On 18 - 19 March, the EU, UN, EU countries, INGOs and partners will meet in Brussels to discuss and shape the humanitarian agenda. At this third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum, the implications of the current, most pressing humanitarian crises will be explored, focusing specifically on the humanitarian funding gap and on neglected crises worldwide. The Forum comes at a critical moment with staggering humanitarian needs and right before the June European Parliament elections.
On 18 - 19 March, the EU, UN, EU countries, INGOs and partners will meet in Brussels to discuss and shape the humanitarian agenda. At this third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum, the implications of the current, most pressing humanitarian crises will be explored, focusing specifically on the humanitarian funding gap and on neglected crises worldwide. The Forum comes at a critical moment with staggering humanitarian needs and right before the June European Parliament elections.
Oxfam is a key humanitarian actor. We provide principled humanitarian assistance in any emergency where there is a significant risk to life, health and basic needs, and where the affected population cannot manage this alone. We contribute to more collaborative, inclusive, principled and effective humanitarian action. We also influence the aid system to become locally led, better prepared, more accountable, gender transformative, and able to support all people in crises
At the Forum, Oxfam will participate in high-level panels and humanitarian talks, support partners in their engagement and host a photo exhibition highlighting the neglected refugee crisis in Gambela, Ethiopia.
Oxfam's six key asks in one sentence:
- Step up actions to promote local humanitarian leadership, including for women-led and refugee-led organizations.
- Increase quantity and quality of funding, including through multi-year funding.
- Operationalize the nexus approach by adapting financial mechanisms and meaningful engagement of partners at a local and (national) level.
- Ensure EU countries advocate with partner countries for the protection of civilians including through preventive action.
- Show clear commitment to a feminist and decolonial humanitarian system that helps transform power systems.
- Take decisive steps to mitigate the unintended consequences of sanctions and other restrictive measures and increase humanitarian exemptions’ effectiveness.
Oxfam's six key asks in more detail:
Support Local Humanitarian Leadership
The EU must step up their actions to promote local humanitarian leadership, including for women-led and refugee-led organizations. This means supporting the meaningful participation and leadership of organisations at the local level in coordination mechanisms and programming.
DG ECHO specifically must make good on its commitments to use its status as a leading humanitarian donor to 1) advocate for organisations at a local and national level to be included in humanitarian coordination structures at all levels and 2) reflect concerns from organizations at the local and national level in its own advocacy efforts along with amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable people.
Increase Quantity and Quality of Aid
In 2022, funding shortfalls reached a record high due to the significant increase in the scale of humanitarian needs, cancelling the increase in global funding.
It does not have to be this way. EU countries must allocate a minimum of 0.7% of their Gross National Income (GNI) to Official Development Assistance (ODA), with 10% specifically for humanitarian assistance.
Quality is as important as the quantity. DG ECHO should make a change in how it grants funding to allow for a more sustainable response. One way to do this is to make the shift towards multi-year funding by granting 30% more longer-term contracts as per its commitments. It must also make sure that its grants are reliable and delivered upfront.
Link Humanitarian Action to Longer-Term Impact
In the context of growing fragility and protracted crisis, humanitarian work needs to be embedded into sustainable and long-term resilience programming that aims for deep structural change – this is the triple nexus approach (humanitarian, development, and peace).
Funding must be more sustainable, multi-year, flexible and less earmarked. It must also centre NGOs at a local and national level, including women’ rights and women-led organizations, as strategic partners. The European Commission should also ensure much better coordination between its development, peace and security, and humanitarian agencies in Brussels and partner countries.
Respect International Humanitarian Law
There is a growing trend of impunity by conflict parties when they violate International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In this context of serious violations of IHL and shrinking humanitarian space, EU countries and the European Commission must play a more proactive role to ensure that communities living in conflict can still enjoy their basic rights and be protected.
This can be done through maintaining and increasing so-called Community-Based Protection programs, which offer a crucial first line of defence of humanitarian principles. The EU should work with the communities themselves to promote compliance with IHL, report violations and support survivors.
Transform the Humanitarian System
Power dynamics with patriarchal and colonial roots shape the humanitarian sector. Transforming this requires a collective effort from all humanitarian actors. For DG ECHO and EU countries, this means showing a clear commitment towards a feminist and decolonial humanitarian system. Localized, long term and flexible funding need to be prioritized, and organisations at a local level need to be in the driving seat. Support for and protection of those challenging shrinking humanitarian and civic space, the securitization of aid, and double standards are also important. Finally, the EU must centre gender equality and reduce the risks of gender-based violence in all its humanitarian action. One step towards this is to promote, reinforce and work with women’s rights and feminist movements, organizations and networks.
Respect Humanitarian Principles for Effective Aid
There is a worrying trend towards the politicization of aid with EU countries and the EU adopting conditionalities on aid distribution in highly complex conflicts and crises. The impact can lead to protection activities being excluded, payments being frozen or programs being stopped.
The EU must mitigate these consequences and increase humanitarian exemptions by exploring how critical activities such as protection and early recovery can be included in these exemptions. The Commission should also support a more coordinated and effective approach when addressing the impacts of restrictive measures through the exchange of good practices and due diligence mechanisms, ultimately improving assistance and support to affected populations.
Oxfam at the EHF
You can also follow the European Humanitarian Forum online.
Panel: ‘Humanitarian needs vs resources: the obligation to bridge the funding gap’.
- Time: Tuesday, 10:45-12:15
- Moderator: Marta Valdes, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Director
Panel: ‘(Dis)respecting International Humanitarian Law in today’s armed conflicts: monitoring and reporting’.
- Time: Tuesday, 15:45-17:15
- Speaker: Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East & North Africa Regional Director
Humanitarian Talk: ‘Conflict-related hunger: IHL compliance as a tool to prevent food insecurity’.
- Time: Tuesday, 10:45-12:00
- Speakers:
- Pauline Chetcuti, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Campaign Manager
- Swonty Kone, Oxfam’s Humanitarian & Conflict Officer in Burkina Faso
Panel: ‘Equitable Partnerships: towards a fairer sharing of compliance-related risk’
- Time: Wednesday, 10.00-11.30
- Speaker: Saskia Harmsen, Oxfam’s Partnership & Local Humanitarian Leadership Lead
Photo exhibition: 18 and 19 March
Theme: Highlighting the plight of South Sudanese refugees in the Gambela region of Ethiopia.
Location: at the EHF venue in Flagey.
For more information about Oxfam's presence at the EHF, please reach out to eumedia@oxfam.org.