An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict
Introduction Aid harmonisation is a key component of donor efforts to make aid more effective by improving coordination and simplifying and sharing information to avoid duplication. This study evaluates the harmonisation of health and humanitarian aid in Syria during acute humanitarian and health cr...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2024-10-01
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| Series: | BMJ Global Health |
| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/10/e014687.full |
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| author | Aula Abbara Kristen Meagher Preeti Patel Abdulkarim Ekzayez Nassim El Achi Munzer Alkhalil Maher Alaref Rim Turkmani Zedoun Al Zoubi |
| author_facet | Aula Abbara Kristen Meagher Preeti Patel Abdulkarim Ekzayez Nassim El Achi Munzer Alkhalil Maher Alaref Rim Turkmani Zedoun Al Zoubi |
| author_sort | Aula Abbara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Aid harmonisation is a key component of donor efforts to make aid more effective by improving coordination and simplifying and sharing information to avoid duplication. This study evaluates the harmonisation of health and humanitarian aid in Syria during acute humanitarian and health crises from 2011 to 2019.Methods Data on humanitarian and health aid for Syria between 2011 and 2019 was collected from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Creditor Reporting System to assess the harmonisation of aid. The data was linked to four key indicators of the conflict: the number of internally displaced persons; the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance; the number or frequency of internal movements (displacements) by individuals; and the decline in Syria’s population between 2011 and 2019. This was compared with data from highly fragile states and developing countries. Four focus group discussions, four key informants’ interviews and three consultations with humanitarian practitioners were also conducted.Results The findings suggest that overall aid harmonisation did not occur and importantly did not correlate with increased humanitarian needs. During the first 5 years, humanitarian and health pooled funds (which endorse aid harmonisation) in Syria were nearly entirely absent, far less than those in developing countries and highly fragile states. However, from 2016 to 2019, a visible surge in humanitarian pooled funds indicated an increase in the harmonisation of donors’ efforts largely influenced by adopting the Whole of Syria approach in 2015 as a positive result of the cross-border United Nation (UN) Security Council resolution in 2014.Conclusion Harmonisation of aid within the Syrian crisis was found to have little correlation with the crisis parameters and population needs, instead aligning more with donor policies. Assessing fragmentation solely at the donor level is also insufficient. Aid effectiveness should be assessed with the inclusion of community engagement and aid beneficiary perspectives. Harmonisation mechanisms must be disentangled from international politics to improve aid effectiveness. In Syria, this study calls for finding and supporting alternative humanitarian coordination and funding mechanisms that are not dependent on the persistent limitations of the UN Security Council. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c5fc287ec36e4e90a3cd6e5b3aaac39f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Global Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-c5fc287ec36e4e90a3cd6e5b3aaac39f2025-08-20T01:54:16ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082024-10-0191010.1136/bmjgh-2023-014687An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflictAula Abbara0Kristen Meagher1Preeti Patel2Abdulkarim Ekzayez3Nassim El Achi4Munzer Alkhalil5Maher Alaref6Rim Turkmani7Zedoun Al Zoubi8Syria Public Health Network, London, UKWar Studies - R4HSSS, King`s College London, London, UKWar Studies - R4HSSS, King`s College London, London, UKWar Studies - R4HSSS, King`s College London, London, UKWar Studies - R4HSSS, King`s College London, London, UKResearch for Health System Strengthening in northern Syria (R4HSSS), Union for Medical and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), Gaziantep, TurkeyResearch for Health System Strengthening in northern Syria (R4HSSS), Union for Medical and Relief Organizations, Gaziantep, TurkeyLSE IDEAS Conflict and Civicness Research Group, London School of Economics, London, UKResearch for Health System Strengthening in northern Syria (R4HSSS), Union for Medical and Relief Organizations (UOSSM), Gaziantep, TurkeyIntroduction Aid harmonisation is a key component of donor efforts to make aid more effective by improving coordination and simplifying and sharing information to avoid duplication. This study evaluates the harmonisation of health and humanitarian aid in Syria during acute humanitarian and health crises from 2011 to 2019.Methods Data on humanitarian and health aid for Syria between 2011 and 2019 was collected from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Creditor Reporting System to assess the harmonisation of aid. The data was linked to four key indicators of the conflict: the number of internally displaced persons; the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance; the number or frequency of internal movements (displacements) by individuals; and the decline in Syria’s population between 2011 and 2019. This was compared with data from highly fragile states and developing countries. Four focus group discussions, four key informants’ interviews and three consultations with humanitarian practitioners were also conducted.Results The findings suggest that overall aid harmonisation did not occur and importantly did not correlate with increased humanitarian needs. During the first 5 years, humanitarian and health pooled funds (which endorse aid harmonisation) in Syria were nearly entirely absent, far less than those in developing countries and highly fragile states. However, from 2016 to 2019, a visible surge in humanitarian pooled funds indicated an increase in the harmonisation of donors’ efforts largely influenced by adopting the Whole of Syria approach in 2015 as a positive result of the cross-border United Nation (UN) Security Council resolution in 2014.Conclusion Harmonisation of aid within the Syrian crisis was found to have little correlation with the crisis parameters and population needs, instead aligning more with donor policies. Assessing fragmentation solely at the donor level is also insufficient. Aid effectiveness should be assessed with the inclusion of community engagement and aid beneficiary perspectives. Harmonisation mechanisms must be disentangled from international politics to improve aid effectiveness. In Syria, this study calls for finding and supporting alternative humanitarian coordination and funding mechanisms that are not dependent on the persistent limitations of the UN Security Council.https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/10/e014687.full |
| spellingShingle | Aula Abbara Kristen Meagher Preeti Patel Abdulkarim Ekzayez Nassim El Achi Munzer Alkhalil Maher Alaref Rim Turkmani Zedoun Al Zoubi An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict BMJ Global Health |
| title | An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict |
| title_full | An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict |
| title_fullStr | An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict |
| title_full_unstemmed | An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict |
| title_short | An analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade (2011–2019) of the Syrian conflict |
| title_sort | analysis of humanitarian and health aid harmonisation over a decade 2011 2019 of the syrian conflict |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/10/e014687.full |
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