Home The CentreLatest news and insights A response to the 2022 State of the Humanitarian System Report

If the humanitarian system is to meet the growing needs of people affected by crises, we need transformation not tinkering

The finding of “business-as-usual-but-little-improvement” in today’s State of the Humanitarian System (SOHS) is not good enough.

The system needs transformation, not tinkering at the edges —and this will only happen if there is adequate investment in different and better ways of working. We need to grasp opportunities to improve humanitarian action and bring about systemic change.

We know the challenges. The question is, why are these not being addressed?

Eight humanitarian networks and organisations (see list below) have come together to further support the strengthening of the humanitarian system – to improve the accountability, quality and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance. We believe that if the experiences of crisis-affected people are to improve, the sector requires focused investment and action to transform the way we prioritise, fund, collaborate, operate and hold ourselves to account.

The SOHS report is an opportunity for us to show how and where change can happen, and collaborate to accelerate the changes we want to see.

Read the full editorial on Medium [opens in a new window].

The eight humanitarian networks and organisations which co-authored the piece are:

  1. ALNAP
  2. CHS Alliance
  3. Centre for Humanitarian Leadership
  4. Ground Truth Solutions
  5. H2H Network
  6. ICVA
  7. Start Network
  8. Sphere
Photo caption: A man and woman outside their home which has been badly affected by floods in Jacobabad, Sindh. Credit: Save the Children.

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