This paper argues that early recovery has functioned primarily as a way of framing activities, strategies and approaches that take place in humanitarian and transitional contexts, and that its added value is yet to be consistently proven.
Refugees cross the Rusumo border into Tanzania from Rwanda May 30, 1994 carrying their belongings including goats, mattresses and cows.
License: Creative Commons
Credit: Jeremiah Kamau (REF: RWA104)
Source: Reuters
This event launched the newly published book Uncharted Territory: Land, Conflict and Humanitarian Action. It saw Dr. Sara Pantuliano and Dr. Liz Alden Wily discuss findings from the book.
Land issues, particularly its access, ownership and use, are often central to understanding the dynamics of conflict and post-conflict settings, yet an understanding of these issues is minimal amongst the humanitarian community. This policy brief examines the challenges in addressing these issues and the need to look beyond relief to include advocacy, protection and attention to livelihoods and early recovery.
Children in the Middle East and North Africa are feeling the effects of the global financial crisis. A new ODI Background Note urges governments in the region to see the crisis as an opportunity to strengthen social protection systems.
Commissioned by UNICEF, this paper outlines the impact of the ‘Triple F crisis’ (food, fuel, financial) on children and women in the Middle East and North Africa. It finds that the crisis is already undermining children’s rights to nutrition, education and protection from child labour. It calls on governments in the region to strengthen social sector spending and social protection systems.
License: Creative Commons
Credit: © Peter Martell/IRIN
Source: IRIN
In this meeting, the sixth of a series on fragile states, the panel, composed of senior Sudan policy makers, discussed the continued challenges of promoting recovery in Southern Sudan, the tensions and trade-offs between different approaches (humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, statebuilding, stabilisation) and how architectural and coordination constraints can realistically be overcome to improve the efforts of international actors in supporting recovery from conflict in Southern Sudan.
Southern Sudan has been seen as a test case for international engagement in fragilestates. But a 'business as usual' approach is failing to address the specific challenges facing Southern Sudan. As a result, its people have yet to see the improvements in their daily lives that are so essential for the peace process.
Fighter sits on abandoned tank left over by war in Somalia
License: Creative Commons
Credit: Carl Montgomery
Source: Flickr
this meeting, the fifth of a series on fragile states, the panel, based on experience from Sudan, South Africa, Burundi, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and other contexts, discussed the nature of political settlements, the role of peace negotiations and agreements in forming these settlements and what needs to be done to improve the efforts of international actors in these processes.