Managing External Relations - Disaster Management Center ...

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Managing External Relations
UNHCR staff must seek to understand the role of the military and work with military staff in
a co-ordinated manner. UNHCR has produced two training modules that provide important insights
for UNHCR and military staff working together. These are: ‘A UNHCR Handbook for the Military on
Humanitarian Operations’ and ‘Working with the Military’ (both published in January 1995)
Religious Organisations
Local religious institutions may be able to serve as excellent sources of information particularly
regarding local conditions. They may also offer other resources such as a transportation network or
schooling facilities. In some operations, religious institutions may serve as implementing partners.
UN Co-ordination in Emergencies
The UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies (2nd edition) describes co-ordination of specific refugee
emergencies as well as the wider category of emergencies (which typically also involves refugees)
known as complex emergencies. Complex emergencies typically involve large scale humanitarian
crises where:
♦ Civilian populations are besieged and/or displaced
♦ The required response transcends the scale or mandate of any one organisation
♦ Parties to the conflict actively impede humanitarian aid
♦ Humanitarian assistance relief workers are placed in situations of high personal risk,
including situations where relief workers are specifically targeted
Co-ordination of the UN Response in Refugee Emergencies
Within the the UN system the responsibility for refugees lies with UNHCR.
Therefore, when there is a refugee emergency, UNHCR is the UN organization
responsible for coordinating the response of the UN system to the emergency.
—UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies, 1999, 2nd edition
Co-ordination of the UN Response to Complex Emergencies
In an emergency, the UN Resident Coordinator usually acts as the Humanitarian Coordinator and is a
valuable source of information, advice and assistance. The UNHCR Representative must keep the
Resident Coordinator well briefed on UNHCR operations and should participate in all inter-agency
meetings to increase mutual understanding and co-ordination at the country level.
UNHCR may be assigned as the lead agency in certain circumstances. Where UNHCR is the lead
agency, it must conduct frequent technical meetings with representatives from governments, other
UN organisations, NGOs and other agencies. Close liaison with the UNDP Representative is also
needed to ensure co-ordination between development and emergency inputs. The refugees, the local
population, military forces, and other institutions, such as religious organisations, are important
collaborators.
There are typically four model structures or options for the co-ordination of the emergency
response. These are generally referred to as:
♦ Lead Agency model
♦ Resident Coordinator model
♦ Humanitarian Coordinator model
♦ Regional Humanitarian Coordinator model