| Humanitarian
Response to Natural Disasters Announcement
of Evidence Sessions - International Development Committee, UK Parliament Livelihoods
Connect, June 2006 |
 | Background |
The International
Development Committee (IDC) is appointed by the House of Commons to examine
the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department
for International Development (DFID) and its associated public bodies. The
IDC also takes an interest in the policies and procedures of the multilateral
agencies and non-government organisations to which DFID contributes. The
IDC has decided to conduct an inquiry into Humanitarian
Response to Natural Disasters. The focus is specifically on natural disasters
(both slow and rapid onset), although they recognise that there is not always
a clear distinction between natural disasters and complex emergencies.  Evidence
submitted by numerous organisations is available online. HTML
Announcement
of Evidence Session on Initial Disaster Response in the UK
The
purpose of this evidence session was to consider the role of different actors,
processes and priorities in determining the speed, nature and scale of the UK
response to natural disasters. The session focused in particular on the respective
roles of the media, NGOs and the Disasters Emergency Committee.
A
transcript of the oral session is available. HTML
This
session can also be listened to in the archive at www.parliamentlive.tv
(Search Under Commitees)
Announcement
of Evidence Session on Issues in Operational Response to Natural Disasters The
Committee took evidencence from: -
Bedreldin Shutta, Head of Asia Region, Islamic Relief Worldwide
-
Howard Mollett, Humanitarian Aid Policy Advisor, CARE International UK
-
Eric Stobbaerts, Senior Researcher, Médecins Sans
Frontières -
Matthias Schmale, International
Director, British Red Cross -
Afshan Khan, Deputy Director, Office of Emergency
Programmes, UNICEF -
Michael McCarthy, Deputy head and Joanna Macrae,
Humanitarian Adviser, Conflict,
Humanitarian and
Security Department, Department for International
Development
This
is the second of 7 evidence sessions scheduled for this inquiry. The first two
parts of this evidence session examined the issues which humanitarian actors face
in their operational responses to humanitarian disasters. This included the
significance
of recent innovations in the international
humanitarian architecture
for programmes on the
ground. There was a focus on the effectiveness of Cluster
Leads and the Cluster Approach.
The final part of the evidence session focused on the Good
Humanitarian Donorship Initiative. Michael McCarthy and Joanna Macrae highlighted
that individual and collective donor behavious matter in the effectiveness of
humanitarian aid. Issues around earmarked funding and timing of funds have significant
impacts on the effectiveness of relief agencies. The Good Humanitarian Donorship
Initiative aims to make funds available at the right time.
An uncorrected
transcript of this session will be placed
on www.parliament.uk/indcom
usually within 1 week
of the session taking place. This
session can also be listened to in the archive at www.parliamentlive.tv
(Search Under Commitees) Please
call the office on 020 7219 1221 to find out any further information regarding
the availability of transcripts. Print copies
will be available later from
The Stationery Office (+44) 0845
7023474. Also,tapes of some of the sessions
are available from the Parliamentary Recording Unit on(+44) 022 7219 5511. A list of
the next 5 sessions is now available. DOC
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