APCD-AIIA Joint Public Forum29 October 2009

Assisting Disrupted States: Lessons Learned and Future Prospects

Social Development and Humanitarian Aspects

Alison Chartres

Scope of Presentation

• The Challenges

• Approaches:Humanitarian ActionSocial

Development

• Transition

• Lessons

• Measures

A disrupted state...the challenges

Recent or current conflict Divisions along ethnic, religious, regional

lines Humanitarian needs Displaced communities Absence of the rule of law Former combatants – DDR imperative

Low resource capacity of the state, low accountability

Ineffective service delivery by state authorities

Destroyed or deteriorated infrastructure Mistrust within and between communities Outstanding reconciliation needs High unemployment, limited economic

opportunities High expectations

Humanitarian Action

• Guiding Framework of International Humanitarian Law, related conventions, codes and standards.

• The Humanitarian Imperative

The right to receive humanitarian assistance, and to offer it, is a fundamental humanitarian principle which should be enjoyed by all citizens of all countries

• Principles of Humanity, Neutrality and Impartiality

• Requires enabling environment for unimpeded access to affected populations

Humanitarian Action

• Basic needs including security, shelter, food, water and sanitation

• Displaced populations – support, facilitate dignified return and reintegration

• Protection of Civilians

Can be a very busy ‘space’

National

Gov

Village

Auth

Local G

ov

Local

Powers

MPMP

CIMICCIMIC

Force Commander

Police Commissioner

UN CIVPOL CONTINGENT

SECTORNORTH

SECTORSOUTH

SECTOREAST

SECTORWEST

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

STATION

POLICE TRAINING

UNIT

UN OCHAUN OCHA

UNICEFUNICEFUNHCRUNHCR WFPWFP UNDPUNDP WHOWHO

Pol Head

Chief Administrative

Officer

Human RightsDivision

Humanitarian Affairs

Coordination

Information Division

Political Affairs•Legal Affairs•Special Assistant

Electoral Division

Deputy Pol Head

COUNTRY DIRECTOR

OHCHR

PROMOTION GROUP

PROTECTION GROUP

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

GROUP

LIAISON GROUP

INDIGENOUS TRAINING

PARTNER TRAINING

IN-HOUSETRAINING

STATION

SECTOR NORTH

SECTOR SOUTH

SECTOR EAST

SECTOR WEST

LEGAL

FORENSIC

INVESTI-GATIONS

ANALYSIS

SRSG LIAISON

FORCE COMD LIAISON

CIVPOL COM LIAISON

LIAISON POOL

ADMIN SERVICES GP

PERSONAL/ ADVISORY

STAFFChief of

Administrative Services

Chief of Chief of Integrated Supt Supt

Services

Engineering/ Facilities

Management

Assets Management

Transport

Comms and ADP

Personnel

Finance

Procurement

General Admin

Services

OHCHRGENEVA

UNHQNEW YORK

UNHCRGENEVA

UN LSDNEW YORK

UN DPANEW YORK

UN DPKONEW YORK

HOST NATION

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

HOST NATION

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

HOST NATION

REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS

HOST NATION

REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS

HOST NATION

LOCAL GOVTS

HOST NATION

LOCAL GOVTS

HOST NATION

MILITARYHOST NATION

MILITARY

HOST NATION

FORMATIONSHOST NATION

FORMATIONS

HOST NATIONUNITS

HOST NATIONUNITSHOST NATION

POPULATIONHOST NATION

POPULATION

REBEL FACTION(S)

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

REBEL FACTION(S)

REGIONAL LEADERSHIP

REBEL FACTION(S)

LEADERHIP

REBEL FACTION(S)

MILITARY

REBEL FACTION(S)

FORMATIONS

REBEL FACTION(S)

UNITS

Foreign MilitaryForeign Militaryand and PolicePolice

Inter HumanitarianInter HumanitarianUNUN& its Headquarters& its HeadquartersHost GovHost Gov & Military& MilitaryRebels &Rebels & MilitaryMilitary

Social Development• Recognise development as a process not an outcome

• Accountability - for timely and effective support

• Adapt support to local context

• Respect community resilience and coping strategies

• Promote local ownership and capacity, empower communities and civil society representatives

• Build trust and confidence

Social Development• Rule of Law

• Basic services

• Basic infrastructure

• Community rehabilitation, restoration

• Peace dividends

• Reconciliation

• Information and communication

• Humanitarian needs in disrupted states do not end with the signing of a peace agreement and the ‘end’ of hostilities

• Transition from humanitarian to development is critical

“Poorly managed transitions can jeopardise the peace dividend as well as protract dependency and weaken state institutions… In transition, food aid and other life-saving interventions are comparatively better funded, while other sectors that may also provide a key bridge between relief and development, such as water, health, sanitation, agriculture, education, the rule of law and good governance, remain chronically under-funded…”

UN OCHA 2008

Lessons

• No clear line of demarcation between humanitarian action and social development activities

• Maintain a focus on humanitarian needs during development planning and implementation phases

• Take care when transitioning between phases of support

• Balance attention to rebuilding of the state with the humanitarian, peacebuilding and social development needs

• Empower Communities

• Promote the State-Citizen Contract

• Promote the role of Women, Youth and other target groups in social development

• Integrate peacebuilding approaches

• Apply sufficient timeframes and an appropriate pace

• Don’t risk program effectiveness and long-term objectives with haste

• Tailor activities to the local environment, culture and societal approaches as appropriate

• Return and reintegrate displaced populations - a humanitarian and a social development issue

• Approach Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration with proper planning

• Help to build trust

• Promote equity

• Do No Harm

• Support state and non-state partnerships to assist with basic needs, service delivery and social development activities

• Monitor trends and issues as they change in a rapidly evolving and complex social environment, be flexible

• Ensure coherence and clarity of information

Nation-Building

‘A nation-building agenda needs to support the emergence of networks of communication and exchange between Government, social institutions and people, and between different levels and kinds of governance….engagement or exchange with local values and practices is fundamental to nation-building’

M Anne Brown, Security, development and the nation building agenda – East Timor, University of QLD, 2009

Measures

Investment in:

• Analysis and understanding of the context

• Cultural awareness

• Deeper awareness of social structures, traditional systems and structures

• Interagency relationships

• Coherence of message, coherence of support

• Open and regular communication with the population

• Clear roles for military and non-military agencies