Ending global suffering is a shared responsibility
How to cover a shortage of funds to help a growing number of people in need
“The world today spends around US$ 25 billion to provide life-saving assistance to 125 million people devastated by wars and natural disasters. While this amount is twelve times greater than fifteen years ago, never before has generosity been so insufficient. Over the last years conflicts and natural disasters have led to fast-growing numbers of people in need and a funding gap for humanitarian action of an estimated US$ 15 billion.” (*)
UN is under an immense pressure to raise enough resources to cover Humanitarian Aid Gap and to align all involved parties around ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Appointed by The UN Secretary-General, a panel of highly esteemed experts identified three aspects of the challenge that have to be addressed in order to close Humanitarian Financial Gap:
1. Reduce the needs
2. Mobilize additional funds through either traditional or innovative mechanisms
3. Improve the efficiency of humanitarian assistance
Reducing needs
Addressing root causes requires a strong leadership at the highest level of political scale. There should be a systematic investment in resilience-building and there must be an end to a short-termism in fundraising. Instead, the way vulnerable people can become self-reliant is when they are being “helped seamlessly by humanitarian organizations with higher capacity to operate in volatile environments along with development organizations with longer-term funding horizons and better capacity to support economically viable activities.”
In other words, all involved organizations have to work together to see a sustainable change.
GOODdler improves coherence of humanitarian resource, by providing technology that bridges efforts of both humanitarian aid organizations and international development organisations. One platform to meet the needs of all.
Mobilizing additional funds through either traditional or innovative mechanisms
“Today’s massive scale of instability and its capacity to cross borders, vividly demonstrated by the refugee crisis in Europe, makes humanitarian aid a global public good that requires an appropriate fundraising model. In an interconnected world we need solidarity funding capable of crossing borders”
While humanitarian community and civic organizations are struggling to cover growing financial needs, the involvement of private sector is still very modest. An involvement of business in humanitarian action to provide necessary resources, whether it is finances or relevant skills, is essential for solving humanitarian crisis. On top of public/private partnerships, it is important to do whatever it takes to make individual contributors a part of the equation.
We must “improve the coherence of humanitarian response, ensure funding is used efficiently by partners, and strengthen public trust, increasing opportunities for ‘in kind’ contributions of expertise and other support.”
GOODdler platform is a perfect tool that promotes transparency and allows for an easy way to increase “in kind” contributions. It allows businesses to cover specific needs expressed by civic and charitable organizations and do it in a way that doesn’t add to the complexity of a particular situation.
Improve the efficiency of humanitarian assistance
Systematic change in the way humanitarian aid is delivered is needed. On one hand, we have to find additional funds. On the other hand, we have to make the use of funds more efficient. “Greater efficiency will create a virtuous circle by drawing in more funding.” It has to begin with needs assessment on the ground, allowing local actors to express their specific needs. We have to do whatever possible to strengthen local capacities.
GOODdler platform involves local retailers in the process whenever it is possible to make delivery of in-kind contribution more effective while improving a local economy at the same time. This technology allows for greater transparency. “True transparency is within our grasp thanks to digital technology and this should be extended to include communities receiving aid: humanitarian organizations can learn and improve by listening to the people they serve.”
The Panel’s report summons the findings: “we need greater transparency from implementing organizations so that everyone can “follow the money” on its journey from donor to recipient. A global data platform to provide open and transparent data would help reduce transaction costs and increase effectiveness.” Solution to this is right in our hands. GOODdler is what the world needs.
