VOICE at the European Humanitarian Forum 2024

The third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum will take place from Monday 18 to Tuesday 19 March 2024.  It will be followed by a Partners’ Segment on the morning of  20 March. The 2024 edition of the EHF “takes place in the context of sharply increasing global humanitarian needs, at a time of shrinking humanitarian space, increasingly complex and protracted conflicts, the politicisation of aid, and increasing vulnerabilities due to climate change.” The main two focus themes for this year are the funding gap and prioritisation, as well as neglected crises and fragile humanitarian environments.

The event will be held at Flagey, Brussels, and will be live-streamed on the EHF website.

We are delighted to announce that during the Forum, the views of VOICE and our humanitarian NGOs members will be shared during the high-level panels and the Humanitarian Talks that will take place during the two days’ event. The event is a key moment for humanitarian NGOs to:

• Raise more political support for and awareness about principled humanitarian action and the current challenges in the humanitarian system.
• Demonstrate NGOs’ added value in the delivery of aid.

In particular, we are happy to announce that Dominic Crowley, VOICE President, will speak at the panel ‘Building stronger community resilience in fragile countries through better access to climate finance’ and Charlotte Schneider, VOICE Board member and Action Contre la Faim Global Program Director, will be present at the panel ‘Enhancing the security of humanitarian workers in conflicts and complex emergencies’.

During the Partners’ Segment, the VOICE President will participate in the closing session. 

Please find below an overview of the VOICE participation. 

VOICE at the high-level panels:

18 March

• Shifting the Lens: Transitioning from Humanitarian Aid to Sustainable Solutions Through Private Investment
  David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee

• A Humanitarian and Development Partnership to Scale Up Anticipatory Action
  Charlotte Slente, Secretary General, Danish Refugee Council

• Preserving the Continuity of Aid Delivery in Times of Political Instability
  Jan Egeland, Secretary General, Norwegian Refugee Council
  Mathias Mogge, Secretary General / CEO, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe e.V.

• The Impact of Russia's War on Healthcare Provision in Ukraine
  Eliana Silvina Olaizola Gomitolo, International Programs Director, Doctors of the World

• Children in Crisis: Invisible and Forgotten Victims of Armed Conflicts and Humanitarian Emergencies
  Pim Kraan, CEO, Save The Children
  Andrew Morley, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Vision International

19 March

• Improving the Efficiency of Humanitarian Aid Delivery: The Strategic Humanitarian Supply Chain and Logistics
  David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee
  Cecile Terraz, Supply Chain Director, Plan International

• Participation of Local Responders in Designing Humanitarian Response
  Mandy Yamanis, Director of the Global Partnership Centre, GOAL

• One Year After UNSCR 2664: Where Do We Stand, and Where to Next?
  Florence Daunis, Director of Operations, Handicap International / Humanity and Inclusion
  Kathryn Striffolino, Director for Humanitarian Policy, Mercy Corps

• Media Coverage of Forgotten Crises: Maintaining a Strong Focus in a Competing Media Environment
  Sofia Sprechmann, Secretary General, CARE International

• Humanitarian Needs vs Resources: The Obligation to Bridge the Funding Gap
  Shahin Ashraf, Head fo Global Advocacy, Islamic Relief

• Enhancing the Security of Humanitarian Workers in Conflicts and Complex Emergencies
  Charlotte Schneider, Global Program Director, Action Contre la Faim and VOICE Board member

• (Dis)Respecting International Humanitarian Law in Today’s Armed Conflicts: Monitoring and Reporting
  Sally Abi Khalil, Middle East and North Africa Regional Director, Oxfam

• Building Stronger Community Resilience in Fragile Countries Through Better Access to Climate Finance
  Dominic Crowley, Emergency Director, Concern Worldwide and VOICE President 
  Gloria Namakula, Climate Youth Advocate, Plan International
  Harpinder Collacott, Executive Director - Europe, Mercy Corps

VOICE at the Humanitarian Talks (organisers and speakers):

18 March

• Protecting Civilians in Conflict and Recovery: Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and the link to Landmines and Explosive Ordnance Contamination
  Danish Refugee Council, Handicap International / Humanity and Inclusion

• Schools in crisis: the challenges of the right to education in the protracted crises of Venezuela and Colombia
  Jesuit Service Refugee 

• Northwest Nigeria: neglecting a humanitarian response in a fragile context
  Danish Refugee Council, Action Contre la Faim, Solidarités International

• Locally led and owned humanitarian action in fragile and forgotten contexts: how to close the funding gap
  ADRA, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe

• Vulnerable migrants in forgotten crisis and fragile environments - protection and humanitarian assistance: a case study in Yemen
  INTERSOS 

19 March

• Preventing and mitigating violence and violations through proactive humanitarian protection
  Norwegian Refugee Council

• Conflict-related hunger: IHL compliance as a tool to prevent food insecurity
  Oxfam , Action Contre la Faim

• How to enhance disability-inclusive, accountable and quality programming in fragile and protracted crisis contexts amid funding constraints? Case study: South Sudan
  Handicap International / Humanity and Inclusion

• Promoting child survival in the hunger and malnutrition crisis: tackling child wasting and strengthening primary health care in humanitarian settings
  International Rescue Committee

• Joined-up action for collective outcomes: accelerating access and coordination for water, sanitation and hygiene in fragile contexts and forgotten crises
  Norwegian Refugee Council

You can access the full programme of the EHF 2024 on the official website and download it in PDF format here.