Engaging Local Government in Urban Humanitarian Response (Urban webinar #9)

Complex as they are in their markets and communities, cities are also intricate in their levels/structures of governance. As centres of politics and commerce, as well as home for tens of thousands, national, regional &and local/municipal government structures all have a role. Recently, humanitarians have taken steps to engage National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs). But what about local government?

Due to the massive scale of displacement resulting from the crisis in Syria, a fourth of Lebanon’s population are now refugees. With no formal camps, many refugees are in urban municipalities, placing huge strain on local government. Reflecting on this on-going crisis, MercyCorps shared their experiences learning from and supporting municipalities as they continue to respond to the needs of refugees and Lebanese host communities. For more MercyCorps' work, including a policy brief & guidebook developed from these experiences, please visit http://tinyurl.com/kklz4p6.