India Humanitarian Hub

The India Humanitarian Hub was formally initiated on 19 March 2019 at Viswa Yuva Kendra, New Delhi to enhance the scope of localisation and address barriers faced by local and national actors who are crucial to leading humanitarian responses. 

This initiative aims to bring together local, national and international actors for complementarity, paving the way for a renewed and strengthened humanitarian architecture built upon mutual trust and recognition. Agencies aligned with this understanding came together to form the India Humanitarian Hub.

Vision: 

Bringing humanitarian decision-making closer to where all the action happens: inspire local leadership and change.

Mission: 

To bring local agencies to the forefront of humanitarian action and decision-making.

Focus Areas:

• Knowledge and innovations    
• Locally led humanitarian action
• New funding and finance mechanisms

Programmes and Initiatives:

Innovation Programme

• Driving innovation in disaster management technology and data analytics for aid distribution
• Supported six innovation projects across the country focusing on disaster risk reduction, action research, climate resilience, disaster preparedness and response, adaptation through nature-based solutions, promotion of resilient livelihoods, and inclusive emergency response with special attention to persons with disabilities and transgenders communities. 
• INR60 Lakhs disbursed.
• Collaboration across 6 states in India- Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in the East, Kashmir in the North, Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south.

Locally led humanitarian action

• The Hub aims for a minimum 50% participation from local and sub-national organisations. Currently 4 local organisations are members with 12 more local and national organisations in the pipeline.
• Through its internal structures, representation and external programs, IHH empowers, enables and encourages the active participation of these local and national actors.
• IHH is developing a policy to welcome additional non-member organisations to expand its network and strengthen collaboration in humanitarian efforts.

New funding and finance mechanisms

• Focus on new financing mechanisms that are relevant, suitable and accessible to frontline and local actors and to ensure those mechanisms that already exist are made available and accessible to local/subnational actors. 
• Responded to a variety of small to medium-scale crises, including floods, cyclones, storms, wildfires, and COVID-19 pandemic. 
• Amassed almost GBP4.7 million in funds to support disaster relief efforts and address a crucial gap in the humanitarian aid system in India.