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2010 Forum: Recommendations

Recommendations

The general outcomes of the forum discussion groups have been consolidated into the eleven recommendations listed below.

Commence dialogue amongst agencies (not just NGOs or Red Cross/Red Crescent) about developing a universal Code relevant to all humanitarian actors that reflects these principles.
Improve awareness within our organisations and with new agencies in the sector about the Humanitarian Imperative and Code and particularly with governing boards and senior management to enhance their understanding of the challenges of applying them in practice.
Agencies actively collaborate and share security related information in order to have more consistent responses on security management and contingency planning. Such information would include situation analyses, training resources, risk analysis processes and security policies. Individual agencies will need to allocate staff time and resources towards enhanced collaboration and coordination. Local partners to be involved as much as possible.
The sector agrees on policies and procedures for high risk situations particularly in relation to the potential transfer of risk to local organisations.
That ACFID allocates resources (staff or working group) to addressing regional security issues, and facilitate opportunities for regional and local security personnel to share information and discuss issues.
That pro-bono legal advice be sought to investigate the implications of the counter-terrorism legislation on humanitarian practice and security. That AusAID be engaged in discussions about issues relating to NGO accreditation with regard to operating in high risk situations, as well as raising awareness of security and operational challenges more broadly with the Australian government.
That agencies and individual staff members are aware of issues relating to risk, organisational policies, standards for appropriate conduct and their obligations to share critical security information.
That the ACFID HRG investigates the UK DEC model with regards to benefits for collaborative advocacy as well as sharing information and experience more broadly.
That the complementarity of sector agencies be developed through the drafting of country strategies on humanitarian advocacy which draw on pre-emptive research and strategies on high-risk countries. These strategies would be shared with the ACFID HRG and more broadly, and larger NGOs would conduct additional research on key issues for example, an analysis of vulnerability.
Engage groups beyond the usual humanitarian response agencies, including diasporas, survivor groups, regional bodies, and the private sector (through Crisis Hub for example) to develop common messages and credibility around key issues.
That agencies take a more collective approach to engaging with donors on funding allocations and conditions.

Next steps:

That the notes and presentations from the forum be distributed to all participants.
That a page linked to the ACFID website be set up specifically for the Humanitarian Reference Group in order to share the key information identified in Recommendations 3 and 9 above.