Understanding Humanitarian Crisis in a Changing World

LWF World Service Director Says Role of Church-Based Organizations Must be Reassessed

The changing contexts of humanitarian crises today provided a common ground for joint reflection on the future of church-based humanitarian and development initiatives at this year’s Annual Forum of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department for World Service (DWS). "The understanding of humanitarian crises has changed in recent decades," said Rev. Eberhard Hitzler, LWF/DWS director.

"Failed states, recurring drought and climate change have turned disasters from exceptional events to chronic crises. In this context, the role and identity of faith and church-based humanitarian organizations has to be reassessed." The 2009 Annual Forum, held 4-6 May, in Montreux, Switzerland,brought together over 50 participants from churches and church-based development and humanitarian agencies.

Case studies on DWS field program work in various countries offered perspectives on localization and partnership, and the role of the Lutheran communion in humanitarian aid. DWS is the internationally recognized humanitarian arm of the LWF, with field programs in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe.

Localization

Localization is a key element in the DWS strategy, since the engagement of an international humanitarian and development organization is inherently time-limited. The LWF department works actively toward sustainable local solutions for country programs, transferring them to local ownership wherever circumstances permit.

The Tanzanian program, Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service(TCRS), was cited as one of the positive examples of transition from a DWS country program to a locally-managed organization.

TCRS started providing assistance to refugees in the 1960s as a DWS country program. It gained national non-governmental organization status (NGO), becoming a DWS associate program in 2006. The program is governed by a national board of trustees, of which the majority of members are appointed by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. This allows the program to continue and empowers the church to share Lutheran values in its diaconal work.

"TCRS, under the guidance and leadership of the church, maintains its historical reputation as a major and long-standing partner of the UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] in refugee operations," TCRS director Mr Mark Leveri told the forum.

Emergencies

Emergency response was the subject of a case study from Brazil. In November 2008 over 400,000 people lost their homes after devastating floods covered the Itajaí valley in eastern Brazil. The Lutheran communion raised national and international awareness about the emergency.

Through the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil (IECLB) it distributed 140 tons of food, clothing, health and hygiene products in the main towns affected. Working through local parishes and congregations, it also reconstructed 200 homes for affected families.

"The churches acted on immediate social assistance, spiritual assistance and personal needs," said IECLB synodal pastor Rev. Mariane Beyer Ehrat. "The state responded to the macro problems -infrastructure, rehabilitation of roads, emergency health care and food distribution, as well as restoring water, electricity and telephone services."

Refugee Camp Management

Ms Sofia Malmqvist, who coordinates the DWS Kenya Somali refugee program, gave a presentation on managing refugee camps in partnership with the UN. The camps receive refugees from Somalia, distribute food and water, and serve as transit centers.

They also provide training opportunities within community development, including peace-building and conflict resolution, gender equity and human rights, child development and empowerment, and youth protection and development.

Malmqvist is one of five Church of Sweden workers seconded to DWS field programs in a two-year initiative. "In the various protection and operational management training materials, it is clear there is a need to build effective partnerships," she said,"but projects need their independence."

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