Multiple actors in the humanitarian system - How do they engage with affected people?

Panel Chair: Kirsten Gelsdorf, OCHA
 

1. Engagement with civil society actors 

   Presenter: Vega Teffera, Africa Humanitarian Action

   This presentation provides an overview of new ways that local civil society actors are engaging in humanitarian response. These are often not considered primary ‘responders’ but their roles are imperative and there are lessons to learn about how they engage with local communities. The humanitarian system needs to better coordinate with these initiatives and build upon the capacities of civil society actors.
    

2. Engagement by the Diaspora

   Presenter: Semhar Araia, Founder, Executive Director, Diaspora African Women’s Network

   This presentation focuses on how the diaspora is engaged in humanitarian response. They are a significant contributor after a humanitarian crisis and it is important to better understand how they engage with affected people. What lessons that we can learn from them?
    

3. Engagement with the private sector

   Presenter: Nicholas Crawford, Independent

   This presentation provides an overview on how the private sector (both local private sector actors as well as multi-nationals) contributes to a humanitarian response and ultimately improves its effectiveness. It addresses how we can better engage with them and how the private sector engages with (or does not engage with) affected people. The presentation draws from learnings of a recent study, Humanitarian Crises, Emergency Preparedness and Response: The Roles of Business and the Private Sector to address questions around how humanitarian assistance and private sector business activity affect each other, where potential opportunities and synergies can be achieved and negative interactions avoided. It will also address how governments, multilateral organisations and civil society can stimulate the private sector to more effectively engage in preparedness, response and contribute to resilience outcomes, now and in the future.