Urban humanitarian response: why local and international collaboration matters

Humanitarian crises are increasingly taking place in urban contexts. Urban areas are highly dynamic and present complex challenges. But while local actors best understand the context, international actors continue to dominate the funding, strategic design and decision making. While this gap needs to be bridged, the policy and practice of how to do so lacks a systematic approach. This briefing presents the findings of a study assessing existing collaboration between local and international actors working in urban humanitarian response. Recommendations include empowering local agencies by funding them directly, and taking a holistic approach by designing programmes in line with local humanitarian or developmental agendas.