Reflections and recommendations from the InterAction/ICVA mission to Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon from 19-29 March, 2013.

The second edition of Professional Standards for Protection Work reflects recommendations of humanitarian and human rights agencies (UN, NGOs and Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement) led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in a case that could have dramatic consequences for NGOs, faith-based groups, and other civil society members. The case, USAID v AOSI, challenges a 2003 law that requires all groups receiving U.S.

Leading NGO alliance InterAction supports efforts to reform food assistance programs and urges U.S. lawmakers to retain the focus of these programs on reaching the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. 

If the United States does not follow through on global health commitments, there could be a reversal or stagnation of recent gains in reducing maternal deaths and incidences of tuberculosis, malaria, HIV and other diseases in developing countries, warns a report published today, entitled “Global Health: Investing in Our Futu

This week's update includes the latest on the federal budget; summaries of hearings on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Syria; and a list of recommended articles.

This week's Update includes the latest on the federal budget and summaries of hearings on the FY2014 budget and on Syria.

Joel Charny, InterAction's VP for Humanitarian Policy and Practice, speaks to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy about the ongoing needs in Syria and how donors can respond.

Joel Charny, InterAction Vice President for Humanitarian Policy and Practice, is quoted in an article in The Nation, stressing the need for increased humanitarian aid for Syria.

Atlantic article quoting Jeremy Kadden, InterAction's senior legislative manager, and other members, on the impact of sequestration on conflict zones, particularly humanitarian operations in Syria.

Foreign assistance saves lives, stabilizes countries, opens markets and helps those in need. Yet under sequestration – automatic spending cuts taking effect this March – poverty-focused development and humanitarian accounts are being slashed by 5 percent.  This translates into real human suffering.  

BOND, InterAction's UK counterpart, featured this interview with Lindsay Coats, Executive Vice President, in the January/March issue of their Networker Magazine.

The humanitarian situation in Syria is becoming increasingly dire, with one in five people in need of emergency assistance. More than one million people have fled the conflict to neighboring countries and the United Nations estimates that 70,000 people have been killed since the war began two years ago.

Winrock International’s Board of Directors today announced that Rodney Ferguson will become the organization’s new President and CEO on April 1, succeeding Frank Tugwell, who is retiring after leading Winrock for more than 14 years.

MCC partners respond to needs in Gaza during and after November 2012 shelling.

This week's update includes the latest on sequestration, the summary of a hearing on Mali and a list of recommended articles.

In this letter, 40 NGOs urge Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Jeffrey Zients to take steps to increase the humanitarian accounts to levels approved by the relevant Senate committees for FY2013, as the current Continuing Resolution expires.

The 40 organizations that signed this open letter are urging Congress to ensure that funding levels approved for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 are commensurate with humanitarian need. There is deep concern that current resource levels for humanitarian assistance are not sufficient, which will prove harmful to both U.S.

G20 leaders meeting in St. Petersburg in September must take bold steps to improve the lives of the most vulnerable populations, remove impediments for economic growth and encourage good governance and transparency. This policy paper, by the U.S. G8/G20 Advocacy Alliance with 50 non-governmental organizations, trade unions and think tanks, makes recommendations on key issues.

The UN refugee agency has this week completed a first delivery of winter emergency relief to the Azzas area of northern Syria where thousands of internally displaced people are living in makeshift camps.

NGO alliance InterAction congratulates Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) on his confirmation Tuesday as the next U.S. Secretary of State.

Mennonite Central Committee is seeking funds to help Syrians who are dealing with freezing temperatures and minimal resources, causing them to resort to extreme measures to stay warm and make a living.

Do you want to donate goods to a disaster?  Here's what to know before you do. 

Want to raise funds for an international disaster?  Here are a 100 ideas.

The largest alliance of U.S.-based international NGOs strongly condemns the attacks this week against health workers in Pakistan, who were targeted for their efforts to help to eradicate polio in the country.

This week's edition includes an update on the fiscal cliff, the FY2013 budget and other issues on Capitol Hill; the summary of a hearing on the DRC crisis; and a list of upcoming hearings and recommended articles.

On December 1st, Microsoft and Plan International USA signed a strategic alliance to support bringing digital access to yout

InterAction member NGOs will spend more than $1 billion in private funds on programs that advance food security, agriculture and nutrition from October 2012 to September 2015.

A sign-on letter InterAction and 78 other organizations sent up to House leadership on November 8, 2012, in support of foreign assistance as Congress approves the FY2013 budget.

New PSAs offer advice on how best to respond to Hurricane Sandy, or other domestic and international disasters.

InterAction members are responding to help communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy, both in the United States and in Caribbean nations, which also bore the brunt of the massive storm.

On October 22, 2012, U.S. presidential candidates will hold their third and final public debate – this time focusing on foreign policy. CBS moderator Bob Schieffer is expected to ask the candidates about their views on issues ranging from the recent events in Libya and the conflict in Syria to America’s role in the world and what constitutes effective U.S. foreign assistance.

Joel Charny, Vice President for Humanitarian Policy and Practice, is interviewed about the balance of humanitarian and technical assistance in the aftermath of the crisis in the Sahel. 

InterAction is issuing a call for workshop proposals for Forum 2013, to be held April 29-May 1 at the Gateway Marriot in Crystal City, VA. Any interested parties may submit a proposal. All proposals must be received at InterAction by November 15, 2012, via email, to workshops@interaction.org.

In a massive attempt to tackle global hunger, leading U.S.-based international NGOs will spend more than $1 billion in private funds over the next three years on agriculture, food and nutrition programs, announced U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and NGO alliance InterAction on Thursday.

The Transition Checklist includes a list of key factors for aid agencies and donors to consider when transitioning refugee assistance programs from relief to development in Pakistan. InterAction's Transition Program is funded by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.

As organizations working to end poverty and respond to emergencies around the world, we write to strongly urge you to support the Senate’s fiscal year 2013 overall funding level for the International Affairs Budget in order to protect its poverty-focused accounts throughout all upcoming budget negotiations, including negotiations to avert or delay the sequester.

A summary of the specific committments made by G20 countries in the 2012 Leaders Declaration. Notations are made where specific reports or actions are pledged. Comparisons are also made, where relevant, to recommendations made by the InterAction G8/G20 NGO Task Force prior to the summit. 

This report is produced by the OCHA Mali office in collaboration with humanitarian partners and is issued by OCHA Headquarters in New York. It covers the period from 11 to 25 July 2012.

Samuel A. Worthington, president and CEO, wrote blog for Huffington Post on the Olympics.

Samuel A. Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction, writes about how NGOs and the private secor are coming together to address humanitarian and development goals.

Since 2009 the United States has shown remarkable leadership in the fight against poverty, hunger, and malnutrition through agriculture-led growth. The leadership of President Obama, Secretary Clinton, Administrator Shah, Senators Leahy and Graham, and Congresswomen Granger and Lowey has helped reverse two decades of declining investments in agriculture and nutrition worldwide.

InterAction's full audited financial statement from 2011.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee lays out its agenda for improving disaster response, following poorly managed diaster reponses in Haiti and Pakistan.

InterAction CEO Sam Worthington discusses the importance of gender and youth in politics, new actors shaping the development field, US foreign engagement and a post-MDG development framework.

The World Food Program is attempting to scale-up their aid activities in the Sahel region, where families are facing growing food insecurity in addition to the upcoming rainy season. WFP is especially concerned about the status of adolescent girls, children and young mothers, who are disproportionately affected by a lack of food and poor nutrition.&n

Declaration issued by the leaders of the Group of 20 nations at the conclusion of their 2012 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico. 

This week's update includes summaries of a series of panels at USAID's "Frontiers in Development" forum, an update on InterAction's G20 work, and the usual list of upcoming hearings and articles of interest.

On Tuesday, Rajiv Shah announced the launch of a new USAID Grand Challenge, “Powering Agriculture.” This challenge’s goal is to replace diesel energy and promote clean, sustainable energy sources for farmers across the globe, especially in resource-poor areas. Through a public-private partnership with a host of U.S.

This Wednesday morning session brought together U.S. and foreign government officials as well as the founder of a citizen-based initiative in East Africa to discuss investment in sustainable development. The panelists emphasized that development was a long-term issue that involved many complicated factors.

"The June 18-19 summit of the Group of Twenty (G20) major economies in the Mexican resort of Los Cabos is expected to be dominated by discussions on resolving the Eurozone’s crippling debt crisis and restoring global growth."

UNICEF urgently requires US$ 67 million to address the immediate needs of children and women affected by the Sahel nutrition crisis in the first half of 2012, which is part of UNICEF’s total 2012 requirements of US$ 120 million.

InterAction is pleased the Senate Appropriations Committee, by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 17-2, approved spending allocations today that would maintain spending for international diplomacy and development at current FY2012 levels. 

InterAction's FY2013 Recommendations

InterAction’s 197 member NGOs are troubled by the proposed 10 percent cut in support for international development and humanitarian response which was passed by the House Budget Committee late on Wednesday.

On March 1, 2012 AKF USA and the Mott Foundation hosted an event with 45 philanthro

(Washington, D.C.) — In Seeking Refuge: The Chin People of Mizoram State, India, the report authors and a coalition of supporting coalitions, faith based groups, and refugee and humanitarian organizations, encourage the central government of India and Mizoram State to respond to the protection and humanitarian crisis of up to 100,000 Chins in Mizoram State, India.

Joel Charny is quoted in this article donations to the famine in Somalia.  

Audio is available at: http://www.theworld.org/2012/02/us-somalis-trying-to-help-people-back-home/

In November 2010, the Protection Working Group at InterAction issued a series of papers documenting an array of issues affecting the lives of Haitians made even more vulnerable by the 2010 earthquake. The papers set forth a number of recommendations calling on interested parties to ensure that all steps taken in rebuilding Haiti would uphold and restore lives with safety, dignity and rights.

Identified as a key principle of effective development, country ownership has become an ever-present part of the foreign assistance reform debate. While the Obama administration has embraced country ownership in the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development (PPD) and other executive initiatives, it remains unclear how to put this principle into practice on the ground.

As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Effective Foreign Assistance (CCEFA), Congressman Smith supports initiatives and advocates for legislation that improves the transparency and accountability of U.S. foreign assistance programs.

“Country ownership” has become an often used term in international development. The purpose of this paper is to provide some clarification by presenting InterAction’s definition along with an outline of its core elements and recommendations for ensuring meaningful stakeholder participation in U.S. government development processes.

Sam Worthington quoted in story, offering a civil society perspective.

InterAction and Oxfam were mentioned in news clip about G20 outcomes.

http://www.haixiainfo.com.tw/166004.html

Sam Worthington quoted in article.

Sam Worthington quoted. Members ONE and Oxfam were also quoted.

Bill Gates has urged politicians to use the proceeds from a financial transaction tax to fight poverty and disease

Sam Worthington quoted.

The president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, had planned to use his leadership of the G20 this year to highlight some of the needs of the developing world. Instead, the focus of G20 summit in Cannes has been on the threat of a Greek default and destabilization of the eurozone.

Sam Worthington quoted in G-20 photo gallery.

''The fact that it takes a report from Bill Gates to get development back on the agenda speaks volumes about how the G20 needs to shift its focus in the future from not only being in crisis mode but towards building a more inclusive, sustainable global economy"

Sam Worthington quoted in news story published by multiple media outlets including Germany's Greenpeace magazine.

InterAction and Oxfam (Mexico) are quoted in this article.

Sam Worthington quoted in this news story that was published in multiple French newspapers including L'Express.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have argued Wednesday that the G20 continues to mobilize for development despite the crisis and expressed hope that the summit in Cannes does not block the implementation by some countries in the transaction tax financial.

The FY2012 appropriations continued on a contorted path this week as House Appropriations Committee Chair Harold Rogers (R-KY) outlined his path toward completing the process and details emerged that the next Senate mini-bus will likely include the State, Foreign Operations bill, along with Financial Services and Energy—Water.

Did you know…
… that together, InterAction members and U.S. corporations manage an estimated $19.4 billion in international development program funds? Together, we represent more than half of the total U.S. private investment in developing countries.*

A recent survey of InterAction member CEOs, presidents and executive directors revealed:

InterAction is an alliance of international NGOs and more than 50 of our members are responding to the crisis in the Horn of Africa, including groups such as Save the Children, World Vision and Catholic Relief Services.

President and CEO Sam Worthington quoted.

InterAction President and CEO Sam Worthington is quoted in this Horn of Africa story.

During the first day of InterAction's 2011 Forum, InterAction was joined by the UN's Valerie Amos and USAID's Don Steinberg at a media roundtable on the Horn of Africa.

InterAction continues to monitor the situation in the Horn of Africa and advocate for the needs of the over 12 million people who have been affected by the drought that has engulfed the region.

InterAction President and CEO Samuel A. Worthington quoted in article.

Three new areas in southern Somalia have deteriorated into a famine situation. These are parts of Middle Shabelle region, the Afgooye Corridor settlements home to roughly 400,000 displaced people since 2007 and parts of Mogadishu which are hosting displaced populations.

With the onset of the earthquake in Haiti in last year, the use of technology in information sharing has been widely discussed within the international development and humanitarian community, and rightfully so. Three seemingly simple questions often come up. People want to know “Who is doing what? Where?

On July 21, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed H.R.2583, the FY2012 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, on a party-line vote of 23-20. The mark-up, which clocked in at over 30 hours, was thoroughly partisan with very few substantive bipartisan amendments adopted.

Sam Worthington radio interview: Millions of Somalis are mired in a deep humanitarian crisis that is now driving thousands of refugees over the border to Kenya daily.

Read how atoll permaculture in the Solomon Islands is helping to secure the food supply in spite of rising sea levels, and about the 150-year-strong Eight O’May luncheon that benefits organizations including Episcopal Relief &

The United Nations is expected to officially declare famine in parts of southern Somalia tomorrow (Wednesday, July 20), marking a new phase in a crisis that has affected the East Africa region.

The worst drought in 60 years has hit East Africa, leaving 11 million people malnourished and sick. It’s estimated that 30 to 40 percent of the children are suffering from acute malnutrition. Portland-based Medical Teams International is sending in the first of two teams to help beginning this week.

Samuel A. Worthington writes about the prospective 2012 U.S. presidential candidates who want to limit our engagement abroad and  those lawmakers who propose  cuts to the 2012 foreign affairs budget have forgotten a basic budgeting rule.

InterAction watched with interest this week President Obama’s speech on troop levels in Afghanistan. With much of the attention centered on the aspects of the security transition, the face of long-term development in Afghanistan remains to be seen. In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted that the U.S.

G8 Deauville Declaration outlines commitments made by world leaders on May 6-27, 2011.

A new USAID program allows companies of all sizes including large corporations, to send professionals abroad to local governments and groups in developing nations. Sam Worthington is quoted in a MSNBC article saying that a partnership of government, corporations and non-profits is essential for achieving the Millennium Dvelopment Goals.

InterAction News Release: G8 leaders meeting in Deauville this week must break a cycle of broken promises and honor billions of dollars in commitments for food, agricultural and health assistance, said the largest alliance of U.S.-based NGOs.

InterAction News Release: The official G8 “Deauville Accountability Report” released today underscores the need for the world’s richest nations to be fully accountable and follow through on previous public promises to deliver aid in key areas like food security and global health.

InterAction's PVO Standards define the financial, operational and ethical code of conduct for InterAction and its member agencies. These self-applied, high and objective standards set InterAction members apart from many other charitable organizations.

Arthur Keys, President and CEO of IRD stated today: "I was concerned when reading a Washington Post article by its Afghanistan reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran which inaccurately portrayed the situation on the ground in Afghanistan with c

On April 14, 2011, InterAction President and CEO Samuel A. Worthington testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. His testimony, below, championed the importance and value of the poverty-focused development and humanitarian accounts administered by USAID and the State Department.

InterAction's G8/G20 Task Force applauds the work of the G20 leaders to enhance financial inclusion by increasing access to financial services by low-income people. Improving the range and quality of financial services available to previously excluded individuals strengthens their ability to secure and increase their financial assets.

This is the product of a two-month collaborative process among InterAction's members to develop analysis and recommendations in three core areas: leadership, coordination and finance. It will be the basis of InterAction's engagement with the U.S. government and with the UN in the coming months on humanitarian reform issues.

NGO alliance InterAction welcomes World Bank President Robert Zoellick’s speech today in which he described the importance of civil society's role in development economics.

Updated information is available on InterAction member projects and education sector activities in Haiti as of March 2011.

Blog on Reuters' AlertNet by InterAction president and CEO, Samuel A. Worthington, on why giving either restricted or unrestricted funds during a disaster helps. The article is in response to a Reuters blog advocating unrestricted giving only.

Japan continues to reel from the multiple disasters triggered by last Friday’s massive earthquake near its northeast coast. The media attention following this disaster has brought about a compassionate response from Americans. InterAction has developed guidelines on the most appropriate ways to help those affected by overseas disasters.

New information, as of March 17, 2011, updating the sector and program lists for InterAction members working in Haiti.

As published in the Wall Street Journal on March 17, 2011: InterAction, an umbrella group for U.S. relief agencies active abroad, advises donors to give to agencies with partner organizations in Japan that would be best placed to spend funds wisely. It says there is minimal need at this stage either for donated goods or throngs of foreign volunteers.

Cash allows relief organizations to get exactly what they need quickly without having to worry about transportation, staff time, and warehouse space. 

A massive earthquake has hit Japan triggering a deadly tsunami and raising warnings of more tsunamis across the Pacific basin. Save the Children is mobilizing its global resources to respond to the needs of children and families affected by the earthquake and its aftermath, and an international emergency team has been dispatched to assist staff in Japan.

InterAction statement on crisis in Libya, March 1, 2011

This week, InterAction staff and various member organizations traversed Capitol Hill to educate staffers on funding trends for the International Affairs Budget (150 Account) and to distribute valuable resources to members of Congress, particularly the freshmen representatives, that will aid their understanding of a range of foreign assistance issues that are likely to emerge in the 112th Congre

In the aftermath of a successful referendum process in South Sudan which will likely lead to the emergence of two new states—North and South Sudan—from one, and against the backdrop of sweeping changes throughout the Middle East and North Africa, violence in Darfur appears to be on the rise.

InterAction's 990 Form for 2009.

UNICEF report six months after the 2010 floods in Pakistan.

Save the Children's assessment of the psychosocial problems and needs of children in flood affected areas in Pakistan six month after the floods.

InterAction's G8/G20 Task Force released its 2011 G8 Summit Policy Paper entitled U.S. Leadership at the May G8 Summit late last week.

Article from the Huffington Post one year after the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. InterAction's president and CEO, Samuel A. Worthington, was interviewed.

Articleon life in Imperial Beach one year after the earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010.

InterAction member Heifer International's one year progress report on work done in Haiti since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

Article from Scientific American on the health sector in Haiti one year after the January 12, 2010, earthquake, including discussion on NGOs' impact.

U.S. government fact sheet on moving from humanitarian relief to reconstruction in Haiti since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

One year progress report by InterAction member US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) on their activities in Haiti since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

Article on web-based news source for Latin America and the Caribbean InfoSurHoy on the pace of reconstruction in Haiti after the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Port-au-Prince. InterAction's president and CEO, Sam Worthington, was one of the experts interviewed for the article.

The $20,744,144 Food For The Poor raised for Haiti emergency earthquake relief had been spent entirely on those efforts by the end of October. The funds were used for purchasing food and other critical items that were not donated, as well as for shipping containers of relief to the country.  

Transcript of an interview of InterAction's president and CEO, Sam Worthington, and the State Department's Special Coordinator for Haiti, Thomas Adams, on the way forward in Haiti after the one year anniversary of the earthquake on January 12, 2010.

InterAction member Handicap International's one-year report on work done in Haiti since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

A document released by InterAction member Oxfam in January 2010, after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, with their recommendations on reconstruction.

One-year progress report by InterAction member Action Aid on their work in Haiti since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

An op-ed in the Miami Herald by UNICEF's Anthony Lake on the progress made in Haiti so far despite the challenges since the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

An article on AlertNet about InterAction member Oxfam's criticism of the recovery effort so far from the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

The World Conference on Disaster Reduction was held from 18 to 22 January 2005 in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, and adopted the present Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (here after referred to as the “Framework for Action”).

The Sphere Project is a programme of the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR) and InterAction with VOICE and ICVA. The project was launched in 1997 to develop a set of universal minimum standards in core areas of humanitarian assistance.

Report from InterAction member World Concern on Haiti one year after the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

Article published in the Wichita Eagle in Kansas on money donated to Haiti after the January 12, 2010, earthquake. InterAction's president and CEO, Samuel A. Worthington, was interviewed.

One year progress report from InterAction member the International Rescue Committee (IRC) after the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

InterAction member EDC's one year progress report after the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

Chapter Two of Bread for the World's 2011 Hunger Report examines country-led development and advocates for the United States to incorporate this principle into all of its foreign aid programs, as it has with the Feed the Future Initiative. 

One year after Haiti earthquake, Habitat’s recovery program has benefited nearly 24,000 families through emergency, transitional and permanent housing solutions. Work continues toward serving 50,000 families over next five years.

The people of Southern Sudan are a little more than one month away from casting their votes in a referendum on whether to remain part of Sudan or become an independent state. The referendum is the most significant milestone in a six-year interim period that began with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in 2005.

•Largely unnoticed outside the region, the Sudanese states of Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile have begun the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)–mandated process of popular consultation, which permits Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile to either adopt the CPA as the final settlement between the two states and the Government of Sudan (GoS) or renegotiate the CPA to remedy any shortcoming

Sudan’s north-south civil war was the longest conflict in African history and claimed more than two million lives. In 2005, the United States played a critical role in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) ending that conflict and setting forth a roadmap for sustainable peace. Despite many lapses and some tragic violence, the agreement has held.

On 24 September 2010, the United Nations Secretary-General convened a high-level meeting on Sudan to mobilize international support for the Sudanese parties’ full and timely implementation of the final phase of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), including the referenda on the self-determination of the people of Southern Sudan and on the status of Abyei, and for the peace processes f

•Many of the post-referendum scenarios in Sudan envisioned by the U.S. Institute of Peace and Clingendael Institute one year ago remain plausible today, less than six months prior to the referendum.

Sudan is at a crossroads and the next 12 months could determine the future of Africa’s largest nation.

The Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE) is a coalition of over 75 civil society organizations in all the 10 States of Southern Sudan whose objective is to promote and protect citizens’ participation in electoral and democratic processes.
 

Ambassador Richard Williamson discusses the importance of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act in testimony before the U.S. House of Representives Subcommittee on International Monteary Policy and Trade on November 30, 2010. 
 

Humanitarian supplies are being prepositioned at key locations in Sudan ahead of an expected referendum in the event of a possible mass movement of southern Sudanese from the north to the south, Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said today.

For the past several years, significant U.S. attention has been focused on the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, in which roughly three hundred thousand have died and nearly three million have been displaced.

In January 2011, after nearly six decades of armed conflict and tenuous peace, Sudan will hold a referendum to determine whether the south will remain united with Sudan or secede to become an independent nation. At the same time, Abyei is to hold a referendum to decide whether to join the South or remain in the North.

The clock is ticking fast towards what might be the most important date in modern Sudanese history – two
referenda in Sudan that are likely to result in the breakup of Africa’s largest state. With six months remaining
until 9 January 2011, the scheduled date of the referenda, the run-up to, and outcome of, the vote must be

InterAction member World Vision's one-year report on the response to the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti.

This report offers international agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the media, the U.S. government, and the public an overview of the humanitarian and development assistance being provided to the people of Pakistan by InterAction member agencies.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton unveiled the final report of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). The report provides a blueprint for elevating American "civilian power" to better advance national interests and to be a better partner to the U.S. military.

“For the first time, there’s been an attempt to rationalize the role of U.S. diplomats and development officers around the world and how diplomacy and development advance U.S.

Blog by Katie Gresham on the Development Assistance Task Force of the U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy, November 16-19, 2010.

Bond, InterAction’s United Kingdom counterpart coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in international development and humanitarian relief, released Seoul G20 Summit: UK NGO Briefing Paper on Tuesday, November 9.

Originally developed as part of InterAction's Africa Liaison Program Inititiative (ALPI) to foster relationships between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and nongovernmental organizations in the U.S.

More than nine months after the devastating January 12 earthquake in Haiti that claimed an estimated 230,000 lives, the survivors are still feeling the impact of a disaster that has left many of them susceptible to increased physical insecurity and violations of their fundamental rights.

InterAction’s G8/G20 Task Force welcomes the establishment of a G20 Development Working Group with its mandate to produce a development agenda and multi-year action

Concern Worldwide has been working in Haiti for 16 years with currently close to 400 staff.

Six months after an earthquake devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010, Handicap International has made a provisional assessment of the situation, which you can find below along with an outline of its plans for the future. The association has a team of 480 people in Haiti, including 70 expatriate staff. It is the association’s largest ever deployment.

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake struck Haiti, devastating the nation’s capital and creating one of the most complex urban disasters in decades. More than 220,000 persons were killed and 330,000 injured. An estimated 3 million men, women and children – one in three Haitians  were affected.

Oxfam had been working in Haiti for 32 years when the quake struck. For the past six months, our programs have scaled up to provide water and sanitation, public health education, and ensuring people have access to food and basic needs through cash-for-work and cash grants programs. We are currently helping over 440,000 people through our relief and recovery programs.

Six months on, the dramatic destruction caused by the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti is still synonymous with unbelievable stress for over three million people1, including 1.6 million living in 1,342 spontaneous settlements, of which 800,000 are estimated to be children.

The IRC launched programs in Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the January 12 earthquake.

JDC, the world’s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization, is proud to be using its expertise to bring ongoing relief to the people of Haiti in their time of need. As the process of recovery in Haiti begins, JDC is addressing the physical and psychological rehabilitation needs of those most devastated by the disaster.

Six months after the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake, life is slowly resuming for families in Haiti, but it is a new post-earthquake life of rebuilding communities and coming to terms with a new “normal.” The new normal includes some being able to return to homes that have been repaired. For others, it means having to find a new home - often with a relative or neighbor.

On an overcast and rainy May 25, CHF completed a payroll in Petit-Goave for 740 laborers in its ongoing cash-for-work program. Workers had spent the past two weeks demolishing crumbled buildings and removing rubble in support of the USAID-funded CLEARS program. At the payroll, CHF paid workers salaries totaling more than US$47,000, accounting for almost US$62 per person.

AMURT’s mission is to help improve the quality of life for the poor and disadvantaged people of the world, and to assist those affected by calamity and conflict. We believe that the best assistance is that which encourages and enables all people to develop themselves.

JUNE 2010 marks 6 months since a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the island nation of Haiti…While the recovery process has begun, devastation in Port-au- Prince, and many areas beyond, remains without precedent. As many as 3 million people were affected by the quake, 1 million left homeless, 300,000 injured, and over 220,000 killed.

Since January 12, 2010, Medical Teams International has:

On the six-month anniversary of Haiti's deadly earthquake, President Barack Obama said a rapid international response saved lives but the recovery effort must continue.

This report is compiled following a request by the Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC)2 at a meeting on 6 May 2010. The report is written 6 months after the 12 January earthquake in Haiti and is concerned primarily with

January 12, 2010 was a day when the world turned its attention to Haiti. A powerful earthquake rocked the country's capital, Port au Prince, killing an estimated 230,000 people. More than 300,000 had been injured and over one million made homeless. It was the worst earthquake in the region in more than 200 years.

This is a step-by-step guide to assist InterAction members in developing and implementing policies to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) of beneficiaries and vulnerable members of the community in countries where members work.

Letter from InterAction's President & CEO Samuel A.

 Notes from the "Consultation with the Global NGO Community on Building Back Better in Haiti" which occurred on March 25, 2010 in New York City.  The event was co-hosted by the European Union, InterAction, and the U.N. Office of the Special Envoy to Haiti.  

In response to the administration’s December 2009 Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report, InterAction members applaud the U.S.

Although compliance with InterAction's Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) Standards is a self-regulatory process, it is an important mechanism for demonstrating the integrity and accountability of the NGO sector with donors, the public, and beneficiaries and also serves as a track record of members’ internal efforts to improve organizational accountability.

This is the latest version of InterAction's budget table, which include numbers from the President's FY2011 Budget Request and the FY2010 Supplemental Request.

This brief, published by Save the Children in 2010, explores issues for policymakers and practitioners to consider as part of a renewed emphasis on stakeholder participation in development programs. 

Information on joining the InterAction community - eligibility criteria, responsibilities of membership, dues information - and a membership application.  

Intended to ensure and strengthen public confidence in the integrity, quality, and effectiveness of member organizations and their programs, InterAction's Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) were created when the overseas work of PVOs was dramatically increasing in scope and significance.

A progress report about the Millennium Challenge Corporation and its full funding request since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report about transformational diplomacy's the "F" process and returning budget authority to a USAID administrator since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report on U.S. development assistance funding trends since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report about Sudan and the need to ensure access to those who require assistance since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report on Sudan and engaging international partners in the Darfur conflict since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report about the naming of a special U.S. envoy in Sudan since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A progress report on Burma since publication of InterAction’s 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

The Global Food Security Act of 2009 (S. 384) was introducted on February 5, 2009 by Senators Dick Lugar and Robert Casey.  The Global Food Security Act calls for the creation of a comprehensive food security strategy, a White House Corodinator to develop and oversee the strategy and authorizes agriculural development measures critical to addressing long-term hunger.

The Roadmap to End Global Hunger and Promote Food Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2817) was introduced on June 11, 2009 by Representative James McGovern.  The Roadmap Act outlines the elements of a comprehensive strategy, including emergency response, safety nets, nutrition programs, and agricultural development.

This document outlines the Lugar Casey Global Food Security Act (S.384).  The bill would re-orient U.S. foreign assistance programs to focus on promoting food security and rural development in countries with large, chronically hungry populations.

The program of workshops and activities at the 2009 InterAction Annual Forum.

Although compliance with InterAction's Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) Standards is a self-regulatory process, it is an important mechanism for demonstrating the integrity and accountability of the NGO sector with donors, the public, and beneficiaries and also serves as a track record of members’ internal efforts to improve organizational accountability.

This is intended to be read with the PVO Standards promulgated by InterAction for its members; it provides elaboration on the intent and applications of the Standards on input from other relevant sources. The Standards are requirements for membership in InterAction; the Guidelines are recommendations from the Board, but are not requirements for membership.

Application for Membership in InterAction

This policy brief is part of a larger series in InterAction’s 2009 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book.

A brochure highlighting the work of InterAction's first 25 years. Visit http://www.interaction.org for the complete 2008 annual report.

In April 2009, more than 90 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) co-signed a letter calling on President Obama to nominate a qualified USAID Administrator.

This document, published by the Millennium Challenge Corporation in February, 2009, is designed to provide eligible country partners with an overview of how consultations are inte­grated into compact development and implementation, and to explain MCC’s expectations with regard to manage­ment and reporting on this process.

G8 nations must commit to meet their obligations for funding their committments on global health, including establishing a mechanism to monitor progress.

Critical Problems, Recommendations, and actions for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress

In order to keep membership active with InterAction, members are required to pay dues annually. Membership dues represent approximately 25 percent of InterAction’s total operating budget. This document provides additional details on the importance of member dues and how they are calculated.

This synthesis, published by Zaza Curran of the Overseas Development Institute in October, 2005, looks at civil society’s participation in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers process and examines whether the recommendations made by civil society organizations were included in the final PRSP documents. 

This paper, published by the World Bank in 2005, assesses the World Bank’s recent relations with civil society organizations and proposes new options for promoting effective civil engagement in the future.

This document, published by the OECD (1998), explores the role, history and traditions of civil society in order to improve international development and peace-building efforts.