ASAL Humanitarian Network - AHN

At the 2025 C4C Kenya Annual Dialogue, we held an important and honest conversation on one question:
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲?

Across humanitarian response systems, frontline local and national actors continue to carry the heaviest burden from security and operational risks to compliance, reputational pressure and last-mile delivery challenges often with the least influence over funding and decision-making.

The discussions reinforced a critical truth, 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥.

As humanitarian actors, government, UN agencies, academia and community organisations reflected together, participants called for 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬.

Building resilient humanitarian systems means ensuring those closest to crises are not only first to respond but are also trusted, resourced and empowered.

Shared leadership must come with shared risk.

Every repeated assessment is time taken away from communities.

Due diligence passporting reduces duplication, builds trust, and allows local organizations to focus on delivering impact not paperwork.

Because efficiency isn’t just a system issue, it’s a community outcome.

Last week, the ASAL Humanitarian Network participated in the Practitioner Summer School on Rethinking Pastoral Development in the Face of Chronic Uncertainty in Isiolo.

Over five days, practitioners, researchers, and local actors came together to reflect on pastoral development through real experiences and shared learning. The sessions challenged common narratives, explored environmental change, and pushed for more responsive and inclusive approaches.

What stood out was the honesty in the room. Open conversations, shared journeys, and collective reflection reminded us that development is about people, trust, and lived realities.

These are the spaces that shape how we listen, design, and support locally led action across ASAL communities.

Grateful to be part of it and to carry these lessons forward.

Centre for Research and Development in Drylands (CRDD) SNDAfrica Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative PACIDA, Kenya MID-P KENYA Marsabit Women Advocacy and Development Organisation