Assessing the cost‐effectiveness of interventions within a humanitarian organisation

Cost‐effectiveness analysis is increasingly relevant in humanitarian action. The cost of response has increased exponentially in the past decade, alongside concurrent donor budget restrictions. However, there remains limited comprehension and application of these methods in this field. This paper documents methods developed for use within Action Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organisation, in response to a lack of understanding of this topic within the humanitarian community and limited evidence of the cost‐effectiveness of humanitarian action. These methods encompass costs to both implementing institutions and participating communities. Activity‐based cost analyses are conducted to assess resources per programme activity. Cost‐effectiveness is evaluated using successful programme outcomes, and uncertainty is appraised via sensitivity analysis. This paper aims to advance knowledge, stimulate discussion, and promote the adoption of cost‐effectiveness methods for building the evidence base for humanitarian action, including consideration of community costs, to enable analytical outputs that are useful for managers and policymakers alike.     

The futility of rights‐based humanitarian aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories

A rights‐based approach (RBA) to humanitarian aid is intrinsic to Norwegian policy and should inform Norwegian aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, one of the main receivers of Norwegian aid. However, this is the case only to a limited extent. While Norwegian humanitarian non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) take RBA seriously, and design their projects in accordance with its principles, they are unable to pursue a programme of long‐term structural change. This is because the main duty‐bearer, Israel, is indifferent or hostile to their work, while Norway's foreign policy is given higher priority than following through a rights‐based agenda. The result of this situation is a large, long‐standing aid effort that is unable to provide more than temporary relief in a steadily deteriorating situation. The Palestinian case suggests that RBA in humanitarianism may lead to frustration rather than human liberation when not backed up by political power.     

Risk Removed? Steps Towards Building Trust in Humanitarian Mine Action

This article examines the role of building trust in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA). The role of trust following a mine-clearance operation is largely an unexplored region. Drawing on case studies from Angola, Mozambique and Afghanistan, the article explores how trust can be understood in the context of humanitarian initiatives such as landmine clearance, and outlines the challenges associated with building trust among populations with experience of armed conflict. Because trust is difficult to re-establish following a war, the argument presented here suggests that one way in which this can be done is through building relationships at the organisational and interpersonal levels. The analysis reviews specific measures that mine-action agencies have used to build trust, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. The analysis concludes by suggesting general guidelines for how mine-action practitioners can facilitate trust, and by outlining some promising avenues for future research.     

旅游景观规划设计的原则及其应用--以安丘青云山民俗游乐园为例

以旅游学基本理论和景观生态学原理为依据,分析了在旅游景观规划设计中应遵循的整体性原则、多样性原则、独特性原则、参与性原则和可持续性原则,并以安丘青云山民俗游乐园为例,从游乐园的景观功能分区、景观整体布局、景观生态设计、景观特色与创新、景观体验与项目参与等方面具体说明这些原则在旅游景观规划设计中的应用.     

A 'Principled' Approach to Complex Emergencies: Testing a New Aid Delivery Model in the Nuba Mountains

This paper provides an analysis of the Nuba Mountains Programme Advancing Conflict Trans-formation (NMPACT) as an example of an operational response in a complex emergency that innovatively addressed an incipient food security crisis. NMPACT is notable for having brought together an array of actors around a common principled agenda and for being the only operational programme in the Sudan to which both warring parties subscribed during the conflict. The key features of the programme are presented and the main innovative elements are reviewed, including the role of the principles of engagement and the 'political humanitarianism' of NMPACT. The paper looks at how NMPACT broke from traditional externally driven responses to food insecurity, and, drawing on lessons from Operation Lifeline Sudan, adopted an approach that focuses on capacity building, sustainable agriculture and market revitalisation, alongside conflict transformation and peace-building. The limitations of the model are also assessed, and preliminary lessons regarding its replication in other complex emergency contexts are presented.     

UNDERSTANDING A WATERSHED FROM THE BIOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT1

In watershed management the effects of plants on water cannot be considered a constant and forgotten because: plants of different sizes and forms use water at different rates and plants of the same size differ in their needs for water because of anatomical differences. Many common denominators are present in all watersheds covered by vegetation. Forces exerted on the soil water by vegetation, climate and soil are the same kinds of forces. The differences between watersheds in water yield potential appear to be due to differences in the degree in which these forces are exerted. However, the influence of biotic factors are more individual. The similarities and differences existing between watersheds suggest some principles that can be used as guides to understanding individual watershed problems and as possible guides to determining when, how, and where to treat a given watershed. Eleven principles are given and their application to the definition and solution of biological or vegetational problems of watershed management are discussed.     

Humanitarian Crises: What Determines the Level of Emergency Assistance? Media Coverage,Donor Interests and the Aid Business

This paper proposes a basic hypothesis that the volume of emergency assistance any humanitarian crisis attracts is determined by three main factors working either in conjunction or individually. First, it depends on the intensity of media coverage. Second, it depends on the degree of political interest, particularly related to security, that donor governments have in a particular region. Third, the volume of emergency aid depends on strength of humanitarian NGOs and international organisations present in a specific country experiencing a humanitarian emergency. The empirical analysis of a number of emergency situations is carried out based on material that has never been published before. The paper concludes that only occasionally do the media play a decisive role in influencing donors. Rather, the security interests of Western donors are important together with the presence and strength of humanitarian stakeholders, such as NGOs and international organisations lobbying donor governments.     

论我国环境教育体系构建的思路、原则与对策

随着可持续发展日益成为人类社会发展的大势所趋，实施以环境保护与可持续发展为主要内容的全民终身环境教育已日趋必要与紧迫。本文运用环境保护理论及教育学的基本原理，从世界与我国环境教育的形成与历史演变着手，论述了我国环境教育体系构建的目标、思路、原则及其主要内容，最后提出了建议与对策。     

In search of greener towns

Around 1970 a quiet revolution occurred in several European countries involving the use of naturalistic design approaches and ecological principles in the design and management of urban green spaces. The objective was to bring the qualities of nature into peoples’ daily lives and provide a richer external living environment. Parallel programmes of community participation and environmental education were involved. Successful projects in Holland, Sweden and Britain are described. These indicate that despoiled urban and urban‐fringe land can be quickly and economically transformed into green environments which are attractive for living and commercial investment. A reorganisation of Local Authority landscape resources is recommended.     

水污染物总量分配原则及方法研究进展

总结了国内外水污染物总量分配的各种方法,简述了我国总量分配过程中出现的问题,对我国总量分配发展方向进行了探讨。