Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2011

The humanitarian financing community has had a challenging 12 months, faced as it has been with a range of significant demands. Natural disasters such as the Pakistan floods of July 2010 have caused devastation and required substantial international financial response; political turmoil has swept across the Middle East and North Africa in particular, leaving in its wake large-scale need and humanitarian crises. Conflict, climate change, the hazards of the global economy – a diverse range of factors which have all contributed to the mix, with the latter having led to the contracting of many aid budgets across the globe, thus stretching the global capacity to meet humanitarian needs.

The GHA Report 2011 provides the latest and most comprehensive picture of global humanitarian financing, within this context. The world of humanitarian funding is broken down in the report to provide information on where the money comes from, where it goes, and how it gets there, presenting data and analysis on the top donors and top recipients, delivery agencies and financing mechanisms, and extending to contributions by the military, domestic response and more. The variety of forces which shape humanitarian assistance, as well as the view beyond it, are explored, by looking towards development aid and the broader environment within which the humanitarian element operates. Key messages emerge from the analysis, emphasising the enduring need for transparency and effective coordination of resources.