Two panel discussions were held to mark the paper’s launch. On 28 March 2018, the President of the ICRC Peter Maurer opened the discussion held at the ICRC Humanitarium in Geneva. Panelists included Mary Werntz (ICRC); Alyoscia D’Onofrio (International Rescue Committee – IRC); Bonaventure Sokpoh (CHS Alliance); and Caroline Vuillemin (Fondation Hirondelle). Meanwhile, the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) organized a panel discussion last 18 April 2018 to further unpack the report’s findings. Christina Bennet (ODI), Rachel Hastie (Oxfam), Anahi Ayala Iaccuci (Internews), David Loquercio (ICRC) joined the panel discussion. Both events were moderated by Jacobo Quintanilla (ICRC & co-author of the report).
Global Crises and Local Solutions
What we find unique and relevant is the report's emphasis for humanitarian organizations to shift their engagement from “doers” to “enablers”, highlighting the importance of understanding local contexts to consider root causes of conflict and violence, the diversity of local communities' capacities and experiences, and strengthening existing humanitarian action led by national staff and local organizations. In many ways then, this report represents recent important shifts in mindset in the humanitarian sector emphasizing culturally appropriate technological interventions, empowering local aid workers, and developing holistic approaches to accountability.
Acknowledging the broad diversity in crisis-affected people's capacities, needs, and vulnerabilities, the report boldly argues against top-down interventions and instead, should aim at localization and more effective partnerships with local actors. It also develops a framework for humanitarian agencies to "strike an appropriate balance” between upholding humanitarian principles and ensuring that local leadership drives humanitarian interventions.
The report thoughtfully invites humanitarian organizations and donors to rethink about the opportunities and challenges of such innovations: What systematic changes must be in place to shift their mode of engagement online from “having access to people” to also “being accessible by people? Are they better equipped to navigate potentially contentious and divided environments both online and offline?
The report argues that concrete efforts must be done for humanitarian organizations to achieve “digital preparedness” amidst issues of cyber threat and ensure “digital protection” of already vulnerable communities. In the section Engaging with Communities: Futures, the report highlights the particular challenges of how conflict and violence, unmet expectations, and the politicization of aid might lead toward the proliferation of disinformation and falsehoods. Thankfully, the report also suggests how agencies should build “virtual proximity” and “digital trust” to complement physical presence and proximity on the ground.
This report strays from the celebratory optimism around technological solutions in earlier reports in the sector and provides a critical intervention to policy and practitioner debates on accountability and community engagement.
Newton Tech4Dev Network Convenor Jonathan Corpus Ong is advisory board member to this project.
