providing relief for those affected by the crisis, but also the need to factor in preparation for potential future earthquakes.

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

South Asia Earthquake 2005: Learning from Previous Recovery Operations (Second Paper)

Floods

Photo Credit: EU/ECHO/Mathias Eick

Continued population growth in areas at risk of flooding and the increasing severity of weather patterns due to climate change mean that the number of flood disasters is likely to continue going up. Many of general lessons that apply to other types of humanitarian response (such as the need to consult the affected population) also apply to floods. But what makes floods difference is their long term impact, whether through sustained waterlogging or their impact on livelihoods. ALNAP's Lessons Papers present lessons learned from previous flood responses in developing countries, based on a structured review of the literature.

Responding to Flood Disasters: Learning from previous relief and recovery operations

Flood Disasters: learning from previous relief and recovery operations

Urban Conflicts and Disasters

Photo Credit: Mohammed Al Baba/Oxfam

Many humanitarian organisations often have more experience of disaster response in rural settings, and this is further complicated by the fact that towns and cities are dense and highly complex environments. The result is that humanitarian responses in urban environments are faced by a wide variety of unique challenges. Additionally, rapid urban growth and a potentially increased threat to cities from extreme weather events mean that humanitarians will likely increasingly be responding to urban crises. ALNAP's Lessons Papers examine the distinct features unique to humanitarian response in urban environments, looking both at natural disasters and conflict.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Humanitarian Interventions in Settings of Urban Violence

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Humanitarian Interventions in Settings of Urban Violence (Arabic)

Responding to Urban Disasters: Learning from previous relief and recovery operations

Sanderson, D., Knox Clarke, P., and Campbell, L.

Drought

Photo Credit: OIKOS

Drought can impact people's lives in variety of ways and, beyond its direct effects, can increase the risk of conflict over scarce natural resources. This means that, when responding to drought crises, humanitarians should be prepared to work closely with national governments across sectors and countries to meet the needs of drought-affected populations. ALNAP's Lesson Paper on humanitarian action in drought-related emergencies provides 17 lessons, including the importance of effective early warning systems and the need to recognise the recurrent nature of droughts.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Humanitarian action in drought-related emergencies

Hedlund, K. and Knox Clarke, P.

ALNAP Lessons Paper: Humanitarian action in drought-related emergencies (Arabic)

Hedlund, K. and P. Knox Clarke

Specific Crises

These Lessons Papers look at what humanitarians can learn from specific responses to particular crises.

UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan

Deepening Crisis in Gaza: Lessons for Operational Agencies

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Cyclone Nargis: Lessons for operational agencies

Ramalingam, B. and S. Pavanello

EC/ECHO/Anouk Delafortrie

The Global Food Price Crisis: Lessons and Ideas for Relief Planners and Managers

Ramalingam, B., Proudlock, K. and J. Mitchell

UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Tsunami Emergency - Lessons from Previous Natural Disasters