Crises Management and Humanitarian Coordination

This session will provide an overview of the current humanitarian architecture, exploring how crisis response is structured and coordinated at the global, regional, and national levels. We will analyze recent shifts in humanitarian coordination mechanisms, the roles of key actors, and the challenges in crisis activation and response. We will also introduce the United Nations Cluster System and the Triple Nexus approach (humanitarian- development-peace), which is increasingly shaping crisis response strategies. We will have room for questions and/or a brief debate with participants at the end of the presentation.

Structure:

1. Introduction: What is humanitarian coordination, and why does it matter
2. Humanitarian architecture overview: the UN Cluster System, roles and responsibilities of national governments, UN agencies, donors, and civil society coordination mechanisms at global, regional, and local level
3. Key Trends and Changes in recent years: How has the humanitarian coordination landscape evolved?; challenges in crisis response, including bureaucratic constraints and funding gaps
4. The Triple Nexus Approach
5. Case study on integrating humanitarian action, development, and peacebuilding
6. Discussion and Questions: Space for participants to engage in debate and share experiences

Learning Outcomes:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of humanitarian coordination structures
• Learn who is responsible for crisis activation and coordination
• Understand how the UN Cluster System operates in practice
• Explore the Triple Nexus approach and its implications for future crises
• Identify key challenges and trends shaping humanitarian response

Additional Resources:

Participants will receive supporting materials, including:

• Key UN and NGO reports on humanitarian coordination and the Triple Nexus
• Case studies illustrating coordination challenges and successes
• Practical tools for navigating the Cluster System and Nexus programming
• Recommended readings on future trends in crisis management