Humanitarian Policy and Practice

The Humanitarian Policy and Practice (HPP) program works with InterAction members to help shape the international humanitarian system, humanitarian policy, and humanitarian practice to more effectively save lives and alleviate human suffering. Senior program experts represent the U.S. NGO community on several global policy bodies focused on humanitarian assistance, including the United Nations, the Sphere Project, and Global Shelter Cluster.

HPP also provides member NGOs with a forum to coordinate, consult, and advocate on behalf of those forcibly displaced or otherwise affected by conflict, natural disasters, and other crises.

The program’s key areas of focus include:

• Civilian and Non-combatant Protection: HPP staff experts work to strengthen protection in humanitarian action through programming, policy development, and advocacy.
• Humanitarian Coordination: HPP coordinates with and improves InterAction member responses to specific crises, ensuring that past lessons are incorporated, and humanitarian principles are followed.
• Humanitarian Policy: HPP examines humanitarian response and coordination on a global scale, with particular emphasis on representing the U.S. NGO community on the various policy bodies of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).
• Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA): InterAction seeks to enhance NGOs’ ability to prevent and respond to the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse by their own staff.