Transcript Brown University’s Role in Professionalizing Humanitarian Response Adam C. Levine, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Director, Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship, The Alpert Medical School of Brown.

Brown University’s
Role in
Professionalizing
Humanitarian
Response
Adam C. Levine, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine,
Director, Global Emergency Medicine Fellowship,
The Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Growing Need
Natural Disaster Trends. The Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). Accessed Feb 27, 2013 at
http://www.emdat.be/natural-disasters-trends.
Emergency?
% Humanitarian Aid in 2011
10%
20%
>8 years
70%
Source: Development Initiatives 2011
3
4-8 years
<4 years
Demographics
RC Rel, 48400
UN Rel, 49500
NGO Rel, 112900
Dev, 384200
All Workers = 595,000. Relief Workers = 210,800. 6% pa growth
We Can Do Better
 “The international response to the earthquake in
Haiti…highlighted unacceptable practices in the
delivery of emergency medical humanitarian
assistance…”
 “…serious questions have been raised about the clinical
competencies and practices of some of the foreign
medical teams (FMTs)…”
 “It is now recognized that there needs to be greater
accountability, more stringent oversight and better
coordination of their work…”
Global Health Cluster (GHC). Coordination and Registration of Providers of Foreign Medical Teams in the Humanitarian Response to
Sudden-onset Disasters. Inter-Agency Standing Committee GHC Policy and Strategy Team Position Paper. Geneva, 2011.
Previous Efforts
 Agency Specific Training
 Self Appointed NGO Standards
 Red Cross Code of Conduct
 SPHERE Standards
 Humanitarian Accountability
Project
 Focused Professional Associations
 World Association of Disaster and
Emergency Medicine
 Humanitarian Logistics Association
 Professionals in Humanitarian
Assistance and Protection
Enhancing Learning & Research
for Humanitarian Assistance



A collaborative umbrella
network dedicated to supporting
partnerships between higher
education institutions and
humanitarian organizations and
partners around the world
Seeks to move the
professionalization of the
humanitarian aid workforce
from discussion to action, both at
the global and regional level
Recently commissioned scoping
study lays the groundwork for
professionalization of the field
Which continent are you from?
Which of the categories below best describes your
relationship with humanitarian work?
Professionalization –Yes or No?
No?
8%
Yes?
92%
Key Values for All Humanitarian
Aid Workers
Key Knowledge for All
Humanitarian Aid Workers
Key Skills for All Humanitarian
Aid Workers
ELRHA REGIONAL HUBS
Professional Association of Academic
Training Centers in Humanitarian Health

Recognized as the North American
regional hub of ELRHA

Goals of the consortium are to
develop common competencies,
core curricula, and accreditation
standards for humanitarian
education and training

Additionally, share best practices
and create research laboratories
for humanitarian response
Professional Association of Academic
Training Centers in Humanitarian Health
Professionalizing the Sector
1. Common Competencies
2. Core Curricula/Training
3. System of Certification
1: Common Competencies
2: Core Curricula/Training
Mentored
Structured
Assessed
3: System of certification?
EntryGlobally
level Available
Mid
level
Accredited
Trainers
High level
Academia
Knowledge repository
Formal qualifications
Research
The profession
Field practice
Testing knowledge
Self regulation
Primary Clients
Receive services
Feedback on services
Acknowledgements:
Dr. Peter Walker, PhD
Director, Feinstein International Center, Tufts University
Dr. Frederick M. Burkle, Jr., MD, MPH, DTM
Senior Fellow, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative