Rolling out Humanitarian Reform in the region

The humanitarian reform process launched by the international humanitarian community in 2005 seeks to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response through ensuring greater predictability, accountability and partnership. To build a foundation for understanding the process, ROAP conducted a regional humanitarian reform workshop in Bangkok in January 2007. The event helped promote regional and country-level progress towards humanitarian reform and create dialogue between policy-makers and practitioners on the reform. ROAP continues to advocate for the implementation of the principles of the reform in both major new emergencies and on-going emergencies. The key elements of the reform are: (1) the ‘cluster approach’; (2) a strengthened Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) system; (3) more adequate, timely, flexible and effective humanitarian financing; and (4) the development of strong partnerships between UN and non-UN actors.

Cluster approach

The aim of the cluster approach is threefold: (1) high standards of predictability, accountability and partnership in all sectors or areas of activity; (2) more strategic responses; and (3) better prioritization of available resources. ROAP commits to promoting the use of the cluster approach, often by supporting RC/HCs, UN/IASC Country Teams by incorporating Humanitarian Reform elements into contingency planning, a process of anticipating and solving problems in advance, giving specific attention to the cluster approach.

OCHA tools and mechanisms available at the regional level

ROAP provides surge capacity and technical support to OCHA field presences and the RC/HCs and UN/IASC Country Teams in the region, all in the spirit of humanitarian reform.

More information on the reform can be found on the website of the OCHA Humanitarian Reform Support Unit.
Please find more information on Humanitarian Network for Asia-Pacific on this fact sheet.