|
Bringing African Voices
to Humanitarianism
AHA’s breadth of experience, as well as local knowledge
and expertise has led us to play an ever increasing role in global advocacy. We
regularly take part in international humanitarian meetings, workshops, and conferences;
regrettably, more often than not, as the only southern based representative.
We bring an all important African voice to the otherwise
northern dominated international humanitarian field. Confident that Africans have
what it takes to deal with the challenges facing the continent, we advocate for:
|
|
• |
Increased support and
empowerment of indigenous organizations; |
|
• |
Flexible, timely, predictable, and needs based funding;
|
|
• |
Genuine partnerships based on equality, transparency, complementarity, and shared-responsibility; |
|
• |
The acknowledgement and integration
of African CSO’s agenda and strategy; |
|
• |
International recognition
of African CSO’s value, contribution, and expertise; |
|
• |
Continued improvement
in humanitarian delivery through enhanced accountability, sustainability, and use
of the participatory approach; and |
|
• |
Increased capacity development for African CSOs and
vulnerable populations.
|
|
The development of
more equitable and mutually beneficial relations between north-south humanitarian
actors can only serve to improve humanitarian assistance in Africa. Most importantly
it is assisted populations who are set to gain from locally sensitive and better
capable indigenous NGOs, with an emphasis on participation, sustainability, and
ownership.
This is especially important in the current context, as
the international humanitarian community seeks to redefine itself, in order to better
serve affected populations. With this
in mind, AHA
hopes to lay the foundations for an African-based response system, which we believe
is essential to establishing efficient relief and sustained development.
Our efforts result in close working relationships with
numerous local and international partners, as well as participating in numerous
global networks, forums, and workshops, including among others:
|
|
The African Union: |
|
• |
Political Affairs Department - as a member of the AU Coordinating
Committee on Assistance and Protection to Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
in Africa, a member of the PRC Sub-Committee on Refugees and part of the 2009 African
Union Special Summit Task Force |
|
• |
African Citizens Directorate
– as an active member of the Steering Committee of the African Civil Society Organisations’
consultation on the AU/EU Joint Strategy
|
|
• |
Peace and Security
Department – working on Post-Conflict Reconstruction/Development and the African
Centre for Humanitarian Action |
|
The United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Overseas Development Institute (ODI)
The Accountability, Learning
and Performance in Humanitarian Action (ALNAP)
Civil Society Partnership
Programme (CSPP)
The International Council of Voluntary
Agencies (ICVA)
SPHERE Project
People in
Aid
International NGO Training and Research Center(INTRAC)
The Global Humanitarian Platform
Inter-Agency
Standing Committee Global Health Cluster
|