Inclusive Coordination: Building an Area-Based Humanitarian Coordination Model

This paper critically examines the current deficiencies in humanitarian coordination, highlighting its dominance by large international aid organizations at the expense of local actors and governments. It proposes a shift towards a more people-centered and area-based approach to planning and delivering humanitarian assistance. The hybrid next-generation architecture suggested integrates lessons from area-based programming, emphasizing holistic community engagement and multisectoral responses. It aims to better align humanitarian action with the actual needs and priorities of crisis-affected populations by decentralizing decision-making and operational processes. The paper is intended for humanitarian policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders involved in reforming and improving coordination mechanisms within the humanitarian sector.