Essay Sample on Humanitarian Pooled Funds: Financing Global Emergencies

Introduction

Humanitarian pooled funds are a significant source of financing humanitarian actions as donors channel finances through them to satisfy humanitarian needs. Pooled funds receive donations, grants, or pledges from UN observers and member states, foundations, regional governments, and corporate donors. Country Based Pooled Funds (CBPF) and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) are the most common humanitarian pooled funds. Through a grant and loan facility, CERF funds global emergencies. CBPF's allocate funds to locally identified philanthropic response priorities.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The pooled funds are readily available, therefore facilitate disbursement and speedy decision-making. They have the benefit of being a solitary fund with a centralized sustenance system. Additionally, pooled funds provide an appropriate method for prioritizing initiatives according to the Humanitarian Response Plan. Pooled funds face the risk of overbearing expectations. Mismanagement of funds and lack of transparency drawbacks pooled humanitarian funds as it diminishes trust in the funding system. Lack of coordination between humanitarian agencies and the trust administration is also a limitation.

The probable solution relies on developing a governance system that monitors all procedures, including making funding decisions, disbursement, and allocation. Reducing cost duplication and generating a harmonized report is an appropriate strategy to counter the misallocation of funds. High-level resource mobilization events are an alternative source of funding. Conferences and special fundraising events that attract government funding. Meetings and special fundraising events that attract government delegates, foundations, and individual donors promote financial acquisition.

Humanitarian Standards and Protection

Different individuals across the world have a right to fair treatment and are subject to assistance in case they face calamities such as tribal wars or even natural disasters. However, before such aid is administered from the various humanitarian organizations registered globally, some guidelines need to be met. Firstly, before assistance is offered, a previous report on how funds to manage a given disaster, for instance, famine, was maintained. The records must be accurate, and a point man for the organization is the one who should prepare these reports. It would serve as an excellent indicator tool and will even guide on the extent of help needed.

Additionally, humanitarian assistance should not be administered in monetary terms only. It should be done in such a way that it averts the future occurrences of the same calamity. To enhance the provision of aid, steps that have been put in place by the affected individuals to prevent the happening of the incident requiring tabling. It will be the basis of the organization's assistance. If there are positive efforts noted, help shall be offered with the end goal being to mitigate the reoccurrence of the calamity in the affected area again.

Coordination of Humanitarian Clusters

The cluster approach to humanitarian crises was initiated in the year 2005. It was established to bridge the gap that existed between the coordination of aid actions and resource management at the national, international, and global levels. There are six core functions of a cluster, as described. The first is to support service delivery; this is to be achieved through the reduction of duplication of duties and to create a platform that ensures strategic priorities drive service delivery. Secondly, it is to inform the decision-making process by identifying and finding solutions for existing issues and creating preferences based on the need. Thirdly, inform the planning and implementation of the cluster strategies through creating objectives and analyzing budget requirements basing on the priority.

The fourth core function is to monitor and evaluate performance by measuring the progress of a given cluster. The fifth function is to create a national capacity to tackle relevant issues and, finally, support healthy functioning; by identifying concerns and addressing them on behalf of the members.

The spectrum of coordination refers to different levels of working together. It ranges from the degree of complete autonomy, where a single entity acts on its terms. Communication describes the process whereby organizations share within them information with no specific requirements. Cooperative coordination is an alternative element that involves the conduction of activities through standard set guidelines between them. Collaborative activities consist of the merging of the organizations' working strategies while maintaining their independence. The final part is the merger, which involves objectifying activities to form a single entity.

References

Clarke, Knox. "Working Together in the Field for effective Humanitarian Response." ANLAP, 2015: 18-23.

Hilhorst, Dorothea. "Classical humanitarianism and resilience." Journal of International, 2018.

IASC. "Cluster Coordination at Country Level." IASC, 2015: 13.

Joel, McClellan. "HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS." UNHCR, 2002: 256.

Manisha Thomas. "The Range of Humanitarian Pooled Funds." NRC, 2017: 9.

Manisha Thomas. "The Range of Humanitarian Pooled Funds." NRC, 2017: 32.

Razum, Oliver. "The UN OCHA Cluster approach: gaps between theory and practice." J Public Health, 2011: 589.