Meeting the Humanitarian Challenge - UNV's Work Between Conflict and Development (United Nations Volunteers, 44 p.): Introduction: Features of UNV humanitarian assistance

Meeting the Humanitarian Challenge - UNV's Work Between Conflict and Development (United Nations Volunteers, 44 p.)

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Foreword

Introduction

Global context and role of the United Nations system

Background to UNV involvement in humanitarian assistance

Basic objective of UNVs humanitarian relief

Progress in implementation of the approach

Features of UNV humanitarian assistance

Range of services - ways in which UNV specialists make a difference

UNV humanitarian action in the field: Effort and impact

The link to development: UNDP's strategic role

Supporting field coordination of response to complex emergencies

Identifying the neediest and their survival strategies

Re-focusing and fine-tuning relief efforts

Delivery of urgent relief supplies to emergency victims

Shelter and services for refugees and displacees

Repatriation/return of refugees and displacees

Monitoring and promoting respect for human rights, and enabling protection

Confidence- and capacity-building at community level

Preventing conflict and mending bridges between communities

Focusing on the special needs of women and vulnerable groups

Education as therapy and for employment

Restoring food self-sufficiency

Rebuilding primary health care and preventing epidemics

Developing new opportunities for sustainable recovery

Current concerns and future perspectives

Drawing from experience in the field

Reducing scope for conflict: demobilisation

Participatory peace-building dynamics

Promoting human rights and education for peace

Disaster prevention and preparedness at community level

Putting human development back on the agenda

Administrative support to UNVs in humanitarian assignments

H... for Humanity: serving a purpose... for millions in need

Acronyms

Features of UNV humanitarian assistance

Key features involved in the UNV approach in humanitarian work include the following:

• capacity to field short-term UNVs (3, 6,12 months);
• rapid deployment (e.g. within days of request);
• streamlined clearance procedures including advance technical clearance by UN agencies;
• development of special emergency rosters of proven candidates with
- prior emergency/humanitarian experience
- UN, bilateral or NGO aid background

• an extended network of recruitment partner organisations feeding candidates to UNV, including UNV's Cooperating Organisations and National Focal Points, humanitarian NGOs, human rights groups, disaster management centers;
• stand-by rostering for candidates pre-selected in certain disciplines and who confirm provisional short-term release agreement from their current employer;
• systematic and intensive pre-assignment briefing and post-arrival orientation, and where possible, intensive training in disaster management skills in advance of request for selected UNVs-designate, or as soon as possible thereafter, where needed;
• deployment where possible in teams, with a comprehensive package of services and supporting facilities;
• enhanced field support infrastructure deployed in advance.

Given UNDP's and UNV's emphasis on the need for rehabilitation/reconstruction activities as soon as feasible following a crisis situation, a key feature of the HRU is that it works closely with the UNV long term rehabilitation/development programmes to ensure a smooth transition between crisis and Sustainable Human Development.

UNV also has over two decades of experience in fielding specialists to environmental and conservation projects. In fact, there are many 'themes' within the UNV programme which facilitate and reinforce this transition between relief to development. For example, UN Volunteers are presently engaged in programmes of conflict resolution, confidence and capacity-building at community level, rehabilitation of infrastructure, repatriation and reintegration of refugees, human rights promotion, peace-keeping activities, implementation of disaster prevention and preparedness programmes etc.