How can the private sector better work with the humanitarian sector in pre- and post-disaster reconstruction and development to reinforce local ownership and support localisation?

Details

The need for humanitarian organisations to engage more with the private sector and vice versa – including environment professionals, financial services, manufacturers & suppliers – in post-disaster reconstruction and development is well known. This was reinforced in a study from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on the business case for companies to engage in humanitarian response https://www.unocha.org/story/business-case-companies-engage-humanitarian-response

Following this there is still need for practical guidance on how our sectors can better work together. The move toward ‘localisation’, driven by both National and International NGOs, to practically implement changes to the way the humanitarian system operates in order to enable a more locally-led response, would also include the private sector. This can include professional and financial services, manufacturers, suppliers, and contractors, both international and local. For more information on localisation, view: https://charter4change.org/.

This one-day conference is an opportunity for the private and humanitarian sectors to meet and consider how to work together to support and develop local capacity for longer term sustainability and resilience. It will take the form of presentations about current and proposed initiatives and collaborative workshops discussing various issues related to collaboration between humanitarian, governmental, academic, and private partners.  

With the impact of climate change becoming increasingly apparent, humanitarian partnerships with private sector companies are set to the rise. This conference is focused on sharing information about, identifying and promoting effective ways for the private and humanitarian sectors to better collaborate to promote outcomes which support and reinforce localisation.

Attendance is free for the humanitarian, NGO and charity sector, with only a modest fee for private sector partners. It takes place at BRE, one of the world’s leading built environment research and testing organisations, with a mission to improve the built environment for all. BRE is also the developer of QSAND, on behalf of IFRC, which is the freely available shelter and settlement sustainability and resilience tool to aid disaster reconstruction. BRE’s demonstration facilities include a life-size, walk-through humanitarian shelter, which will be available for viewing during the conference.

Note: humanitarian organisations and charities qualify for a free place at this event, up to 2 individuals per organisation, contact us at qsand@bre.co.uk for a discount code to give you a free place.

To read the programme and register for this event click on this link.