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dc.contributor.authorKelly, Luke
dc.coverage.spatialSudanen
dc.coverage.spatialAngolaen
dc.coverage.spatialMozambiqueen
dc.coverage.spatialBosniaen
dc.coverage.spatialSyriaen
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-14T11:21:58Z
dc.date.available2019-05-14T11:21:58Z
dc.date.issued2019-04-26
dc.identifier.citationKelly, L. (2019). The Role of UN Humanitarian Forums Involving Conflict Parties in Conflict Situations. K4D Helpdesk Report. Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studiesen
dc.identifier.urihttps://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/14492
dc.description.abstractThis query studies the role of regular UN humanitarian forums that involve conflict parties in conflict situations to discuss humanitarian issues of concern. It focuses on forums that are held outside of any political processes or peace talks. This paper finds six examples of forums that meet two or more of the criteria, although several of these are informal and/or linked to a political process. Forums such as the Technical Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (TCHA) in Sudan (1998-2000) and the Nuba Mountains Programme Advancing Conflict Transformation (NMPACT) in Sudan (2002-2007) have allowed humanitarian issues to be discussed in a co-ordinated way among United Nations (UN) organisations and/or Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and parties to the conflict. This can lead to better technical co-ordination, a distribution of aid according to humanitarian principles rather than strategic negotiations, and a greater acceptance of humanitarian principles among the warring parties. However, literature shows that the success of such forums is highly context-specific and depends upon their format, personnel and tactics, as well as the broader political context and the tactics and capabilities of the conflict parties. The forums risk legitimising the conflict parties and allowing aid to be instrumentalised. Some key challenges shape the space humanitarian actors have for engaging in regular forums with conflict parties. Firstly, so called “complex emergencies” after the Cold War have changed the context for humanitarian action, and brought distinct challenges to implementing humanitarian principles and maintaining humanitarian space. Secondly, the UN introduced a policy of integration in 1997 whereby UN peacekeeping, security and humanitarian agencies are linked together. Evidence from interviews points to a perception that aid is linked with UN political goals in contexts such as Somalia and Afghanistan and a subsequent reduction in the efficacy of aid delivery. Humanitarian organisations and the UN have tried various methods to overcome these problems, including co-ordination mechanisms and the formation of joint operating principles.en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherIDSen
dc.relation.ispartofseriesK4D Helpdesk Report;585
dc.rights.urihttps://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/en
dc.subjectAiden
dc.subjectRightsen
dc.subjectSecurity and Conflicten
dc.titleThe role of UN Humanitarian Forums Involving Conflict Parties in Conflict Situationsen
dc.typeHelpdesken
dc.rights.holder© DFID - Crown copyright 2019en
dcterms.dateAccepted2019-04-26
rioxxterms.funderDepartment for International Development, UK Governmenten
rioxxterms.identifier.projectK4Den
rioxxterms.versionVoRen
rioxxterms.funder.project238a9fa4-fe4a-4380-996b-995f33607ba0en


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  • K4D [937]
    K4D supports learning and the use of evidence to improve the impact of development policy and programmes. The programme is designed to assist the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other partners to be innovative and responsive to rapidly changing and complex development challenges.

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