NCA’s added value in humanitarian response lies in the long-term country presence in countries with fragile political and natural resource environments, and in the two-pronged approach to humanitarian action – partner-based where feasible and directly implemented where necessary. Partner-based responses have advantages in accessibility, in providing a better contextualised understanding of needs and problems, enhancing outreach services (through language & cultural appropriateness) or to extend our technical scope through qualified and verified partners, building on existing capacity. A partner-based approach can also mean together NCA reach those not reached by others, especially in out-of-camp scenarios. However, there are situations and circumstances where direct implementation is necessary to ensure quality or scale of response.
Historically, NCA’s humanitarian focus has been WASH, but NCA and partners have growing technical and programmatic experience in GBV and in integrated peacebuilding and conflict resolution in the more “technical” response actions. Increasingly, NCA implements integrated humanitarian WASH & GBV initiatives (Burundi, DRC, Bangladesh, Niger and Nigeria). Other technical areas of expertise include nutrition (Afghanistan and Palestine), education (Somalia) and energy (Angola). NCA have also broadened the methodologies available to its programmes to deliver outcomes, especially in cash-based interventions (Ethiopia, Palestine and Somalia).
The long-term presence means NCA and partners are better placed across humanitarian response, early recovery and development interventions, for a considerable time period in a particular location. This can help to provide coherence between different funding sources (e.g. Mali), and more sustained solutions. This long-term engagement has also encouraged NCA to play a stronger role in humanitarian coordination platforms, at national and subnational level (Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Burundi and South Sudan).
Alongside the country presence and action, NCA’s global profile in GBV and WASH has increased. In the global WASH Cluster and GBV AoR, NCA plays a significant role in operational, technical and strategic input. Additionally, over the past three years NCA has played an increasing role in other global GBV and WASH initiatives – the Sphere handbook revision, the various innovation initiatives (e.g. ELRHA’s HIF and with Innovation Norway), and in other technical forums.
