Voices from ALNAP’s first 25 years | Loreine De La Cruz: “I was struck by how ALNAP’s mixed leadership body was focused on changing the humanitarian architecture and indeed the whole system”

Loreine De La Cruz, Executieve Director at the Centre for Disaster Preparedness Foundation, on her view of ALNAP and the role it plays in the sector. Read more testimonials from our 'Voices from ALNAP's first 25 years' blog series.

A few years back I sat on ALNAP’s steering committee as a representative of national NGOs, sitting alongside representatives of international NGOs, Red Crescent societies, donors and academia, and I was struck by how this mixed leadership body was focused on changing the humanitarian architecture and indeed the whole system. 

ALNAP’s core competencies in research, evaluation and monitoring enable it to look at the whole ecosystem, analysing the roles played by all the actors.

A lot of international actors go into countries and take the lead because they have the resources to do so. National and local actors are sidelined. ALNAP’s core competencies in research, evaluation and monitoring enable it to look at the whole ecosystem, analysing the roles played by all the actors. Its regular State of the Humanitarian System reports tackle fundamental questions: how is the system faring? How is it handling disasters that are intensifying and becoming more frequent? If you want to change the system, and pursue the best outcomes for affected populations and communities, you first need to understand it, and the State of the Humanitarian System is such a useful tool.

I’m no longer on the steering committee but I'm still an active member of ALNAP, and make a lot of use of its resources. Their evaluations are very useful to us because in the Philippines we see so many complex emergencies. Urbanisation is another area that’s particularly relevant: how can we develop smart, climate-resilient cities. The learning events are very rich in the exchange of ideas and promoting new ways of thinking, and I think all the members really look forward to them. 

The long-term goal is that ALNAP and humanitarian organisations will put themselves out of business [...] because that would mean that society had become more equitable and just and compassionate.

The long-term goal is that ALNAP and humanitarian organisations will put themselves out of business. We are all dreaming of a time when there’s no call for these organisations, because that would mean that society had become more equitable and just and compassionate. We can’t prevent natural disasters, but we can work towards a world in which there are zero casualties and no need for major recovery and rehabilitation efforts. Until that time we need to build on small successes, and take the steps that will eventually enable a giant leap forward towards a new society.