wfn.org | LWI 2009-044 Understanding Humanitarian Crisis in a Changing World

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Understanding Humanitarian Crises in a Changing World 
LWF World Service Director Says Role of Church-Based
Organizations Must be Reassessed 

MONTREUX, Switzerland/GENEVA, 31 July 2009 (LWI) - 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 healthcare 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." (609 words)

(Ms Tsiry Rakoto from Madagascar, an intern in the LWF Office
for Communication Services wrote this article.)

>*        *          *

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF
currently has 140 member churches in 79 countries all over the
world, with a total membership of 68.5 million. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and interfaith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

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