The dilemma of innovation, efficiency and principled humanitarian action
Over many years, the humanitarian system has been shaped by one-off natural disasters and protracted conflicts. Today’s state of global polycrisis further escalates humanitarian needs in scale, severity and complexity. Humanitarian actors have to deal with unprecedented challenges, considering new approaches in emergency preparedness and response while increasing efficiency and effectiveness at the same time. To meet these challenges, many humanitarian actors have been inventing new ways of working and innovative solutions that vary greatly in ambition, scale and complexity. Digital technologies have further accelerated the numbers of countless digital innovations that range from high-tech solutions like drones, blockchain networks for cash and voucher assistance or AI-generated chatbots to low-tech solutions like solar disinfection for water purification, fuel-efficient cooking stoves or FM radio stations for information-sharing. Cash and voucher assistance is widely recognised as the most influential innovation across the humanitarian system. But it took many years, if not decades to reach the level of cash interventions as we know them today. Scaling takes time and efforts. It is thus not surprising that the bulk of innovations remain stuck in a pilot phase. They are difficult to scale in numbers and across contexts. Successful locally-led innovations remain unknown and unavailable to other humanitarian actors. The sector keeps coming up with innovative approaches to solve complex humanitarian issues. It seems to be more profitable and easier to create innovations again and again than using or scaling what already exists and works well.
We therefore want to know:
What are criteria for successfully scaling humanitarian innovations?
What processes form successful humanitarian innovations?
What is the level of AI-supported innovations in humanitarian action? What is AI used for?
How does the humanitarian system navigate the dilemma of innovation, efficiency and principled humanitarian action?
The project ‘The dilemma of innovation, efficiency and principled humanitarian action’ explores these questions. It is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Contact: Andrea Düchting, Darina Pellowska
Scaling Humanitarian Innovation: Navigating Complexities
08.11.2024The number of humanitarian innovation projects that do not make it past the pilot phase is constantly growing. Why is scaling humanitarian innovation so difficult? Cassie Seo (WHO) explains the discussion from the first workshop of the new CHA project ‘Humanitarian Innovation’.
Workshop: Scaling humanitarian innovations
10.10.2024 11:00 - 13:00How can innovations in the humanitarian system be scaled, which innovations have been successfully scaled and what were the factors for successful scaling? The CHA team presented the new project "The dilemma of innovation, efficiency and principled humanitarian action" in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office and organised a workshop.
Andrea Düchting at AidEx 2024
20.08.2024Andrea Düchting chaired the panel on ‘Humanitarian Innovation’ at the AidEx Conference in Geneva in October.