Geneva/London, April 29, 2016.
Oxfam and CARE have joined 21 other INGOs and over 120 national and local organisations to call for a reorientation of the humanitarian system towards local agencies, by signing the Charter for Change.
The Charter commits INGOs who have signed up to implementing eight reforms to shift the balance of power in the humanitarian system towards local and national organisations. These include a pledge by signatories to pass at least 20% of their own humanitarian funding to national NGOs by May 2018 – two years after the World Humanitarian Summit this May.
Currently an average of only 0.2% of humanitarian aid goes directly to local and national NGOs[1] and civil society organisations and many studies have shown that local capacity is often significantly underutilised, undervalued and overlooked by larger international organisations . Locally-led response is also often faster and more tailored to local contexts, saving more lives and alleviating the suffering of many more women, men and children.
Camilla Knox-Peebles, Oxfam’s Deputy Humanitarian Director said: “It has never been more important to recognise the fundamental role that local organisations play in responding to crises. They are often the first to get aid to those who need it, and have the knowledge and relationships with people to do this.
“Oxfam's long term vision is that local agencies, whether civil society or government agencies, will lead humanitarian responses and make sure that help gets to people who need it fast. International organisations should support them so that they can do this, and do it at scale.”
Frederique Lehoux, CARE International’s Humanitarian Partnership Coordinator said “We’re committed to working with local organisations as genuine peers to deliver the support that people need when faced with conflict and disaster. CARE is investing substantial resources into fostering local capacity to respond either with us or independently – we see this as critical if we are to collectively meet the scale of need that we anticipate in the coming decades.”
The Charter launched last year by CAFOD, the Kenya-based Southern NGO ADESO, Dan Church Aid and Christian Aid, is an initiative that aims to enact changes to better enable national and local organisations to play an increased and more prominent role in humanitarian response. Oxfam and CARE represent two of the largest NGOs in the Humanitarian Sector, and combined received around 15% of reported Humanitarian Funding to NGOs in 2013. The hope is that many more INGOs, governments and UN agencies will follow suit and make similar concrete commitments to change at the Istanbul World Humanitarian Summit.
To sign the Charter email [email protected], further information can be found at www.charter4change.org.
[1] Global Humanitarian Assistance report 2015
About Charter4Change:
The Charter4Change has been signed by 23 INGOs: CAFOD (Caritas England and Wales), CARE, Caritas Denmark, Caritas Norway, Christian Aid, Church of Sweden (Svenska Kyrkan) Cordaid, Dan Church Aid, Diakonia, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, ICCO, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Johanniter International Assistance/Johanniter-Auslandshife, Kerk in Actie, Kindernothilfe e.V, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Oxfam, Rescue Global, SCIAF, Terram Pacis, Trocaire, War Child UK.
The Charter4Change has been endorsed by over 120 national and local humanitarian organisations, a full list of which can be found here: www.charter4change.org/endorsements
For more information contact Anthony Neal, [email protected]