Government and Civil Society in Affected States

Abstract

AbstractChapter 19 examines the relationships between international humanitarian agencies, on the one hand, and government and civil society in the states affected by humanitarian emergencies on the other. States have the primary responsibility to protect their populations from violence and to assist the victims of emergencies occurring on their territory. Where states are unable, or unwilling, to protect and assist the population, international humanitarian agencies have a role to play. In general, international humanitarian agencies need the consent of the state to operate on its territory, but the state should not arbitrarily withhold consent. Where international humanitarian agencies are operational, the state often still has a role to play in providing and regulating assistance, and international agencies need to engage with the state on a range of different issues. However, the nature of their relationship with the state can differ, and this chapter outlines three main ways of working in relation to the state: substituting for the state, supporting the state, or holding the state to account. Civil society actors also play an important role in humanitarian response, but local and national non-governmental organizations receive only a small percentage of international funding. This chapter explores their role and the humanitarian localization agenda, which seeks to transfer power and resources from international actors to local and national actors. It discusses progress in implementation of the agenda and outlines the main critiques of efforts to localize humanitarian response.