Expert meeting: Humanitarian standards and principles: Partnerships with diaspora communities in times of humanitarian crises

Humanitarian crises are becoming more frequent and more severe, resulting in more loss of lives, destruction of homes, and displaced people. Urban growth, climate change and environmental degradation, and poor health care systems have led to more frequent disasters and have increased people’s vulnerability.

In the humanitarian arena, Diaspora communities and organisations are becoming increasingly influential actors on the international humanitarian stage, often providing assistance in various forms and ways that differ from those of the traditional international humanitarian donor community. Diaspora communities provide direct cash transfers, send skilled volunteers that have local knowledge, and compile first-hand crisis information from affected populations. New technologies such as mobile telephony, e-banking and social media networks, have facilitated the establishment of virtual connections between the Diaspora and the populations affected by disasters in their home countries.

Read the programme and some background information (PDF). 

This expert meeting is organised by the Centre for Collective Learning and Action in cooperation with Cordaid, the African Studies Centre and the Migrant Consortium against Ebola within the context of the Leiden Campaign against Ebola and the preparation of the African Humanitarian ToP that will take place at the The Hague African Festival on 5 and 6 July 2015.

It adresses migrant organisations and privately initiated NGOs (working field of humanitarian assistance) and public, academic and private sectors.