This Article critically assesses the crucial but troubled system for the coordination of international humanitarian assistance—the UN “cluster approach.” Regardless of whether the cluster approach actually helps in disaster response, it exercises substantial power over affected populations by assigning competences and leadership roles. The built-in mechanisms for controlling this power are unworkable because they ultimately fail to resolve the tension between humanitarian organizations’ autonomy and the need for coordination. This Article identifies the emergence of an alternative model of accountability, based on mutual monitoring and peer review. Drawing on theories of network governance and experimentalism, this Article teases out the institutional and normative implications of such a model. In particular, this Article argues, the emerging turn toward peer review in the cluster approach would demand dramatic improvements to the system’s inclusion of affected populations. This investigation may carry broader lessons for transnational networks and the study of accountability in global governance.
This evidence based study was commissioned by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR) and International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA). It focuses on the important role played by partnerships in addressing allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) against aid workers....
The understanding of localization in the humanitarian response in Ukraine remains a key policy and practice concern for donors and humanitarian actors. While localization of the humanitarian response in Ukraine is frequently stressed as a priority, there have been only limited efforts to date to...
The Syrian NGO Network Engagement and Partnership Programme is a strategic partnership between UNDP and ICVA to strengthen the capacity of Syrian NGO/CSO networks to enable them to play a vital role in joint coordination and representation by strengthening skills and capacity across a range of areas...
