What do you think the world needs more of? Today marks the United Nations World Humanitarian Day 2013 and this year the UN is running a campaign aimed at engaging the power of Twitter to allow those taking part to suggest, in a humanitarian sense, what the world needs more of.

The day is dedicated to those who have worked to promote humanitarian causes; working on the ground in the aftermath of a disaster to provide vital and often lifesaving aid to those affected. Particularly it recognises those who have lost their lives whilst providing this assistance. The day aims to increase public awareness and humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and the importance of international cooperation.

Last year Kyla Reid, Head of Disaster Response, wrote a blog reflecting on humanitarianism, and discussed the challenges facing the sector, in terms of policy, of financing, and of the increasingly dangerous environments in which humanitarian workers must operate. Today risk remains inherent to the work of the humanitarian.

In 2013, to date, 76 humanitarian workers have lost their lives, 59 have been injured, and 72 kidnapped, figures that would suggest 2013 will see more incidents than 2012 (2012: 65 deaths, 107 injures, 91 kidnappings). These figures act as a stark reminder as to the severe risks that exist and the challenges that persist for those working towards the humanitarian cause.

In 2012, US$ 17.9 Billion was spent on humanitarian assistance. Whilst this may sound like a lot, it is actually only enough to allow 62.7% of the UN-targeted needs to be met (as calculated by the UN CAP). At the start of 2013 the UN planned to provide, within the year, assistance to 51 million people in 16 countries affected by crisis. The recent mid-year CAP review has seen this target rise to 73 million people across 24 affected countries.

So in this environment of continued challenges, and to adopt the World Humanitarian Day 2013 campaign: What does the world need more of?

Some personal suggestions:

The world needs more . . .

#AppropriateAction:

More appropriate action from Governments. Humanitarian crisis are often born from inadequate, or absent, action from Governments; both those of the affected state(s) and of the international community. Good humanitarian government can reduce the need for frontline humanitarian assistance.

#AppropriateResilience:

An increased focus on resilience could reduce the scale of humanitarian disasters. The UNDP defines this approach as a “transformative process of strengthening the capacity of people, communities and countries to anticipate, manage, and recover transformative shocks”. In 2011, $532 million was spent on disaster prevention and preparation.

#AppropriateSolutions:

Innovations can turn seemingly major obstacles into manageable issues. There is potential for technological advances to make the humanitarian space a safer one for those who work within it. The Smart bracelet, a personal alarm with mobile and GPS functionality, from the Natalia project is one such example.

The decision to incorporate social media into the campaign is perhaps indicative of the increasing role that such platforms are playing in disaster response and management. Apps which improve the work of a responder on the ground may make tangible differences to their work, GEO and Humanitarian Response Kiosk just two of an increasing number that aim to provide the responder with increased access to information. Whilst many apps may be designed with the aid recipient in mind, being able to carry out a task with greater efficiency and speed may translate in to less time spent by the responder in a high risk location, reducing the levels of vulnerability and risk that they themselves are exposed to. Social media is also able to provide insights into the resilience of communities; an important factor in preparing disaster response.

World Humanitarian Day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the challenges facing those who choose to work in this space and to celebrate this effort and sacrifice, but it must also serve as a reminder that there is a continued need to address these challenges.

Political and natural events are the cause of major disasters; the way in which these events are prepared for and managed can determine the severity of these disasters and the levels of response required. The challenging and selfless roles that those in the humanitarian sector adopt must be supported appropriately so that they become less, not more, challenging.

So, join the conversation. What do you think the world needs more of?

Photo Credit: By EU Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, via Flickr.