Hosted byALNAP

SOHS

ALNAP
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
Download report Download summary
Read report online
  • Read 2022 SOHS online
  • What's in the 2022 SOHS
    • Blogs & conversations
    • Briefings
  • News
    • Press release
    • Coverage & reactions
  • Events 2022
  • About
    • What is the SOHS?
    • Facts & figures
    • Previous editions
    • ALNAP digital timeline
Search

Search form

HomeOur topicsResearch topics (menu position rule)

The State of the Humanitarian System (SOHS) 2010 Pilot

Heavy Rains Hit Food Distribution Point in Sudan

The pilot edition of the SOHS found that despite significant increases in both humanitarian funding and the global aid worker population, needs of affected populations were not being matched by resources.

Despite improvements, humanitarian actors felt that needs assessment remained a weakness in the system, with insufficient follow-up after assessments and beneficiaries continuing to feel that they hadn't been adequately consulted.

The pilot also found improvements in the timeliness and coordination within a response due to the incorporation of the cluster system and the CERF.

Monitoring continued to be consistently identified as a particular weakness within the system in many evaluations in the period, although survey respondents did feel that the quality of monitoring was improving.

The SOHS 2010 survey and interviews did note improvements in the professionalism of humanitarian staff, but evaluations continued to identify problems with high staff turnover and a need to invest more in human resource management systems.

Insufficient investment in local and national capacities was a repeated concern, as were the top-down orientation of the system and the risk of undermining local capacities. However, there are also signs of improvement in how international agencies work with local humanitarian actors.

Efficiency seemed to be neglected in terms of analysis according to the study, with issues such as the risk of corruption continuing to be relatively unaddressed in the literature and evaluations of humanitarian action.

Humanitarian aid agencies identified a lack of respect for humanitarian principles on the part of warring parties, donor governments and their militaries. Aid agencies also noted, however, that collectively they themselves were not doing enough to maintain principled approaches or to advocate effectively for respect for humanitarian principles and IHL vis-à-vis governments.

Resource
01 Jan 2010

The State of the Humanitarian System - Assessing performance and progress. ALNAP Pilot Study

Contact

ALNAP
ODI
203 Blackfriars Road
London SE1 8NJ
United Kingdom

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

More information

Video banner footage credit: ICRC

About the State of the Humanitarian System (SOHS) project

comms [at] alnap [dot] org (subject: Contact%2FFeedback%20from%20SOHS%20site) (Contact us)

  • Disclaimer & privacy
Website by Manta Ray Media