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The Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) systems being piloted by Start Network offer the opportunity for improved accountability to populations at risk because of their pre-arranged nature. A recent piece of research has explored what this means in practice, using experience from Start Networks DRF work in Senegal, Pakistan, Kenya and Madagascar. This is being shared with our members and the wider humanitarian community through a learning paper which delves into the opportunities and challenges this presents, (insert link) and a short guide with some practical tips for ensuring accountability in DRF systems (insert link).https://startnetwork.org/anticipation-and-risk-financing

Disaster risk financing is an innovative approach for timely and predictable crisis management. With decisions about how a crisis will be monitored, funded and acted on taken in advance, there are new opportunities and challenges around ensuring accountability to affected populations (AAP).  

The Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF) brings together the key agencies implementing anticipatory action on the ground. The AATF draws on a wealth of experience from implementing anticipatory action initiatives in over 60 countries. The mission of the AATF is to promote the use of anticipatory humanitarian action to risks1 . The taskforce also supports evidence-based policies that make anticipatory action possible.

Acting prior to a predictable hazard in order to safeguard lives and livelihoods, to reduce human suffering and losses and damages, is a faster, more efficient and more dignified response.

Aunque la sequía se puede predecir con meses de anticipación, la asistencia humanitaria a menudo se retrasa porque se necesita tiempo para recaudar fondos después de que ocurre la crisis.

Bien qu'il soit possible de prévoir une sécheresse plusieurs mois à l'avance, l'aide humanitaire est souvent retardée, car une fois la crise survenue, il faut du temps pour collecter des fonds.

Although drought can be predicted months in advance, humanitarian assistance is often delayed – because it takes time to raise funds after the crisis has happened.

Although drought can be predicted months in advance, humanitarian assistance is often delayed – because it takes time to raise funds after the crisis has happened. When drought hit Senegal in 2020, this wasn’t the case – because of the insurance policy we bought in 2019, which paid out before the worst effects were felt. Our payout, worth $10.6 million, combined with an additional contingency fund release of $375,000 meant we could reach 335,000 people with timely assistance, helping them to prepare before it was too late.

This paper explores the new opportunities and challenges for ensuring accountability to affected populations related to disaster risk financing. It draws on Start Network experience in Pakistan, Senegal, Madagascar and Kenya to discuss possible issues and challenges that DRF programming can present for accountability, and steps which can be taken to address these.

The monthly risk briefing reports on new, emerging or deteriorating situations; therefore, ongoing events that are considered to be unchanged are not featured and risks that are beyond the scope and scale of the Start Fund are also not featured. It is collated by the Start Network Anticipation and Risk Financing team using information from academia and research institutes, government departments, ACAPS, global risk indexes, risk information provided by Start Members and their partners, and the media. Key risks are shared and collated each month with FOREWARN input.