Global Humanitarian Policy Forum 2024 Attendees’ Briefing Packet - Global Crises, Local Leadership: Redefining Humanitarian Action for Tomorrow

CONCEPT NOTE - GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN POLICY FORUM 2024

GLOBAL CRISES, LOCAL LEADERSHIP: REDEFINING HUMANITARIAN ACTION FOR TOMORROW

Thursday, 12 December 2024 | 9:00 – 11:30 EST

Friday, 13 December 2024 | 9:15 – 11:30 EST

Event Registration Link

On 12-13 December 2024, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) will host the thirteenth annual Global Humanitarian Policy Forum (GHPF), gathering thought leaders, policymakers and practitioners from across the humanitarian sector and beyond.

Under the theme, Global Crisis, Local Leadership: Redefining Humanitarian Action for Tomorrow, participants will reflect on the state of the global humanitarian landscape at the close of 2024. Through a series of virtual interactive sessions, attendees will tackle the sector’s most pressing challenges and explore new pathways forward to enhance the system’s ability to adapt to change and respond to escalating needs.

The Forum will conclude with a High-Level Fireside Chat with Tom Fletcher, the Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs (USG) and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC). The USG/ERC will share his perspective on the global challenges ahead and outline his vision for a way forward. Other panels will address critical topics including the climate crisis, the politicization of aid and OCHA’s Flagship Initiative to reform and strengthen the humanitarian system.

This year’s theme underscores the urgent need to rethink and reshape humanitarian strategies in response to unprecedented challenges. The world today faces a staggering level of humanitarian need, with more than 305 million people expected to require assistance in 2025. Escalating conflicts and worsening climate disasters are displacing millions and driving hunger, disease and despair. As the most vulnerable populations suffer disproportionately, funding shortfalls are forcing humanitarian agencies to reduce essential support, leaving countless people without help. Discussions at the Forum will center on how the humanitarian system can innovate, reform and improve its response to escalating crises while keeping vulnerable populations at the core of all decisions.

For over a decade, the GHPF has shaped the humanitarian policy agenda, convening humanitarian experts and stakeholders to anticipate trends, introduce new policies and address the challenges of applying these in crisis contexts. This year’s Forum comes at a pivotal moment as humanitarian actors face unprecedented pressures to deliver amidst funding shortages, logistical barriers and increasingly dangerous operating conditions. The international community is grappling with how to scale responses to meet these growing needs while also ensuring that responses are grounded in core humanitarian principles. In this era of compounding crises, the GHPF 2024 aims to drive the sector toward a more resilient, responsive and equitable future.

The 2024 Forum will conclude with actionable recommendations for humanitarian agencies, donors, and partners. A summary report capturing the key insights and strategies will be published on the GHPF’s website after the event.