Critical Exploration of Community Engagement and Accountability in Humanitarian Aid: Redefining Working Relationships in the Field.

摘要

Drawing upon the merit and strengths of existing humanitarian aid principles, standards, and field practices but acknowledging the shortcomings of current working modalities, my research presents an alternative framework for aid organizations to utilize in the field when working to meet the needs of Members of the Affected Community (MOAC). This study addresses the need for enhanced accountability of humanitarian aid organizations and engagement of MOAC during international disaster relief and recovery efforts. Through the lenses of community psychology theory my research integrates published and grey literature on disaster response, personal insights as a humanitarian aid worker, and the views and perspectives of six humanitarian aid workers, attained via semi-structured interviews and subsequent two phase Delphi review process, to collaboratively develop a Humanitarian Response Linking System Model. The Humanitarian Response Linking System Model and related conceptual framework generates new perspectives on the complex interrelationship between community engagement, social accountability and financial accountability and redefines current power dynamics and work relationships in the field. Findings indicate that when aid organizations are more socially accountable, through forging collaborative working relationships with MOAC' s, it reduces the likelihood of error and community harm while promoting cost-effective, efficient and sustainable interventions -- each of which are important aspects of financial accountability. Thus, it is postulated that the utilization of the Humanitarian Response Linking System Model, and the resultant active engagement of MOAC will support aid organizations in moving beyond the conventional charity approach to humanitarian aid response to an engaged, collaborative approach to working with and responsively meeting the needs and priorities of MOAC. Further, it is proposed that the utilization of the Humanitarian Response Linking System Model will enhance the financial accountability of aid organizations to their donors as a direct consequence of aid organizations being more socially accountable to MOAC.;Keywords: Members of affected communities, humanitarian aid, community engagement, financial accountability, social accountability, model.