The then newly appointed Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, addressed the humanitarian community in November 2024 in an open letter pointing out listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation as the focus topics for the initial stage of his work.

„Global Voices for Humanitarian Assistance“ outside view series

Listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation as topics were thus a unique opportunity to discuss humanitarian assistance in an inter-disciplinary fashion. In 2025, Global Responsibility took up this challenge and invited outside experts to contribute their findings and reflections in writing.

Humanitarian crisis is followed by crisis, and financial support has been strained. Consequently, listening, efficiency, outspokenness and innovation became even more critical.

„New Perspectives for Humanitarian Action“ wrap-up event

With the in-person event on 28 November, a „cross-sectoral dialogue on listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation in humanitarian action“ in cooperation with the City of Vienna, the written ideas were explored in greater depth and enriched with additional perspectives by expert panellists Fati Hassane (Oxfam in Africa), Nick Appleyard and Anna Hirsch-Holland (ESA), Gemma Connell (OCHA), Marisa Leon Gomez Sonet (R-SEAT), and author and journalist Harry Eyres.

Together with speakers and participants we wanted to open new horizons through open discussions, characterized by argumentation, explanation, communication and shared reflection. We hoped to nurture ideas and provide motivation across sectors to show that leaving no one behind is a universal duty of humanity, that the humanitarian principles and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are cornerstones of society and to use the assembled expertise to provide practical, innovative advice.

Conclusions

„I stood at the border, stood at the edge and claimed it as central.

I claimed it as central, and let the rest of the world move over to where I was“.

– Toni Morrison

What general conclusions must be drawn after a day filled with thought-provoking and meaningful discussions and exchanges?

• Putting those standing at the edge to the centre can be defined as the central principle for the reform of the humanitarian architecture and for listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation in humanitarian action.
• Humanitarian action is not a static picture full of absolute truths. It requires constant dialogue to strengthen it beyond its current confines.
• Listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation are more than polite exercises. They foster collective action and  learning across sectors.
• With the humanitarian principles and IHL, humanitarian stakeholders have strong, universal, ethical North Stars, on which to base any reform process on.
• We need progress on listening, efficiency, outspokenness, and innovation so as to support those standing at the edge moving to the centre. But how, and by whom, can progress be measured?

For more detailed information, download the full report below.

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