The two worlds of humanitarian innovation

Excerpt: A constant challenge for humanitarian actors is how to meaningfully include and adequately consult so-called beneficiary populations. At all stages of humanitarian action, there is a tendency for solutions to be brought ‘from the outside’, with accountability channels directed primarily to donors rather than beneficiaries. Yet, as has been increasingly recognised, the people in need of protection, the communities themselves, frequently have skills, talents and networks that enable them to adapt and innovate in the face of humanitarian crisis. However, the humanitarian system as a whole has historically struggled to recognise and embrace the potential for more participatory and inclusive approaches, whether at the emergency, protracted crisis or recovery phases.

Link: http://www.rsc.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-two-worlds-of-humanitarian-inn…