This paper is intended to analyse two leading approaches that have guided international efforts to promote peace and development in conflict-affected fragile states since the 1990s, namely peace-building and state-building.
In 2008, 260 humanitarian aid workers were killed, kidnapped or seriously injured in violent attacks – the highest yearly toll on record. The majority of these attacks took place in just countries: Sudan, Afghanistan and Somalia. Kidnappings in particular have increased since 2006, increasing 350% compared since 2006. The fatality rate of aid workers from malicious acts alone surpassed that of United Nations peacekeeping soldiers in 2008. In the most violent contexts for aid workers, politically motivated attacks have risen relative to common crime and banditry, as international aid organisations are perceived as part of Western geopolitical interests.
This joint ALNAP-HPG paper focuses on the recent expulsion of NGOs from Sudan. It offers a snapshot of what expelled aid agencies were doing, where they were based and the type of assistance they were providing at the time of their departure. It looks at the challenges these agencies had to tackle, how their programmes evolved, the extent to which these agencies had developed contingency plans and the challenges involved in scaling up operations to make up for the shortfall in services. The paper also discusses the immediate implications and suggests ways forward for international NGOs, the UN system and donors.
A 2008 global survey of aid organisations conducted for this research revealed that the contracting of certain security functions to external professionals has become increasingly common among humanitarian operations worldwide. This trend has followed both the rise in aid worker violence and the proliferation of international private security companies around the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet despite alarming predictions, the use of armed protection by security contractors remains the exception and is confined to a small number of contexts.
This paper provides a rapid review of recent literature on international practice and experience in supporting pro-poor service provision in fragile states. It focuses specifically on the education sector.
This paper provides a rapid review of recent literature on international practice and experience in supporting pro-poor service provision in fragile states. It focuses on the water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector.
This paper provides a rapid review of recent literature on international practice and experience in supporting pro-poor service provision in fragile states. It focuses specifically on the health sector.
This paper provides a rapid review of recent literature on international practice and experience in supporting pro-poor service provision in fragile states.
This synthesis paper summarises the findings from the second phase of an in-depth research project on the reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees returning to Southern Sudan and the Three Areas.