Operational Response

Photo credit: IFRC/AboAlway

Increasingly complex and protracted humanitarian crises necessitate better operational response in a more systemic and concerted manner. The IASC has been taking forward system-wide efforts, which include: improving safety, well-being and dignity for crisis-affected populations; optimizing the arrangements of system-wide mobilization in emergency situations triggered by natural disasters or conflict; better coordinating the global emergency response to improve prioritization and reduce duplication; ensuring that adequate and appropriate leadership is in place to coordinate the community’s response to humanitarian crisis; and investing in the ability and mechanisms for national authorities and relief organizations to be aware of risks and deploy staff and resources quickly once a crisis strikes.

Results Group 1 on Operational Response

Results Group 1 on Operational Response is a key IASC mechanism which delivers on enhancing operational response, particularly with regard to any gaps from the normative/policy perspective. The Results Group reports to the Operational Policy and Advocacy Group (OPAG), while relevant issues would be brought to the attention of the Emergency Directors Group (EDG) for joint consideration. It also actively engages with relevant non-IASC and development partners, including Peer-to-Peer, Global Cluster Coordinators, UNSDG and diverse NGOs from the field. For the biennium 2019-2020, the Results Group is taking forward various timebound normative outputs under the following workstreams:

Mainstreaming protection;
Addressing bureaucratic impediments imposed on NGOs;
Strengthening humanitarian leadership;
Strengthening the IASC Early Warning and Early Action Analysis;
Finalizing the revision of the ERP guidance; and
Operationalizing localization.

Additionally, the Results Group will continue to keep collaborating with OCHA’s Centre for Humanitarian Data to facilitate the development of joint system-wide operational guidance on data responsibility to consolidate the current policies and practices of humanitarian partners in the area of data responsibility.

Note: This group builds on the valuable outputs of the previous IASC Reference Group on Risk, Early Warning and Preparedness and the IASC Reference Group on Principled Humanitarian Action which completed their work in January 2019.

The Emergency Directors Group

Composed of representatives from IASC member organizations and partners/observers, the Emergency Directors Group (EDG) is called upon by the IASC Principals to advise and follow-up on strategic and operational issues requiring urgent collective action, system-wide resource mobilization and/or targeted field support to sustain or scale-up a given humanitarian response. The EDG is chaired by Ms. Reena Ghelani, Director of OCHA’s Operations and Advocacy Division, and it oversees Operational Peer Reviews undertaken by the Peer-2-Peer project.

For more information about the Emergency Directors Group.

Humanitarian Needs Overview and Humanitarian Response Plan Templates, 2020