OCHA highlights importance of accountability to people affected by crisis

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, has highlited the the importance of accountability to affected people in handling humanitarian issues.

The OCHA sad for a humanitarian system to be accountable and effective, decision-making power must be in the hands of the people affected by crises.

This requires humanitarians to recognize women, girls, men and boys of all ages and in all their diversity as the first responders and active agents in their own relief and recovery.

Through our commitment to provide accountability to affected people (AAP), we aim to ensure that humanitarian action protects and preserves the rights and dignity of crisis-affected people, remains relevant and effective, leaves no one behind and upholds humanitarian principles.

AAP is also a way to measure the collective performance of humanitarian leaders: how we respond to feedback and adapt programmes, and how affected people experience and perceive humanitarian work are the most relevant measures of our performance.

Better engagement with communities also helps us build trust and acceptance, which makes our work more impactful