When disaster strikes, these women will be ready to take action

These days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by global crises — especially when new ones seem to begin each week. From the Syrian war and historic levels of displacement, to the Zika virus and increasingly intense global weather due to climate change; there is a lot to worry about and a lot to be done. And while these problems may seem intractable, the answer lies close at hand: empowering local leaders.

The current international humanitarian system is stretched to its limits, and relies too heavily on outside experts “parachuting” in, leaving many countries dependent on humanitarian aid to confront even small-scale disasters. This unnecessary reliance on outside support erodes development gains and causes particular harm to women and girls.

Women and children account for more than 75 percent of people who are forced to leave their homes in an emergency. And while women face incredible challenges including loss of income, discrimination, and being caregivers in crisis; they’re also the leaders we should be investing in.

If local organizations, institutions, and communities are given the resources and space to lead, they will be able to respond almost instantly when disaster strikes, and will have the trust and local expertise needed to save lives. And what’s more, if we invest more resources in local disaster prevention and preparedness, countries will be able to minimize the damage and lives lost before crisis hits. Currently, less than two percent of humanitarian funding goes directly to local organizations. We can change that.

The three women below are humanitarian leaders themselves with many years of experience fighting for their communities and working within the current humanitarian system. Their words give a glimpse into the change they’d like to see and are working towards.

Karen Ramírez — Humanitarian, El Salvador

From the capital city to the far-flung rural communities, Karen Ramírez is known for her work on water — from installing wells designed to resist contamination, to improving access to water in emergencies, to advocating for community access to water and safe sanitation. For more than ten years, she helped the national water team and many community volunteers become experts in providing clean water and sanitation in emergencies — a job once considered the domain of international aid providers. Over time, she has helped boost the government’s understanding of international humanitarian standards, and its ability to adhere to them.

“Traditional humanitarian response does not strengthen communities or local organizations. It weakens us and makes us dependent. What we need to see more of is the international community helping countries like El Salvador handle emergencies ourselves.”
Meet Karen

Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste — Humanitarian, Haiti

In 2010, Haiti experienced a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake, one early January evening. It was a catastrophe on a scale no one was prepared for — leveling cities, killing more than 200,000, injuring 300,000, and displacing 1.5 million people.

As the world watched, donations poured in, and the international community — the United Nations, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), and volunteers — descended on the small island nation in the name of response and recovery.

“Following the earthquake, the government was not in control,” said Madame Jean-Baptiste. Not only had the government suffered terrible losses in the quake, but the staff that remained were often consigned to the sidelines of the humanitarian response. Of the estimated $9 billion that flowed into Haiti post-earthquake, less than 2 percent of it went to Haitian NGOs, businesses, or the government, with over 98 percent spent through INGOs, contractors, and donor or military agencies.

“This was a disaster in itself, when as a donor, you put resources in the hands of NGOs who don’t have the obligation to work with the government and respect the priorities of the country,” she said adamantly. ”After that experience, we in the government made it clear that we would no longer operate that way.”
Meet Marie Alta

Mayor Clara Doe Mvogo — Humanitarian, Liberia

The same month Clara Doe Mvogo was appointed Mayor of Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city, the country was hit by the Ebola outbreak. As the crisis spread, and many continued to deny Ebola’s existence despite international efforts to educate the population, Mayor Mvogo knew another, more locally-driven approach was needed.

“We had to put the Liberian twist to it and say ‘back off’,” recalls the mayor. “You’re dealing with people who most of them can’t read or write. You’re dealing with people who are scared, and when you get scared you get angry.”

So it became her goal to get the citizens of Monrovia to face Ebola and take action. “There were so many stigmas around Ebola,” says Mvogo. “You had to go to the grassroots people and say, ‘help me get the word out.’”

After training more than 800 community leaders on how to recognize and respond to people with Ebola symptoms, attitudes and actions began to change. “In less than a month’s time, the numbers started going down noticeably,” says Mvogo. “There is a direct connection with what we were doing at the grass [roots] level with getting rid of Ebola…It was community-based awareness, training and sensitization — that’s how we got rid of Ebola in Liberia. It wasn’t only the government or the international community. It was with the support of community leaders.”

The approach, she adds, could be a model for other epidemics, and it reflects a basic truth about emergency response: Local people know what’s best for their communities. In big emergencies, international support may be needed, but it’s the job of governments to guide emergency response, and local organizations have an important role to play in making sure things work.

“I don’t think we should always wait for the international community to do everything,” says Mvogo. “We should be prepared to help ourselves.”
Meet Mayor Mvogo

In 2016, Oxfam wants to get the word out and begin turning the global humanitarian system on its head by investing more in local humanitarians. Learn more and get involved at: oxfamamerica.org/noparachutes