Humanitarian partnerships : the case of small INGOs and local organisations

Abstract

In view of the repeated arguments that humanitarian assistance does more harm than good, is delivered in a disjointed, disorderly fashion and lacks the required local engagement and bestowal of recipient ownership, humanitarian partnerships have been deliberated, commended and promoted as a lasting solution. Through the multiple publications pertaining to partnership principles and standards, a lot of literature may be uncovered on this topic. The importance of humanitarian partnerships between the international community and local organisations should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately, not enough is being done on the ground and the same ‘mistakes’ are repeated in almost every large-scale humanitarian crisis, despite the lessons said to have been ‘learned’ in almost every post-crisis evaluation report published throughout the course of the past two decades. This research sought to serve as an independent study of the challenges and opportunities that come about when forming partnerships in a humanitarian crisis. The focus is on small International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and local organisations. Drawing on the results of two-case studies, this study finds that small INGOs find more opportunities than challenges when partnering with local organisations. Further literature on small INGOs is needed, as is the development of partnership criteria across all humanitarian organisations. Through partnerships, goals that are typically unattainable for organisations acting alone in a sector as complex and multifaceted as the humanitarian sector, become attainable, moving closer to effective humanitarian assistance. Through local engagement and partnership with local organisations, small INGOs are able to overcome certain challenges that would otherwise hinder their response and preclude them from reaching their objectives.