Lutheran service to the migrants. Global and Polish experiences

The article presents Lutheran engagement for migrants, using the examples of activities undertaken by the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, as well as by the Lutheran World Federation, which is the biggest global organisation of Lutheran Churches all over the world. In case of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession the text provides an overview of the initiatives undertaken since 2015 in service to the migrants on the parish and Church levels, as well as in cooperation with ecumenical partners (including the activities within the Polish Ecumenical Council and in cooperation with the Catholic Church). In case of the Lutheran World Federation, the first step was to present the theological justification for the Federation’s engagement in the work for migrants, and the next one — to outline the characteristics of the work of the Department for World Service (Federation’s humanitarian agency) in 2018.

The evolution of language ideological debates about English and French in a multilingual humanitarian organisation

This article traces the evolution of the ideological construction of elite multilingualism, with a focus on the values accorded to French and English, under transforming socioeconomic and institutional conditions at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC, a major humanitarian agency based in Geneva, opens a window onto the construction of “internationalisation” and its accompanying language ideologies, resulting in fluctuating hiring requirements for “delegates” (expatriate representatives). The data include job advertisements for delegate posts from 1989 to 2020 complemented by interviews with different generations of delegates and ethnographic fieldwork in a recruitment fair. The analysis of language ideological debates at the ICRC illuminates the articulations and tensions between “roots” in Geneva, symbolised by French, and “routes” in its delegations worldwide, with English as a lingua franca, in dominant discourses about multilingualism. The requirements for ICRC delegates include English as a must and at least a second ICRC working language. Concerning the latter, there are tensions between the desired language regime at headquarters, privileging French as the “parent” language, and the current needs in key operations, with a shortage of Arabic speakers. The analysis shows that French requirements for generalist delegates have fluctuated from perfect command and good knowledge to an optional second working language. In the 2020 recruitment campaign, elite multilingualism is hierarchically stratified into English as a global language, other “working languages” including Arabic, and non-European languages such as Pashto or Dari as newly-introduced “assets”.

The Nutritious Supply Chain: Optimizing Humanitarian Food Assistance

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, reaching approximately 90 million people with food assistance across 80 countries each year. To deal with the operational complexities inherent in its mandate, WFP has been developing tools to assist its decision makers with integrating supply chain decisions across departments and functional areas. This paper describes a mixed integer linear programming model that simultaneously optimizes the food basket to be delivered, the sourcing plan, the delivery plan, and the transfer modality of a long-term recovery operation for each month in a predefined time horizon. By connecting traditional supply chain elements to nutritional objectives, we are able to make significant breakthroughs in the operational excellence of WFP’s most complex operations. We show three examples of how the optimization model is used to support operations: (1) to reduce the operational costs in Iraq by 12% without compromising the nutritional value supplied, (2) to manage the scaling-up of the Yemen operation from three to six million beneficiaries, and (3) to identify sourcing strategies during the El Niño drought of 2016.

Multilingualism, nationality and flexibility: mobile communicators’ careers in a humanitarian agency

This article explores the management of multilingual mobile communicators at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) according to institutional requirements and the consequences on Arabic-speaking communicators’ careers. Based on interviews complemented by institutional documents, I analyse the impact of “multiple languages”, “‘easy’ nationality” and “flexibility for non-family posts” as key requirements for mobile communicators. The institutional shortage of Arabic speakers largely limited their experience to Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) while other communicators allegedly had a broader variety of field experience for career advancement. Linguistic repertoires and nationality shaped mission allocation since acceptance of one’s nationality in the host country largely outweighed linguistic competences in Arabic in MENA, with a preference for European or dual nationals and the Lebanese over other Arab nationals. Flexibility for non-family posts, numerous in MENA, seems to reinforce an unequal distribution of reproductive work and structural gender inequalities. Many interviewed women felt that they had to choose between the agency and family. Although desirable, family posts outside MENA were not considered as exciting communications work. Besides hiring L2 speakers with an acceptable nationality, interviewed communicators suggested a new rotation system, advising roles for Arabic-speaking professionals and special quota for women.

Experiences of humanitarian assistance programs with corporate funding

Background Dwindling governmental funding for widespread natural disasters and armed conflicts have attracted corporate funding for humanitarian assistance. Although such funding has allowed expansion of humanitarian programs and capacity building, evaluations of such partnerships are rare and focus only on management aspects, without attention to possible influences on the organizations themselves and the populations they serve. Given the well-established conflicts of interest of corporations and their adverse influence on public health, an assessment of industry funding to humanitarian assistance is necessary to identify potential violations and harms. Methods The research explores the experiences and views of a sample of humanitarian agencies in Lebanon which serve refugee populations about corporate funding and influences on their programs. In-depth interviews with international and local humanitarian agency representatives in Lebanon were conducted and analyzed by thematic analysis. Results Findings indicate perceived advantages with financial assistance, flexible agendas and mutual learning. Meanwhile, challenges fall in project coordination, implementation, and the lack of attention of the private sector to the work ethics with vulnerable populations. Also, this collaboration could impact refugees positively or negatively depending on the type of corporations, their branding and how they are perceived by the populations served. Organizations trust that their processes of detection and reporting are an impervious firewall against conflicts of interest. Conclusions Corporate power expressed through funding to humanitarian agencies may influence the decision making and the implementation of the programs for humanitarian assistance. The study highlights the need for critical thinking about corporate funding, and creating opportunities for discussion about this issue for humanitarian agencies. Key messages Industry conflicts of interest on public health are well-established, but understudied in humanitarian assistance programs. Corporate funding for humanitarian assistance may hide potential conflicts of interest for the corporation.

Language as a resource with fluctuating values: Arabic speakers in humanitarian and social work

This paper investigates the fluctuating value of Arabic when constructed as a linguistic resource for multilingual, “languaged” workers in a counselling centre for refugees in Austria and in an international humanitarian agency operating in ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Drawing on a variety of ethnographic data (observations, interviews and documents), our analyses of the institutionalised division of labour and of workers’ narrative positioning show how workers in both organisations discursively construct this linguistic resource as being of ambivalent value in their positioning vis-à-vis their colleagues, for their careers and in work interactions. Stratifying and empowerment effects are interwoven in the varying and coexisting values of Arabic.

PERAN NGO DALAM UPAYA PENGUATAN GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT WARGA NEGARA UNTUK MERESPON KRISIS HAM GLOBAL

Tulisan ini mengkaji intervensi yang dilakukan NGO terhadap penguatanglobal engagement warga negara di Indonesia. Globalisasi merupakan proses negara yang mendunia, yaitu bahwa setiap negara saling bergantung, saling memengaruhi dan berinteraksi tanpa mempermasalahkan batas-batas teritorial negara denganmengandalkan kecanggihan teknologi dan percepatan informasi. Luhan (1994) mencuatkan istilah “global village” untuk mendeskripsikan dunia sebagai tempat tinggal yang semakin sempit karena masyarakatnya sudah terhubung satu sama lain melalui teknologi informasi dan komunikasi (hlm. 5). Sejalan dengan itu, globalisasi memberikan kita tambahan kedudukan sekaligus hak dan kewajiban yakni sebagai warga global atau yang biasa disebut global citizen. Global citizen dijelaskan sebagai “... one who can live and work effectively anywhere in the world, supported by a global way of life” (Noddings dalam Rapoport, 2009). Salah satu dari tiga dimensi utama dalam global citizeship ialah keterlibatan kewargaan global (global civic engagement) yang dimaknai sebagai tindakan atau kecenderungan untuk mengenali masalah-masalah kemasyarakatan baik di tingkat lokal, nasional dan global dengan ikut serta dalam aktivitas dan partisipasi masyarakat. (Murdiono, 2014). Artikel ini mencoba melaporkan studi kualitatif yang berfokus pada kegiatan Global Humanitarian Agency yang disebut Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) untuk memperkuat keterlibatan kewargaan global di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan desain deskriptif. Data diperoleh dari berbagai teknik seperti wawancara, observasi, dan studi dokumen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Badan Kemanusiaan Global ACT bertindak secara aktif memfasilitasi warga Indonesia dalam mengaktualisasikan keterlibatan warga global melalui (1) pemberian pengetahuan tentang isu kemanusiaan global terbaru; (2) menciptakan ruang publik di media sosial untuk membahas isu kemanusiaan, (3) aktivitas filantropi; dan (4) voluntarisme global. Aktivitas kemanusiaan ini memposiskan Lembaga Kemanusiaan Global ACT sebagai civic community yang tidak hanya mampu melakukan penguatan global civic engagement, tetapi juga mampu membangun jejaring transnasional, dan sebagai inovator model alternatif pembangunan masyarakat berbasis solidaritas global.

Model Pendekatan Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat Dalam Penanggulangan Bencana Di Aceh

The disaster management process in Aceh after the tsunami involved the Donor Institution, the International Humanitarian Agency, the Agency for rehabilitation, reconstruction and the emergence of various local NGOs that had a significant influence on the results of disaster management in a real way. The diversity of work approaches undertaken by several humanitarian agencies has led to the achievement of disaster management programs in the field. The dynamics of the approach pattern of relations between NGOs has an impact on the implementation of work that is maximum and on target in accordance with the needs of the disaster victims community. Based on these social phenomena, this study seeks to see how the NGO approach models in disaster management in Aceh. This study uses a framework for thinking about the relationship patterns, roles, models and strategies of the NGO approach in disaster management. The research method uses qualitative research methods with descriptive analysis so as to obtain a specific picture of the relevant NGO approach models in disaster management in Aceh. The technique in collecting data uses interview guides, literature studies and documentation. The results of the study revealed that the creation of several NGO approach models in disaster management. The establishment of a synergistic, harmonious and balanced relationship between NGOs. The variety of NGO approach models influences disaster management effectively and efficiently. Proses penanggulangan bencana di Aceh pasca tsunami melibatkan Lembaga Donor, Lembaga Kemanusiaan Internasional, Badan rehabilitasi, rekonstruksi dan kemunculan berbagai Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat (LSM) lokal telah membawa pengaruh secara signifikan terhadap hasil penanggulangan bencana secara nyata. Beragamnya pendekatan kerja yang dilakukan dari beberapa lembaga kemanusiaan telah menimbulkan pencapaian program penanggulangan bencana di lapangan. Dinamika pendekatan pola hubungan antar LSM ini berdampak pada pelaksanaan kerja yang maksimal dan tepat sasaran sesuai dengan kebutuhan masyarakat korban bencana. Berdasarkan fenomena sosial tersebut, penelitian ini berupaya melihat bagaimana model pendekatan LSM dalam penanggulangan bencana di Aceh. Penelitian ini menggunakan kerangka berfikir mengenai pola hubungan, peran, model dan strategi pendekatan LSM dalam penanggulangan bencana. Adapun metode penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian kualitatif dengan analisa deskriptif sehingga memperoleh gambaran spesifik mengenai model pendekatan LSM terkait dalam penanggulangan bencana di Aceh. Teknik dalam pengumpulan data menggunakan interview guide, studi kepustakaan dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa terciptanya beberapa model pendekatan LSM dalam penanggulangan bencana.Terjalinnya hubungan yang sinergis, selaras dan seimbang antar LSM. Beragamnya model pendekatan LSM mempengaruhi penanggulangan bencana secara efektif dan efisien.