{"id":3335,"date":"2015-12-30T20:01:07","date_gmt":"2015-12-30T20:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/innovation.unhcr.org\/?p=3335"},"modified":"2017-06-29T09:53:56","modified_gmt":"2017-06-29T09:53:56","slug":"how-the-sdgs-change-the-role-of-humanitarian-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unhcr.org\/innovation\/how-the-sdgs-change-the-role-of-humanitarian-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"How the SDGs change the role of humanitarian innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fanfare surrounding the release of the Sustainable Development Goals it may be easy to miss a shift in thinking that can have a dramatic impact on the role of Humanitarian innovators. \u00a0Our job as advocates and practitioners of innovation is about to get much harder \u2026 and more important.<\/p>\n

In closing remarks at the recently concluded OCHA Global Humanitarian Policy Forum in New York, Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, Chief of the Policy Development and Studies Branch of OCHA, challenged the current humanitarian model, where extended displacements can run for 10 years using the same mode of operation.<\/p>\n

He sees the Sustainable Development Goals as an opportunity to change this thinking. Simply meeting ongoing needs for the delivery of aid should no longer be enough. Humanitarians need to accept responsibility for scaling up local actors instead of just funding the sector\u2019s own operations.<\/p>\n

The themes are repeated in OCHA\u2019s newly released report, Leaving No One Behind, Humanitarian Effectiveness in the Age of Sustainable Development Goals<\/a>. <\/em>The report reinforces the message that investments in aid often create humanitarian holding patterns, ultimately denying opportunities for self-reliance and real resilience. \u00a0There is call for change.\u00a0 Reducing vulnerability and improving resilience needs to be seen as an essential component of humanitarian action.<\/p>\n

Innovation Becomes Aid \u2013 Internal to External Focus<\/h2>\n

So, how does this change the role of humanitarian innovators?<\/p>\n

At its heart, innovation is about changing the way that systems work. \u00a0When calls are made to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by progressively reducing the vulnerability of affected populations, what is really being said is that innovations are needed in the complex systems that surround a local context.<\/p>\n

\"Infographic<\/p>\n

While traditional aid may dominate the early days of a crisis response, over time a shift must be made to evolve the underlying systems that create risk and fragility in the first place.\u00a0 In effect, innovation focused on serving local communities progressively replaces traditional aid as the most important component of humanitarian action.<\/p>\n

It might well be argued that the development\/humanitarian sector has long been working to address issues present in underlying community systems.\u00a0 Is this simply rebranding business as usual with an innovation label?\u00a0 The facts on the ground seem to argue against this view.\u00a0 Decade long humanitarian holding patterns are indicative of an ongoing failure to reduce long-term vulnerability. \u00a0\u00a0Innovators need to step up and contribute more.<\/p>\n

Shifting from Internal to External Challenges<\/h2>\n

This should be an exciting opportunity for innovators to expand their impact in the field, but it is not one for which most are well prepared.<\/p>\n

\"DanM\"<\/p>\n

A Model for Leaving No One Behind<\/h2>\n

Where can an innovator find a roadmap for doing this externally focused complex innovation?<\/p>\n

There is good news on this front. \u00a0The OCHA Leaving No One Behind<\/em> report lays out a high level framework for tackling complex system innovation. \u00a0\u00a0Echoing Mr. Strohmeyer\u2019s comments, the report explores what it means to move away from \u201cspending on activities and outputs at the expense of long-term sustainable impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

What makes the report particularly valuable for innovators is that Lesley Bourns and Jessica Alexander, working with a broad team in the OCHA Policy Analysis and Innovation Section, have defined five actionable strategies for making this shift. \u00a0\u00a0(The recommendations appear in the \u201cHow Do We Get There\u201d section of the report, beginning on page 72. They have been paraphrased and renumbered here to facilitate discussion.)<\/em><\/p>\n