Networks clearly have wide-ranging applications in the humanitarian sector, yet surprisingly little has been written on the strategic development and management of networks with the humanitarian sector in mind. In this Background Note, we address the question of what networks actually do from this perspective, drawing on existing initiatives and mechanisms. We move on to outline a simple, flexible and powerful methodology — the network functions approach (NFA) — that can be applied to analyse and strengthen humanitarian network initiatives.
This note aims to help those facilitating, acting within or supporting humanitarian networks and communities of practice – whether across or within organisations – reflect on their activities and frame them in a more structured and strategic fashion. In doing so, we hope that network strategies will be honed, thinking will be clarified, activities be sharpened and ultimately, humanitarian performance will be improved – delivering greater value to members and to those receiving humanitarian assistance.
This paper starts out with a cursory overview of coordination experiences by major players in the humanitarian world (Section 2). The aim is only to indicate the wealth of experience there, not to offer a critical analysis of it all. The review indicates that coordination in and by host governments...
Southern Sudan has presented a unique operating environment for the NGO community for the better part of 22 years. During the civil war, Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) defined the space for NGO activity regardless of participation in OLS itself; and since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace...
The information pack for new members of PHF provides relevant information to INGOs who have recently joined the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF), as well as information for new staff or partners of PHF members. The pack includes: PHF vision, mission and mandate; an introduction to the PHF core...
