HONG KONG MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2014 Committee: Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Topic: Protocol for Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Chair: Samantha Ip (140042@hkis.edu.hk)
Overview Humanitarian assistance is aid that is intended to save lives and alleviate suffering. It is usually not intended to solve the underlying cause of the problem, but rather to respond to its effects. Here, the distinction of emergency humanitarian assistance as a subcategory of humanitarian assistance must be made. For this committee, emergency humanitarian assistance will be defined as the response to a crisis immediately after it occurs. In discussions, delegates should work to develop a working definition for an "emergency" (i.e. what situations call for an immediate emergency response, in contrast to a long-term solution to relieve an ongoing problem). The subsequent transition to a long-term solution should also be emphasized. Emergency humanitarian assistance has been provided for many different types of emergencies, including: - Natural disasters, such as the recent Typhoon Haiyan affecting the Philippines - Political turmoil, such as the Syrian crisis - Any other crises, both natural and man-made, that requires external life-saving aid Assistance is provided by a number of bodies and organizations. Firstly, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinates all humanitarian actors. Other supranational bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and INTERPOL can also provide guidance and personnel. Member nations often provide the bulk of humanitarian personnel and supplies. Non-governmental organizations (NGO's) are also integral, especially for channeling international donors' contributions to the affected area. The Red Cross is one such notable organization. Funding for emergency humanitarian actions often comes from member nations. Most notably, the UN General Assembly created the Central Emergency
Response Fund (CERF) in 2005, so that funds for humanitarian response could be readily available. Approximately two-thirds of CERF funds are used for rapid response (life-saving immediately following an emergency, especially to make up the delay in voluntary contributions), and one-third for underfunded emergencies (ongoing issues that have been largely "forgotten" by the general public). For this forum, the focus will be on rapid response emergencies, although delegates should also consider how to sustain funding to ongoing issues in the long run. A note on funding: For the purposes of this forum, availability of funds is assumed, as long as requested amounts are reasonable. Thus, specifics of funding (such as the exact amount provided, exact donors, etc.) should not be mentioned during debate. This is in order to keep the focus of debate on humanitarian assistance infrastructure. However, debate on funding infrastructure, such as CERF as an organization, is acceptable and encouraged.
Case Studies Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda - 2013 On November 8th, 2013, Typhoon Yolanda made landfall in the Philippines, and became the deadliest typhoon on record to ever strike the islands. Over 6000 fatalities have been confirmed as of December 16th, and thousands are reported missing. The typhoon caused flooding and widespread destruction throughout much of the Leyte and Samar islands. The initial outpouring of aid has come from multiple sources: • OCHA has created a detailed action plan for response to the typhoon. The plan lays out the funding requirements for each action, providng • Many member nations have contributed money, supplies, and personnel; for example, the United States has sent naval vessels to the area and deployed planes and helicopters to ferry supplies and people in and out of the area. Naval personnel have also aided in reopening airports damaged by the typhoon. • Red Cross divisions across the globe have been collecting supplies and funds for relief. • GlobalMedic (a Canadian NGO similar to Doctors Without Borders) has sent several teams of medical personnel to the area. • Companies are also involved in the relief effort; • The WHO provided guidance in what types of medical supplies are most needed.
Cleanup of the aftermath continues, and rebuilding has just begun in the hardest hit areas of the Philippines.
Syrian Civil War The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing conflict between the Syrian government and opposition groups (including the Free Syrian Army) who wish to topple President Bashar Al Assad's regime and institute a new government. The unrest began in March 2011 with popular protests that were part of the greater Arab Spring movement. Violence has escalated, with clashes taking place in towns and cities across the country. Both sides have been accused of human rights violations. In addition, the use of chemical weapons (especially the Ghouta attack in August 2013) caused a strong international reaction. The humanitarian side of the issue is also severe. Injured individuals are at greater risk, as infrastructure such as hospitals has been crippled due to the conflict. Many individuals have been displaced, and are seeking refuge in neighboring countries. OCHA coordinates the humanitarian response to the Syrian Civil War through the Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan (SHARP). Refugees have been assisted through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Individual neighboring nations have also provided aid; Israel has allowed critically injured Syrians through its borders for medical treatment, and Iran has been ferrying flour to Syria daily to alleviate food shortage.
Given these case studies, delegates should consider whether the humanitarian responses were sufficiently efficient and coordinated.
Questions for Debate Use these questions to guide you as you draft resolutions. They are by no means the only issues that should be covered; however, they should be a good starting point. How does emergency humanitarian assistance differ from other forms of humanitarian aid? In order to more effectively respond to emergencies, delegates should consider how the global community should define an "emergency" situation, and how the global community should deal with the pressing nature of such issues.
How should emergency humanitarian assistance be coordinated? Some argue that OCHA is too bureaucratic, and that their action plans are ineffective. OCHA's current systems may not necessarily be the most efficient way for member nations, NGO's, and other bodies to respond to emergencies. Delegates should consider how OCHA could be reformed, or how coordination under the UN could otherwise be changed. How should disaster preparedness be enhanced? This is mostly relevant for areas prone to natural disasters. Some nations, such as Japan, already have excellent disaster preparedness equipment. How can the UN support nations who are at risk, but do not have the resources available to construct infrastructure? Who can get involved? What if the national government is opposed to international involvement? National sovereignty is often an issue when it comes to entering areas of political turmoil. Delegates must consider the balance between aiding civilians and respecting national sovereignty. How will UN, NGO, and other international personnel be protected? Who should be responsible for ensuring the safety of humanitarian aid workers? How will displaced persons be protected and relocated? Displaced persons are often a result of emergency situations. Their wellbeing, especially if they must move to other nations, should be considered. How can the short-term emergency response transition into a long-term solution? Humanitarian aid workers can alleviate the initial effects of the disaster; however, they cannot remain in the area forever. Ultimately, the national government must provide for the needs of its people. Delegates should consider how governments with weakened infrastructure can be helped towards self-sufficiently tackling the issue.
Further Reading OCHA http://www.unocha.org/ CERF http://www.unocha.org/cerf/
Bibliography http://www.unocha.org/ http://www.unocha.org/cerf/ http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/data-guides/defininghumanitarian-aid http://www.unocha.org/cerf/about-us/humanitarian-financing https://docs.unocha.org/sites/dms/CAP/2013_Philippines_Typhoon_Haiyan_Actio n_Plan.pdf http://www.unocha.org/cap/appeals/philippines-typhoon-haiyan-action-plannovember-2013 http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/UPD%20re%20SitRep %2073%20Effects%20of%20Ty%20YOLANDA%20%2826DEC2013%29.pdf http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/typhoon-haiyan20131113/en/index.html http://israel21c.org/social-action-2/israeli-doctors-save-syrian-lives/