The Observatorio Humanitario de América Latina & el Caribe (Humanitarian Observatory of Latin America and the Caribbean) was created as part of the international research program “Humanitarian Governance: Alternatives, advocacy, accountability” of the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. This initiative led to the establishment of several regional humanitarian observatories focusing on the different dynamics of humanitarian governance in Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia. The Observatory for Humanitarian Governance: Latin America and the Caribbean, has been constituted within the working agreement signed between the University of the Andes (Colombia) and the ISS (Netherlands). Convention within which the two institutions have coordinated and worked closely together. |
|
|
SECOND YEAR OF THE OBSERVATORY |
|
|
|
|
During this year we set several challenges, all aimed to strengthen the observatory and expand the participation of new members and new themes. It was also the time to strengthen ties with other observatories globally (other active humanitarian observatories are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Philippines, India and new ones are about to be consolidated). We also worked to consolidate our action plans - both with other observatories and within our own - and we seek to create spaces for different organizations, communities, academics and humanitarian actors to share their work, knowledge and experiences. We are grateful for these opportunities.
We are aware that our field of work and study is very difficult and full of challenges. The year showed us that humanitarian crises and suffering do not cease, the number of people affected around the world continues to increase and we are aware of our privileged place in these contexts. Thus, we continue in our eagerness to continue exploring humanitarian issues in the region, opening spaces for academic production, exchange of ideas and expansion of networks, being aware that the humanitarian dynamics of the region and the world are advancing rapidly, and we must keep pace with them.
Therefore, in this years final edition, we would like to share with you an account of what we did in the Observatory during 2023, and at the same time give a warm welcome to the new members who have decided to become part of this initiative. Therefore, in this years final edition, we would like to share with you an account of what the observatory has been during 2023 and at the same time give a warm welcome to the new members who have decided to be part of this initiative. Finally, we would also like to welcome those interested in nurturing the observatory and extend a special invitation: from your different places and knowledge, please send us your proposals and ideas for joint work possibilities, either by sharing your research, suggesting activities and co-leading spaces for exchange. Do not forget the co-creative nature of the observatory and hopefully future editions of the bulletins will include more active voices of the members.
¡Thank you all for being part of this process! Happy holidays and a prosperous 2024!
Felices fiestas y un próspero 2024!
Warmly,
Juan Ricardo Aparicio, Laura Macías, Rodrigo Mena, y Gabriela Villacís Izquierdo
|
|
|
MEETINGS IN BOGOTÁ AND 2023 PLANNING |
|
|
|
|
The year began with several meetings to plan the year's agenda and establish a plan of action for the observatory. In March, we coordinated the visit of the Humanitarian Governance: accountability, advocacy, alternatives project team and a commission from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of the Erasmus University Rotterdam to Bogota, led by Prof. Dorothea Hilhorst and Rodrigo Mena. This visit had the main purpose of strengthening academic and administrative coordination networks between the two institutions - from the Interdisciplinary Center for Development Studies (CIDER), the Faculty of Social Sciences (FACISO) and the Projects Department.
During the meetings held by the team in Bogota, we were privileged to count with the personal participation of active members of the observatory, who represented academia and civil society. Thanks to Oscar Gomez, Juan Pablo Vera, Juliana Poveda, Claudia Lily Rodriguez and Laura Victoria Alzate. These meetings set the tone for the discussions we wanted to have in the observatory during this year, regarding the humanitarian crises in the region, as well as the type of interventions that are made, the role played by each of the actors in this arena of dispute, the power relations, the challenges, the stakes, and the multiple problems in the field of action and practice.
|
|
After the valuable coordination and planning spaces in Bogota, the observatory team held different exchange and learning spaces at the Cartagena headquarters of the Universidad de Los Andes for its first congress, in which the entire Humanitarian Governance project team participated.
Within this first congress, which took place over a week, the main objectives were for the team to get to know each other and cohere, exchange ideas and work experiences, review and understand humanitarian governance, hold workshops to help develop members' competencies, further develop and shape the humanitarian observatories, and explore existing connections between program partners or create new connections and joint projects.
Throughout the week several meetings were held with members of all the observatories. Some of them had the purpose of: 1) presenting and problematizing the paradigms of humanitarianism; 2) understanding humanitarianism as an arena in which different actors intervene, dialogue, negotiate and dispute; 3) reviewing and problematizing the concepts of accountability, advocacy and alternatives in humanitarian action; 4) studying the daily challenges of humanitarian intervention and politics; 5) highlighting the pluriformity of humanitarian governance; 6) and establishing the objectives of the project.
It was very significant for the projects team to participate in meetings with the different observatories to learn what strategies and actions had been developed up to that moment in terms of work methodology, interests, and the goals that each one of them had set for the short, medium and long term, as part of the global project.
Members of the observatory also had their space to contribute to the exchange of knowledge. Professor Juan Ricardo Aparicio gave an academic talk on alternatives to humanitarian governance, entitled “The IDP and the Humanitarian Governance: between the new positivities, the economies of abandonment and the different ruptures.” Professor Rodrigo Mena gave the post-fieldwork workshop and the academic communication training.
|
|
|
Humanitarian Studies Centre (HSC) |
|
|
|
|
After this great and successful start to the year, in August we had the inauguration of the Humanitarian Studies Center of the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS). The HSC seeks to be an apiary of initiatives and activities oriented to academic and applied research; teaching and training; networking, outreach and advocacy. The HSC was created thanks to funds associated with the Spinoza Prize - the highest scientific award in the Netherlands - granted to Professor Dorothea Hilhorst, who is the director of the HSC.
Thus, the center's mission is to develop and enhance humanitarian studies, both in the Netherlands and internationally, with a special focus on promoting research and education invulnerable and crisis-affected areas. It is a privilege for the Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean to be part of this ambitious initiative.
|
|
|
Knowledge exchange and learning: extending networks |
|
|
|
|
During 2023 the observatory was fortunate to host different talks aimed at fulfilling one of our main objectives: to be a place where academics, humanitarian actors, communities, and institutions - regional, national and international - can converge to share projects, experiences, ideas and research.
The first of them was Visiones de lo humanitario desde la periferia: Hacia una comparación de América Latina y el Este Asiático. The evento was held in March and was given by Professor Oscar A. Gómez. The second talk entitled. The second talk was Involucramiento comunitario estrategia para una mejor respuesta humanitaria, This was an event offered to the IMMAP-Colombia organization to share its work with the members of the observatory. And the third talk, The affected: «Los afectados», took place in November. This time we had the opportunity to learn about the ongoing research of Professor Ayesha Siddiqi in Mocoa, Colombia.
¡Thanks to all those who found in the observatory a meaningful space to share their knowledge!
|
|
|
Participation in international spaces: making the observatory visible to other audiences. |
|
|
|
|
We are convinced that an initiative such as the humanitarian observatory is enriched by new perspectives and audiences outside our contexts. Thus, we would like to highlight two international events in which the team participated to expand the discussions on the Observatory and humanitarian issues in Latin America and the Caribbean:
|
|
|
Latin American Congress of Research for Peace - CLAIP in Santiago de Chile
A new edition of the Latin American Congress on Peace Research was held from April 18 to 21, 2023 under the theme "Building Good Living from North to South".
The event was held at the Alberto Hurtado University in Santiago de Chile. Rodrigo Mena and Gabriela Villacís Izquierdo participated in the Congress to present the work done so far within the Observatory, This project was of great interest to the participants because it was innovative and at the same time motivated them to think about peace from the point of view of the origin of humanitarian crises and governance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
World Conference on Humanitarian Studies - Dhaka, Bangladesh
From November 5-7, 2023, the seventh edition of the World Conference on Humanitarian Studies was held under the theme "Humanitarianism in Changing Climates" organized by the International Humanitarian Studies Association (IHSA). On behalf of the Observatory, we brought to Bangladesh the discussions generated by the members of the Observatory. With the topic "Humanitarianism in Latin America and the Caribbean: Understanding humanitarian governance and its peculiarities in the region", the Observatory led the panel with the participation of the members of the observatory: Prof. Oscar Gomez, Prof. Juan Ricardo Aparicio, Laura Macias, Prof. Rodrigo Mena and Gabriela Villacis. The contributions and questions of the participants were key to continue with the discussions inside and outside the observatory. |
|
|
|
|
We invite you to review the following news and announcements in this section of Solferino LAC. If you would like to contribute in any way to the Observatory's newsletter or blog, please contact us at: |
|
|
|
|
|
%%Member_Busname%%
%%Member_Addr%% %%Member_City%%, %%Member_State%%, %%Member_PostalCode%%, %%Member_Country%%
Universidad de los Andes | Vigilada Mineducación
Reconocimiento como Universidad: Decreto 1297 del 30 de mayo de 1964.
Reconocimiento personería jurídica: Resolución 28 del 23 de febrero de 1949 Minjusticia.
Actualizar Perfil
Cancelar suscripción
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
