Humanitarianism, the results agenda, innovations and the South Sudan crisis

Abstract: A focus on objectives, results, outcomes and evidence has been increasing in international assistance, whether for development or for humanitarian relief. On the surface, this “results agenda” is not only reasonable, but commendable. However, when considered more closely, major problems become apparent. This applies especially to innovation, including humanitarian innovation. The answer is not to reject the results agenda, but to qualify it and adapt it to purpose and context. A particular concern of this paper is the current humanitarian crisis of South Sudan. With this crisis in mind, the paper will respond to the discussion of the results agenda by sketching an innovative component of the results agenda to provide a basis for connecting humanitarian relief, preventive humanitarian action through peacebuilding and the transition to reconstruction and development.

Link: http://www.oxhip.org/resources/hip2014/