According to the IASC, the HDPN is a whole–of–system approach, a policy and an operational imperative in which humanitarian, development and peace actors take account of each other’s actions and collaborate to be efficient and effective, because their activities have an impact on each other, and each actor is affected by the broader context in which peace, development and humanitarian action interacts.
Why is HDPN important for the prevention of undernutrition in humanitarian contexts?
By linking immediate relief with long–term development and peacebuilding, HDPN aims to create sustainable rather than just short–term solutions, help reduce duplication of efforts and promote better resource allocation among different actors.41 In the context of prevention of undernutrition, it is essential to balance interventions that address immediate needs with long–term strategies to build capacities and resilience:42
- Immediate lifesaving interventions such as evidenced treatment interventions; food assistance or cash transfers to support short–term needs, backed by early warning systems; pre–stocking of supplies as part of preparedness; surge support; and capacity scale up where health systems need strengthening.
- Longer–term, longer–lasting interventions focused on the underlying and basic causes of undernutrition and the risks and vulnerabilities to which populations are exposed in protracted crises. These may include building and strengthening more resilient livelihoods, delivery capabilities of health systems, safety nets and social protection and sustainable food systems and diets.
This requires actions to be implemented through local systems whenever possible and focused on at–risk populations.
Key Conditions and considerations
Principles and ways of working for prevention in humanitarian contexts
Reinforce the Humanitarian development peace nexus (HDPN)
Key Conditions and considerations
- Nutrition–related policies and plans should be risk– informed and shock–responsive while considering cross– cutting issues, such as climate and conflict sensitivity.
- Ensure nutrition response plans (or multi–sector response planning ) is linked to the national multisectoral nutrition action plan, where this exists, so that humanitarian responses are integrated and support longer–term objectives.
- Highlight the importance of anticipating, preparing for and responding to crises while tackling the root causes of malnutrition and reducing overall needs.
- Activities include assessing the needs, establishing shared objectives and targets, exploring response options and evaluating the unique strengths of each actor to determine the most efficient combination of resources and inputs.
- This should be backed by flexible, multi–year financing and involve joint monitoring and evaluation processes.
- Building national systems and capacity, not by–passing them with the humanitarian response: actions should be implemented through local systems whenever possible and focused on at–risk populations. Including localisation actions such as releasing funding and shifting the power to local and national organisations, local production of fortified foods, strengthening national partnerships for delivery, and building on and investing in human resources at frontline.
Tools and Guidance
References
40 The Humanitarian, Development And Peace Nexus Approach Practical Guidance with Recommended Steps & Examples from Country Food Security Clusters. Global Food Security Cluster, January 2023
41 https://www.nutritioncluster.net/sites/nutritioncluster.com/files/2021-03/GNC_HDN_GlobalReport.pdf
42 MQSUN+/Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN). 2020. Strengthening the Humanitarian Development Nexus for Nutrition in Protracted Crises.