Brown University’s Role

in Professionalizing

Humanitarian Response

Adam C. Levine, MD, MPHAssistant Professor of Emergency Medicine,

Director, Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship, The Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Growing Need

Natural Disaster Trends. The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). Accessed Feb 27, 2013 at http://www.emdat.be/natural-disasters-trends.

3

Emergency?

70%

20%

10%

% Humanitarian Aid in 2011

>8 years4-8 years<4 years

Source: Development Initiatives 2011

Demographics

Dev; 384200

NGO Rel; 112900

UN Rel; 49500

RC Rel; 48400

All Workers = 595,000. Relief Workers = 210,800. 6% pa growth

“The international response to the earthquake in Haiti…highlighted unacceptable practices in the delivery of emergency medical humanitarian assistance…”

“…serious questions have been raised about the clinical competencies and practices of some of the foreign medical teams (FMTs)…”

“It is now recognized that there needs to be greater accountability, more stringent oversight and better coordination of their work…”

Global Health Cluster (GHC). Coordination and Registration of Providers of Foreign Medical Teams in the Humanitarian Response to Sudden-onset Disasters. Inter-Agency Standing Committee GHC Policy and Strategy Team Position Paper. Geneva, 2011.

We Can Do Better

Previous Efforts

Agency Specific Training Self Appointed NGO

Standards Red Cross Code of Conduct SPHERE Standards Humanitarian

Accountability Project Focused Professional

Associations World Association of

Disaster and Emergency Medicine

Humanitarian Logistics Association

Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection

Enhancing Learning & Research for Humanitarian Assistance

A collaborative umbrella network dedicated to supporting partnerships between higher education institutions and humanitarian organizations and partners around the world

Seeks to move the professionalization of the humanitarian aid workforce from discussion to action, both at the global and regional level

Recently commissioned scoping study lays the groundwork for professionalization of the field

Which continent are you from?

Which of the categories below best describes your relationship with humanitarian work?

Professionalization – Yes or No?

Yes?92%

No?8%

Key Values for All Humanitarian Aid Workers

Key Knowledge for All Humanitarian Aid Workers

Key Skills for All Humanitarian Aid Workers

ELRHA REGIONAL HUBS

Recognized as the North American regional hub of ELRHA

Goals of the consortium are to develop common competencies, core curricula, and accreditation standards for humanitarian education and training

Additionally, share best practices and create research laboratories for humanitarian response

Professional Association of Academic Training Centers in

Humanitarian Health

Professional Association of Academic Training Centers in Humanitarian Health

Professionalizing the Sector

1. Common Competencies

2. Core Curricula/Training

3. System of Certification

1: Common Competencies

2: Core Curricula/Training

3: System of certification?

Globally Available

Accredited Trainers

AcademiaKnowledge repositoryFormal qualificationsResearch

The professionField practiceTesting knowledgeSelf regulation

Primary ClientsReceive servicesFeedback on services

Acknowledgements:

Dr. Peter Walker, PhDDirector, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University

Dr. Frederick M. Burkle, Jr., MD, MPH, DTMSenior Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative