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ACTIVITY REPORT ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-2016CERAH GENEVA’S ACADEMIC PLATFORM

Picture cover page : Master’s students 2015/16, ©CERAH Geneva

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR 4

CERAH MISSION 5Improving the quality of humanitarian response

TIMELINE OF SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS 6

EDUCATION AND TRAINING 8Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action (MAS, 60 ECTS)

Diploma of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action (DAS, 30 ECTS)

Certificate of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action (CAS, 10 ECTS)

Thematic Short Courses

Geneva summer school

Massive open online course (MOOC)

Continuous quality control

CERAH DIVERSITY 14Mobilizing theory and practice

Humanitarian distance learning

Student profiles MAS/DAS academic year 2015/16

MAS dissertations : a pool of knowledge

RESEARCH AND REFLECTION 20Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action

Critical debate

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK 26

GOVERNANCE AND STAFF 28Board of directors

CERAH team

FINANCES AND FUNDING 30Scholarships

University of Geneva and Graduate Institute

Increased support by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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There has unfortunately been no dearth of humanitarian crises during this past year. Some are prominently featured in Western

media, such as the consequences of conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen as well as the migration “crisis” in Europe. Other conflicts and disasters leave the headlines quickly, but people equally need help in Nigeria, Burundi, Mali, South-Sudan and Afghanistan to name just a few. The pressures of an expanding humanitarian burden, including of ever more protracted crises of a massive scale, are strongly challenging the humanitarian sector.

Within this context the first ever World Humanitarian Summit took place in Istanbul in May 2016. After two years of extensive global consultation, 9000 participants representing various stakeholders of the humanitarian endeavour attempted to redefine how the global community can deliver more and better for the world’s most vulnerable people. While there has been much criticism that the Summit had not concretely tackled the inefficiency of the current resources and structures of the humanitarian system in addressing the scale and complexity of present needs, this defining moment clearly underlined the importance of humanitarian action and its complementarity to political action, peacebuilding efforts and development aid.

Some of the recommendations of the Summit are particularly relevant to our work at CERAH. The humanitarian sector is expected to embrace a shift towards strengthening national and local capacities to lead and respond to crises. We also witness a strong emphasis on further systematization and professionalization of humanitarian activities and actors with the stated goal to make the humanitarian sector more coherent and accountable, including to affected populations.

A significant part of CERAH students are humanitarian or development professionals coming from and working in countries affected by humanitarian crises. They are local managers reflecting on their practice and acquiring new competencies to further strengthen national capacities. Taking our educational offer to the field further supports this shift.

Furthermore, our flagship project, the Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action, will engage a broad constituency of local, regional and global humani-tarian actors. It will bring about more reflective, effective and innovative humanitarian decision making, while constituting a milestone in the scholarship of contemporary humanitarian action.

This activity report details our past achievements and our commitments for the coming year. These would not be possible without a dynamic and expanding network of partners that stands for the heterogeneity and richness of the humanitarian sector. I would like to warmly thank them – as well as our staff - for their continued commitment and constructive collaboration. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to our students. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise to CERAH and come with an open and curious mind. They challenge us to think harder and are a perfect representation of the diversity and complexity of the current humanitarian world – complexity that calls for ever more co-operation and co-creation, two ubiquitous concepts in CERAH education and research.

Geneva, July 2016

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

Prof Doris SCHOPPER Director CERAH

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5CERAH MISSION

IMPROVED QUALITY OF HUMANITARIAN

RESPONSE

POST-GRADUATE EDUCATION

CRITICAL DEBATE

RESEARCH

Figure: CERAH mission in a nutshell

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As Geneva’s academic platform for humanitarian action, CERAH’s focus lies on capacity strengthening and the reinforcement of both individual and collective competencies with the ultimate goal of contributing to an improved quality of humanitarian response.

Prof Doris SCHOPPER, Director CERAH

CERAH enhances the capacity of individual and institutional humanitarian actors to devise and bring relevant, adapted and flexible responses to the plight of populations affected by armed conflict, disasters or social exclusion.

Drawing from its interdisciplinarity, CERAH’s learning process aims at developing critical thinking and analysis at multiple levels: professionals of the humanitarian sector are confronted to learn and reflect together, remobilizing their past experiences and improving them together for the future.

As Geneva’s academic platform for humanitarian action, CERAH asserts its international reputation and visibility through the excellence and innovative nature of its training and the relevance of its research programmes.

Independence, diversity, ethical action, effectiveness and quality are the guiding principles of the entire CERAH educational and research offer.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE

The Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action (CERAH) is a joint centre of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID). It is the fruit of a gradual and collective effort over the past 18 years, bringing together a multitude of academic and humanitarian actors in order to offer a wide range of postgraduate qualifications for humanitarian professionals, to develop a research portfolio in humanitarian studies and to strengthen reflection in humanitarian action.

6 TIMELINE OF SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS 2015/16

20162015

The Director General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) addresses students about the challenges they could face in humanitarian action in the coming five years

PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATION

DECENTRALISATIONAAQ ACCREDITATION

accredited

SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. JANUARY FEBRUARY

YVES DACCORD CERAH SPEECH

In parallel to CERAH’s related short course, an ICRC-CERAH joint event addresses the challenging issue of preventing conflict-related sexual violence

CONFERENCE ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE

CERAH welcomes 20 professionals with 150 cumulated years of professional experience to this year’s MAS programme

CONTEMPORARY HUMANITARIANS

The Swiss Agency for Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) recognizes CERAH’s MAS programme and lauds the engagement of professors, practitioners and students in the programme’s development and quality control

Different aspects and key features of CERAH’s distance learning programmes are successfully presented in Nairobi, Brussels and Paris

Field assessments in Geneva and Jinja

(Uganda) as part of CAS courses on Designing

Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action

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2016

Presentations from Board president Prof CARBONNIER and Deputy Director Dr FAVOREU at the conference on humanitarian innovation

Signed by ICRC and CERAH, the MoU acknowledges CERAH’s role as leading centre for humanitarian education and research, while strengthening training opportunities for ICRC staff

PROFESSIONAL HUMANITARIAN CORNER

MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE

Leading a round table discussion, presenting the Encyclopedia project, outlining a HA qualifications framework – CERAH is fully present at Addis Abeba

WORLD CONFERENCE OF HUMANITARIAN STUDIES

BOOK LAUNCH EVENT

Presentation of “Famine in Somalia” by author Daniel MAXWELL, followed by a public discussion

Remarkable CERAH presence during WHS in Istanbul. Prof SCHOPPER opens the side event on Localizing Humanitarian Aid and Prof CARBONNIER addresses the plenary on strengthening capacities

WORLD HUMANITARIAN SUMMIT (WHS)

The General Assembly of the tropEd Network for Education in International Health accepts CERAH as a collaborating member

TROPED MEMBER

DIHAD

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU)

Partner organizations and CERAH students meet and discuss job profiles and opportu-nities. A win-win for all parties

Beautiful sunshine and outstanding speakers, amongst whom His Excellency Ambassa-dor Alexandre FASEL, mark the end of our academic year

END OF YEAR CEREMONY

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EDUCATION AND TRAINING

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9EDUCATION AND TRAINING

CERAH offers a wide range of postgraduate courses focused on strengthening in-depth competencies for managers. It provides participants with a strong understanding of the central conceptual and operational aspects of humanitarian action and the capacity to design and operationalise strategic humanitarian responses. Thematic priorities for CERAH’s courses are chosen in close consultation with CERAH’s academic and humanitarian partners, are based on the expertise available in its network, and aim at providing a broad and, at the same time, specific training on different aspects of humanitarian action. Disciplines include, among others, political science, economics, law, public health, geopolitics, sociology, anthropology, project management, communications, international relations and ethics, and are all linked

through CERAH’s interdisciplinary approach. Offering a variety of courses ranging from Thematic Short Courses to a one-year Master’s programme, CERAH provides flexible and modular opportunities for professionals to deepen their knowledge.

The 2015/16 educational offer encompassed 8 postgraduate degrees and 16 one-week intensive courses on specific topics. In addition, CERAH provided an innovative portfolio of distance learning courses (see chapter “Humanitarian Distance Learning”, page 16). In 2015/16 we welcomed a total of 242 students (20 MAS, 19 CAS, 22 summer school and 181 participants to the one-week intensive courses). This 30% increase compared to last academic year confirms CERAH’s steady rise.

,CERAH’s lecturers represent an outstanding diversity. They build on their academic expertise and professional experiences, linking both theory and practice. Applying inter-organizational and interdisciplinary prisms, they address contemporary humanitarian challenges not only with regard to analysing crises, but also to dealing with strategic, operational and organizational issues.

This hub of expertise is completed by more than 150 external speakers who add their plural and diverse, at times divergent, approaches. They are the salt & pepper in CERAH’s comprehensive learning process. Immersed in humanitarian action they share the latest knowledge and learnings on most topical issues.

Prof Gilles CARBONNIER, CERAH Board President and lecturer

Figure: CERAH’s multidimensional analysis of humanitarian action

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BROAD SPECTRUMDuring the core course (DAS), students understand and analyse humanitarian action through different prisms, building interdisciplinary perspectives

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MASTER OF ADVANCED STUDIES IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION (MAS, 60 ECTS)

The MAS is specifically designed for middle managers with experience in the humanitarian or development sector, who wish to critically reflect on their experience in an academic setting and deepen their knowledge, skills and analytical competencies in particular areas of humanitarian action. CERAH’s learning process aims at developing critical thinking by confronting individuals and organizations to learn and reflect together on past and present humanitarian responses. This pedagogical model has proven successful both in its theoretical and practical aspects of capturing the complexity of humanitarian action and helping understand present and future challenges.

Interdisciplinarity and a multi-sectoral approach make the MAS experience extraordinarily broad. Students will observe, analyse and understand humanitarian action through different prisms, ranging from the geopolitical to the legal and medical.

The modularity of the MAS programme provides flexibility. Participants can define their training path over several years in line with their professional and private needs. This individualisation of the learning process has been adopted by 37% of this year’s students.

DIPLOMA OF ADVANCED STUDIES IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION (DAS, 30 ECTS)

The DAS provides participants with an overview of conceptual and operational aspects of humanitarian action. The DAS is a stand-alone diploma, but its 19-week programme also constitutes the core course of the MAS. Through the study of past and present humanitarian crises, participants acquire the tools needed to understand and analyse the circumstances and corresponding response regarding such crises, as well as engage in critical reflection. The modules cover the context of humanitarian action (historical, geopolitical, legal), humanitarian responses to specific issues (sociology of actors, political economy, health) and transversal issues such as anthropology, communication and vulnerabilities.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

,Throughout the Master’s, I have harnessed the knowledge I have acquired over the past 12 years of professional experience.

I particularly enjoyed the multidisciplinary and holistic approach that the Master’s offered. It allowed me to explore diverse disciplines and focus on how to solve the challenges faced during ever-increasing complex humanitarian operations.

CHAVEZ Oscar, MAS student 2015/16

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,Thanks to the flexible learning modules and a wonderful support of the CERAH team, I was able to decide on the module order, my specialisation topics and […] study at my pace. This system allowed me to combine my studies with my professional and private life.

Kasia MIZERSKA, CAS student, adding flexible modules at her pace to finally accomplish the MAS

CERTIFICATE OF ADVANCED STUDIES IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION (CAS, 10 ECTS)

Offering a wide range of specialised CAS courses, CERAH provides the opportunity for professionals to deepen their knowledge and skills in particular thematic areas of humanitarian action. The CAS courses are designed for programme and team managers to improve their competencies and leadership in defining and implementing specific strategies, while focusing on problem-solving in professional realities. The academic year 2015/16 proposed the following thematics:

• Designing Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action (proposed as residential course or blended learning HDL course)

• Communication, Advocacy and Negotiation in Humanitarian Settings

• Health of Populations Affected by Humanitarian Emergencies

• People Management in Humanitarian Settings

• Legal Environment of Humanitarian Action

Sexual violence affects millions of people of all genders in emergency settings. With conflict on the rise globally, survivors urgently need effective, sus-tained and quality programmes that provide a full range of services, including medical care, psychologi-cal care, and access to justice. Since January 2015, CERAH’s Thematic Short Course on sexual violence has trained over 100 humanitarian professionals in a multi-sectoral, survivor-centred response.

Recognising a critical need to train and sensitise managers on sexual violence issues, ICRC had asked CERAH to develop a short course. In response, CERAH took a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral approach, forming a steering committee of experts from ICRC, MSF, UNFPA, UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and Handicap International (HI). Experts from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as leading NGOs such as Physicians for Human Rights and Geneva Call, also contribute.

The course has now been offered five times, in English and French, to over 100 participants, with extremely favourable feedback on anonymous surveys. Most participants are mid-level or senior managers based in countries with high prevalence of sexual violence, including Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. A number of participants have gone on to initiate new organizational strategies and to launch new programmes to respond to sexual violence. Others have become advocates within their institutions for a more robust response to the issue.

Demand has been strong for regional courses. In November, the programme will be offered in Kampala, Uganda for the first time. The over 100 participants form a network of practitioners from diverse disciplines, organizations, and regions. In the next phase, CERAH will begin to draw on and mobilise this community.

Dr Meg DAVIS CERAH lecturer and visiting scholar with Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice, New York University School of Law

THEMATIC SHORT COURSE ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN CONFLICTS AND EMERGENCIES

The burning issue of conflict-related sexual violence attracts participants from all over the world

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THEMATIC SHORT COURSES

Specific topics, but also selected weeks of the CAS and DAS programmes were proposed as one-week intensive courses. Their number and relevance deserve a closer look:

Topics that matterA total of 16 proposed courses offered a vast diversity, covering the most relevant topics in humanitarian action: health matters (nutrition, chronic diseases, sexual violence), legal topics (transitional justice, forced migration), people management issues (management, coaching and leadership), advocacy and negotiation. Each course focused on a very specific thematic attracting new audiences, increased CERAH’s visibility and, eventually, encouraged participants to enroll in other courses. A total of 181 external participants seized this offer during the academic year 2015/16.

DecentralizationCERAH’s audience is global, and often located in remote or poorly developed regions. We are aware that financial, logistic, legal (visa) and agenda-related constraints may hinder interested professionals from participating in a one-week programme in Geneva. This is why some our courses come to them!

In particular the short course on sexual violence in conflict settings will be held for the first time in Uganda in 2016/17 in order to reach local and regional humanitarian professionals.

GENEVA SUMMER SCHOOL

2015/16 saw the third edition of the Geneva Summer School “Understanding Humanitarian Action”. A total of 40 applications resulted in 22 participants to the 3 week programme that gives a comprehensive introduction to humanitarian action. The summer school is different from ordinary CERAH teaching in that it aims at a younger and less experienced target group. As expected, a majority of participants were students (77%). 41% of these came from our hosting academic institutions Geneva University and Graduate Institute, 23% from Asian universities, 18% from British universities, 12% from French universities and 6% from Latin American universities. One shall not forget that some participants seize the summer school as a stepping stone for their future career. Several participants have expressed their desire to take other CERAH courses in the future and one participant immediately enrolled for our DAS 2016/17.

Visit of the UN as part of the summer school

,The content of the course exceeded my expectations. It had a broad scope, with a very logical structure

Testimonials by students of Geneva Summer School “Understanding Humanitarian Action” 2016 on CERAH’s anonymous feedback platform

,Fantastic methodology

,It was for me a privilege to receive training from teachers with this level of field experience

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Testimonials by students of Geneva Summer School “Understanding Humanitarian Action” 2016 on CERAH’s anonymous feedback platform

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSE (MOOC)

CERAH’s MOOC “Humanitarian Communication: Addressing Key Challenges” brings CERAH online education directly into students’ homes – thus providing free quality education to a most diverse audience. Although communication is a daily practice, professional communication calls upon specific competencies, particularly for people working in humanitarian contexts. Targeting people taking part in humanitarian responses (professionals, volunteers, affected populations), the course requires 3-4 hours of work per week and provides ultimate flexibility to participants who learn at their own pace. With the support of Geneva University, CERAH’s MOOC programme shall be extended in the years to come, enlarging CERAH’s visibility.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY CONTROL

CERAH’s mission of contributing to improving humanitarian action naturally implies that CERAH acts as a model and abides by its own quality standards. An integrated and participative evaluation system allows for continuous improvement of CERAH’s courses and pedagogical approach as well as up-to-date content. The Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ) lauded the active engagement of all professors, practitioners and students in the course programme’s development and quality control. In addition, CERAH’s recent admission as a collaborating member of the tropEd network for Education in International Health reaffirms CERAH’s relevance to international health, and the value of specific courses to the network.

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Students at CERAH build their theoretical knowledge and practical skills simultaneously. They acquire situational intelligence through practical experience and exercises, which are further illustrated by theory: contextualisation, adaptability, creativity, autonomy and accountability in decision-making are typical competencies developed. Building on the encouraged interactivity in class, soft skills are permanently improved and consolidated in a transversal manner.

The pedagogical methods are diverse and cross-sectoral, and include lectures, case studies, role plays, conferences, personal readings, debates and site visits. All these tools focus on how – in fine – humanitarian action can be improved.

Dead body management – hands- and “gloves-on” training as part of the CAS Health of Populations Affected by Humanitarian Emergencies

,Our main mandate at Handicap International (HI) Foundation is to provide close support to the programmes and all HI activities on ethical and political issues, to provide in-house trainings, departure briefings, contextual analyses and support field missions.

Working simultaneously as a lecturer at CERAH is a very practical way to feed analysis and theory with operational challenges. In return, it helps me to keep a distance from my operational work, better structure my analysis, and learn with and from others. This is by the way another ambition of our Foundation: sharing views and analyses with peers and academics.

CERAH’s large student spectrum, as well as its training partnerships with academics and organizations create a conducive environment for professional exchanges between practitioners from different sectors all over the world - a fantastic well of knowledge and experience!

HERLEMONT ZORITCHACK Nathalie, Director of Operational Development, Foundation Handicap International

MOBILISING THEORY AND PRACTICE

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,While online courses are suitable […] to have access to excellent professionals otherwise not available in [one’s] home country, adding a face-to-face session builds on your networks, facilitates direct interaction with tutors and allows us to apply theory into the reality of that particular place, centering people at the heart of our actions […].

Lorena BRAZ, student CAS HDL Designing Strategies and Projects

Transforming knowledge into situational intelligence The concept relies on an articulation between both individual and collective learning processes, and knowledge transfer into specific working situations, allowing people to address the issues and problems resulting from their daily work. Reflecting on their practice, sharing and confronting specific issues with colleagues, students develop processes and problem-solving tools. Then the course strengthens their abilities to mobilise knowledge, tools and critical analysis in order to act responsibly, with autonomy and leadership, demonstrating situational intelligence.

Field assessments represent one of the practical parts of CERAH’s learning process

IntermodalityThe HDL programme offers space for intermodality at different levels:

• Articulation of pedagogical approaches (transmissive, reflexive, collaborative, constructive and prospective)

• Diversity of pedagogical techniques (self-learning, collective learning, classical lectures, case studies, development of a plan of action, individual and group work)

• Plurality of pedagogical technical support (videos, e-learning capsules, serious games, written documents, oral presentations during residential session, etc.)

• Diversity and complementarity of pedagogical human support (CERAH staff as training designers, teaching facilitators, thematic experts, tutors and coaches).

HUMANITARIAN DISTANCE LEARNING: BRIDGING ACADEMIA WITH WORKING REALITIES

The Humanitarian Distance Learning (HDL) programme “CAS Designing Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action” develops creative mechanisms to strengthen capacities and capabilities of those involved in the humanitarian response (national and international actors).

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Field assessments represent one of the practical parts of CERAH’s learning process

“Refugee Learning Nest” – project launched by Same Skies during the CAS HDL

HUMANITARIAN DISTANCE LEARNING: BRIDGING ACADEMIA WITH WORKING REALITIES

Learn as you work. Work as you learnStudents obtain their diploma while strengthening their knowledge, skills and analytical capacities “live” in their own working situations.

In this context the distance learning program supports an individualisation of the training, with professionals being strengthened in their ability to diversify their learning process and reflect on it. This allows them, as learners, to develop a better metacognition, and, as managers, to reflect on learning opportunities and modalities for their respective teams.

The two first editions of this HDL programme allowed numerous professionals to reflect on and review their strategic processes and project designs, as well as to create new policies, frameworks, projects or tools. For some students the CAS was the unique opportunity to create their own organizations, as did Julia FREI with www.sameskies.org.

,I now feel more confident and comfortable in my position because I better understand the different project designing paths in my organization. […]. Something happened during this CAS.

Kouamé Noël ADJOUMANI, student CAS HDL Designing Strategies and Projects

,I have learned much more in the short period of the CAS […] than to hold my BA. As program manager now, I can analyse critically, challenge theories and begin to improve humanitarian action […].

Solomon TAZEB, student CAS HDL Designing Strategies and Projects

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The residential session in Uganda combines theory and practice

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The single most important asset in an academic environment is the student body. Taking into account the postgraduate nature of CERAH teaching, this year’s students came with about 150 years of cumulated working experience in the humanitarian or development field and took solid advantage from the different professional backgrounds of fellow students. They brought experience from very diverse organizations and fields of activity, including finance, HR, operations, community services, research, medicine, development, emergency, project management, legal, urban planning and human rights.

Multiple geographic backgrounds confront students with an outstanding cultural and linguistic diversity and further mobilise soft skills. “Our courses gather contemporary humanitarians as they are and work today..”. describes Edith FAVOREU.

The students’ professional and geographical diversity (see figure below) is extensively used as a resource in the learning process; with respect,

Switzerland meets Sudan – a sample of diversity at CERAH

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intercultural communication and collective thinking being central pillars to CERAH teaching. This rich diversity is made possible thanks to a significant number of scholarships granted at CERAH.

STUDENT PROFILES MAS/DAS ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/16

OUTSTANDING DIVERSITY Number of MAS students 2015/16:18 (+ 2 MAS over several years)Nationalities: 15Female: 12; Male: 8

AFRICA20%

SOUTH AMERICA

25%

ASIA10%

EUROPE20%

MIDDLE EAST25%

19CERAH DIVERSITY

MAS DISSERTATIONS: A POOL OF KNOWLEDGECERAH MAS students are professionals who come from practice and will go back to practice. But during their time at CERAH they are exposed to different thematics and integrate a holistic learning process to better reflect and inform practice, seizing the complexity of their respective working environments. MAS dissertations perfectly illustrate the width of students’ backgrounds and approaches. Looking at the complexity of Humanitarian Action through different prisms, CERAH students inform academic research with a valuable pool of knowledge.

CONTEXT AND PRACTICE OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION

Communication between INGOs and the media in respect to the kidnapping of aid workers

La prise en compte par les acteurs humanitaires de la mémoire des populations affectées par des conflits violents

Combiner l’approche de la résilience et cadre de référence Do No Harm

Humanitarian action by International Development Contractors (IDCs) and its impact on principled humanitarianism – a case of Pakistan

Empowerment of women during conflict and post-conflict phases and the role of humanitarian aid organizations in supporting women’s newfound empowerment gained during conflict

Technology in humanitarian disasters: challenges and opportunities of using mobile phones for data collection and services delivery

The role of cash for work activities on social cohesion in refugee camps

Making sense of the complexity and challenges of

HEALTH IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION

Health assessment in Humanitarian Action

La prise en compte du handicap dans la réponse humanitaire aux urgences : stratégies organisationnelles de deux ONG généralistes

The contribution of anthropology during the operational response to an Ebola outbreak: an analysis of the West African ebola epidemic

LEGAL ASPECTS OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION

Domestic migrant workers’ rights and vulnerabilities – a Swiss case study

Respect and promotion of the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities during armed conflicts

How do anti-terrorism laws and measures affect the protection of refugees and asylum seekers against Refoulement – the case of refugees in Kenya

Dissertations of MAS students 2015/16. CERAH allows students to submit their dissertation in either French or English

coordination in humanitarian response

Business engagement in humanitarian action: the role of the banking sector in financial inclusion of refugees in protracted situations. A case study of Equity Bank, Kenya

Humanitarian shelter response in urban setting during armed conflict

Participation of people affected by conflict in humanitarian action: between theory and practice. Case study “Al-Busira” project, Syria

Action humanitaire et déterminants de la résilience des ménages dans une situation de post conflit: cas de la région de Tombouctou (Nord du Mali) après la crise de 2012

Participation of affected women in post disaster responses - reality or myth

Humanitarian protection in violent urban settings: challenges and dynamics

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RESEARCH AND REFLECTION

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,By interrogating how humanitarian concepts are used, we will support the reflective involvement of an expanding range of stakeholders […] including the growing ranks of Southern actors and the digital generation of humanitarians.

Prof Doris SCHOPPER, CERAH Director

RESEARCH AND REFLECTION

The humanitarian sector is facing multiple pressures and transformative challenges. It is also increasingly seeking to integrate a wider array of stakeholders. Yet, to undertake these transformations, the sector still lacks a common reference framework, an intelligible and articulated scientific body of conceptual analyses.

There is no common understanding of central terms such as “humanitarianism”, “humanitarian action”, “humanitarian context and crisis”. The frontiers between humanitarian action and development are blurred, further compounding the challenge. There are emerging concepts such as “resilience” that are frequently used but not properly analysed nor consensually understood.

CERAH’s collaborative reflection and research projectWith the Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action CERAH has embarked on a collaborative project combining

theory, practice, networking and co-creation, to support the growing ranks of humanitarian stakeholders in their reflection, analysis, strategic orientation and implementation of humanitarian responses.

The ultimate goal is a more informed humanitarian community delivering quality programming thanks to shared and contextualized analyses as well as improved dialogue among stakeholders.

PurposeThe project will deliver a conceptual framework for humanitarian action and establish a dynamic platform for national and international aid practitioners, community leaders, policy makers, academics and others, to engage in knowledge sharing, localisation and co-creation. By assessing different meanings and perceptions, institutional uses and applications of key concepts; by engaging humanitarian stakeholders in reflecting on these;

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HUMANITARIAN ACTION

Figure: Four strategic workstreams to deliver the specific outcomes of the Encyclopedia project

CONCEPTUALISE

with a cross-cultural,

interdisciplinary and

multi-sectorial

non-prescriptive

approach

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through a dynamic,

online, free access

hub platform for

new knowledge and tools

CONTEXTUALISE

concepts in different

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CO-CREATE relevant materials for learning, planning, policy dialogue and operational choices

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,The Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action will create a forum for a ‘’two eyed’’ knowledge creation on several levels: knowledge from practitioners will interact with knowledge from academia, knowledge from the global south will interact with knowledge from [the] global north and evidence will interact with policy. This platform for dialogue will allow practitioners in Africa to access a wide range of contextualised information from different sources in order to improve humanitarian services on the continent.

Dr James KISIA, Executive Director of the International Centre for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Secretary-General of Kenya Red Cross

,With greater localisation of humanitarian action, ADRRN sees immense value in the Encyclopedia project. We see it as a bridge-building as well as a learning tool for dialogue and joint action with the increasing number and variety of actors.

Manu GUPTA, Chairperson, Asian Disaster Reduction & Response Network (ADRRN)

by developing an innovative knowledge-sharing platform; and by engaging and supporting a wide range of stakeholders and leveraging partnerships, the project will make a major contribution to

• enhanced clarity in humanitarian dialogues • improved quality of humanitarian strategies,

policies and operational responses • innovation supported by a stronger

knowledge-policy interface

The specific objective is to ensure that by 2020, this “living” Encyclopedia engages a broad constituency of local, regional and global humanitarian actors, and brings about more reflective, effective and innovative humanitarian decision making, while constituting a milestone in the scholarship of contemporary humanitarian action.

Building the projectThe academic year 2015/16 corresponds very much to the preparatory phase. CERAH is close to having completed this incubation stage, with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. It has validated the need and the concept in consultations with a variety of humanitarian stakeholders; designed the structure of the project governance; established the initial project plan; started to explore funding perspectives and initiated the scientific methodological design.

At the World Humanitarian Summit, in May 2016, CERAH announced the project and started to identify governance members, as well as potential strategic partners among academia worldwide, humanitarian agencies and coalitions at international, regional and local levels, as well as policy and other humanitarian support groups interested to engage in research or support the project otherwise.

Partnerships are the DNA of the projectPartnerships will be the DNA of the project, designed to be delivered with academia and think tanks, humanitarian organizations, humanitarian support groups, policy makers and technology support partners, and to engage community leaders as well. Complementarity with existing institutions and projects has been carefully built into the project to leverage assets across the sector and build value for others.

In this context, CERAH invites partners and stakeholders to get involved, contribute expertise, co-create and engage their teams in the journey.

23RESEARCH AND REFLECTION

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE 21st CENTURYThe Encyclopedia will explore the different ways key humanitarian concepts are understood across space, time, cultures and disciplines. Confronting academic findings and operational realities to deliver an enhanced conceptual framework, it will bring greater clarity in humanitarian policy dialogues and support better humanitarian operations.

AN INTERACTIVE OPEN-ACCESS ONLINE PLATFORMThe Encyclopedia project will become a living co-creation tool for all those concerned by humanitarian action, to reflect on humanitarian concepts and practices, share perspectives and access resources.

A MUCH NEEDED BRIDGEEmpowering a more informed, effective and cohesive humanitarian movement is our aim. By interrogating how humanitarian concepts are used, we will support the reflective involvement of an expanding range of stakeholders; including the growing ranks of southern actors and the digital generation of humanitarians.

PARTNERSHIPS, THE DNA OF THE PROJECT

bring greater clarity

improve quality

inspire innovationHUMANITARIAN?

HOW DO YOUin humanitarian dialogues

of strategic and operational responses

with a stronger knowledge-policyinterface

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HUMANITARIAN ACTIONis a new collaborative project designed to offer:

Inform the project design > take our online survey on www.cerahgeneve.ch/survey

Contribute expertise, co-create,or engage your teams in the journey> contact Prof Schopper at encyclopedia@unige.ch> visit www.cerahgeneve.ch/research

Picture credits: UN, MSF

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The development of critical thinking and analysis is a significant part of CERAH’s educational process. This mission goes far beyond the classroom, resulting in the regular (co)organization of public events and conferences which successfully draw from CERAH’s location and network in International Geneva. CERAH’s webnews and social media posts inform and engage participants before and after the events, of which a selection shall be mentioned below:

CERAH staff in their roles as speakers, moderators and panelists influence the debate on humanitarian action

“Responding to protracted crisis” was a particularly topical subject to be debated on in November. Participants heard how the ICRC and the IFRC propose to address the blurred lines between humanitarian and development aid. The event was moderated by CERAH Director Prof SCHOPPER, with Elhadj AS SY, Secretary General IFRC, and Yves DACCORD, Director General ICRC as panelists.

CRITICAL DEBATE

Also in cooperation with ICRC a conference on “Sexual violence in armed conflict: underlying causes and possible prevention strategies” was organized, featuring high-level speakers from academia, legal organizations and programme management.

The fourth World Conference of Humanitarian Studies was the place to be early March 2016: CERAH Director Prof SCHOPPER led a round table discussion on the role of academia in the humanitarian sector. In this same context, Dr MEUR presented CERAH’s flagship research project, the Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action. Dr FAVOREU gave presentations on how the HA Qualifications Framework and Common Humanitarian Standards complement one another. She also presented the work of former student Arjun CLAIRE on “Humanitarian Protection: Caught between Definitions and Practical Challenges”.

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25RESEARCH AND REFLECTION

Last but not least Prof CARBONNIER presented a paper on “The Political Economy of Disaster Risk Insurance and Risk-Linked Securities”.

Still in March, the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) Conference was an exceptional opportunity for Dr FAVOREU to share CERAH’s perspective on the 2016 theme “The Importance of Innovation in Humanitarian Aid and Development” by contributing to the session on innovation and organizational change.

In April, author Daniel MAXWELL was offered the possibility to present his book “Famine in Somalia”, followed by a public debate. “For those of us working to provide humanitarian and development assistance this book is a very important read” says Hannan Sulieman, Deputy Regional Director at UNICEF Middle East & North Africa.

In addition to these selected highlights, CERAH teaching staff, managers and board members extensively participate in worldwide meetings and conferences on topical issues. Their roles as speakers, moderators or panelists influence the debate on humanitarian action and efficiently support CERAH’s visibility.

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INTERNATIONAL NETWORK: THE WHOLE OF US IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF OUR PARTS

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Every year CERAH organizes a job and networking event for and with CERAH students and partner organizations. Its triple win constellation makes the Humanitarian Professional Corner quite unique: students and alumni find support in their career plan, meet HR representatives from various humanitarian organizations and get valuable insights about job opportunities and recruitment requirements. Partner organizations get a privileged access to CERAH students and regularly seize the opportunity to not only present themselves but recruit qualified staff for the future. And hosting the yearly event is for CERAH a pleasant moment of networking and listening to market needs and tendencies.

CERAH is firmly linked with a solid and fruitful international network, and leverages its physical proximity to many humanitarian institutions based in Geneva. These relationships support CERAH in the fulfillment of its mission to contribute meaningfully to humanitarian action. Our partners and friends are involved at different levels – strategic, conceptual, pedagogic, research-related, financal – making our network a multilayered and multistructural asset.

Our partner organizations ICRC and MSF are involved in teaching, in scientific committees and in strategic reflections. In April 2016 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalised existing ties between ICRC and CERAH. Under this agreement, CERAH and ICRC will work together on the academic programme, with ICRC staff participating in CERAH’s teaching, sharing their expertise and experience. The MoU furthermore considers joint research projects as well as closer collaboration between respective learning divisions. CERAH’s relations with MSF have been further consolidated, and joint, as well as dedicated trainings will be developed.

CERAH also enjoys the constructive cooperation with long established partners in its course programmes.For example the CAS HDL on Designing Strategies and projects for Humanitarian Action is delivered in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières, Groupe urgence réhabilitation développement, Handicap International, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Sphere Project, Transparency International, Conflict Dynamics International, Centre for Humanitarian Psychology, United Nations Development Programme, UN Refugee Agency, ICRC, IFRC and Red Crescent Societies and Assessment Capacities Project.

The Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action enhances the partnership dynamics and expands our network of academic and humanitarian partners in the South.

In addition, more than 150 external speakers, both from professional and academic backgrounds are thoroughly involved in CERAH teaching and contribute to the quality and diversity of CERAH’s learning process. With students being its most important assets and ambassadors, CERAH’s alumni network is a vibrant group of professionals, who have spread back around the world, exchanging ideas, job offers and advice in an informal way.

FOCUS ON THE HUMANITARIAN CORNER

MAS student with MSF

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PRESIDENT

Prof Gilles CARBONNIER International Economy Graduate Institute of International Development Studies (IHEID)

DIRECTOR

Prof Doris SCHOPPER Faculty of Medicine University of Geneva

MEMBERS

Prof Abdeljalil AKKARI (until January 2016) Faculty of Educational Sciences University of Geneva

Prof Riccardo BOCCO Anthropology and Sociology of Development Graduate Institute of International Development Studies (IHEID)

Prof Costanza BONADONNA Faculty of Sciences University of Geneva

Prof Etienne BOURGEOIS (since January 2016) Faculty of Educational Sciences University of Geneva

Prof François CHAPPUIS Faculty of Medicine University of Geneva Geneva Cantonal and University Hospital (HCUG)

Prof François DERMANGE Faculty of Theology University of Geneva

Mr Franck ELOI (until June 2016) Human Resources Director Médecins Sans Frontières (Suisse)

Ms Bérengère GAUTIER Associate Encore + Sàrl

Mr Edouard JAY (until June 2016)

Deputy Head of Swiss Humanitarian Aid Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation

Ms Pascale MEIGE (until June 2016) Deputy Director of Operations International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Prof Barbara MOSER-MERCER Faculty of Translation and Interpreting University of Geneva

Prof Marco SASSOLI Faculty of Law University of Geneva

Ms Aude THOREL (since June 2016) Human Resources Director Médecins Sans Frontières (Suisse)

Ms Mary WERNTZ (since June 2016) Deputy Director of Operations International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Mr Arno WICKI (since June 2016) Deputy Head of Swiss Humanitarian Aid Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation

GOVERNANCE AND STAFF

The highest governing body of CERAH is the Directorate, and includes the Rector of the University and the Director of the Graduate Institute (IHEID). The second, strategic governing body of CERAH is the Board of Directors. It is composed of representatives from the University of Geneva, the Graduate Institute and several humanitarian organizations and eminent individuals.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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MANAGEMENT

Prof Doris SCHOPPER Director

Dr Edith FAVOREU Deputy Director, Head of training

TEACHING AND RESEARCH STAFF

Claire BARTHÉLÉMY

Dr Souhaïl BELHADJ

Jean-Marc BIQUET

Maya BREHM

Prof Gilles CARBONNIER

Dr Meg DAVIS

Sandrine DELATTRE

Dr Wilma DOEDENS

Dr Edith FAVOREU

Verónica FOUBERT

Dr Christophe GOLAY

Dr Anne GOLAZ

Dr Valérie GORIN

Dr Nathalie HERLÉMONT

Constance MARTIN

Dr Elisabeth MEUR

Dr Cécilia MORNATA

André PICOT

Dr Damien SCALIA

Prof Doris SCHOPPER

Dr Hugo SLIM

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL POSITIONS

Finance and human resources: Joëlle GENTILE

Training administration: Manuela LA GRECA

Distance learning training administration: Fatima MORGAN

Distance learning specialist: Romain SAUVAIN

Communications: Désirée WALTER Arjun CLAIRE and Martin FIELD (until January and July 2016 respectively)

CERAH’s lecturers and researchers come from a range of disciplinary fields. While they all have a strong background in humanitarian action and/or academic research, their teaching is completed by a diverse group of more than 150 academics and humanitarian professionals.

CERAH TEAM

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The overall expenses in 2015/16 sum up to CHF 2.18 million as compared to CHF 2 million for the academic year 2014/15. Funds were contributed by the two hosting academic institutions, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, tuition fees, NGOs, governmental organizations and private foundations (see figure below).

SCHOLARSHIPS The support of the Service de la Solidarité internationale (SSI) of the Canton of Geneva allowed 12 participants coming from developing countries to attend the MAS/DAS in Humanitarian Action 2015/16.The SSI provided an additional CHF 22,600 for the CAS HDL allowing five students from fragile countries to enter the distance learning programme.With a total sum of CHF 200,000 the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation granted 10 scholarships for the MAS 2015/16.The Oak Foundation provided a total of CHF 36,000 for scholarships in the short courses on sexual violence.

Core funding offered by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has increased over the last years to CHF 300,000. In addition, the position of a research coordinator for the project “Encyclopedia of Humanitarian Action” is entirely funded by SDC for a period of two years. This important research project could not have started without this precious support. The SDC also offers a yearly award of CHF 2,000 for the best dissertation.

UNIVERSITY OF GENEVA AND GRADUATE INSTITUTE

In addition to their invaluable direct financial contribution, the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) provide lecturers, office space, classrooms and administrative support to CERAH.

CERAH funding

22 %Swiss Development

Cooperation(Swiss Governement)

21 %University of Geneva

19 %Tuition fees

17 %Graduate Institute

(IHEID)

10 %Hans Wilsdorf

Foundation9 %

Service of the International

Solidarity

2 %Oak Foundation

FINANCES AND FUNDING

INCREASED SUPPORT BY THE SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION

31ACKNOWLEDGEMENTCERAH would like to seize this opportunity to warmly thank its donors, partners and staff for their generosity and support. We are very grateful for your trust and particularly proud of what we have achieved together.

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CERAH20 rue Rothschild - P.O Box 1361211 Geneva 21Phone +41 (0)22 908 44 53 cerahgeneve@unige.chwww.cerahgeneve.ch

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