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Enhancing the knowledge base:

New RCN programme with focus on humanitarian policy launched

The Research on Humanitarian Policy programme (HUMPOL)will meet the need for more research capacity and expertise as a basis for national policy-making.

The programme receives funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Attending the HUMPOL launch: Bjørn Tore Kjellemo, Director (Dep. of Cooperation and Development Research) and Jan M. Haakonsen, responsible for HUMPOL - both from The Research Council. Arne Strand from CMI (head of the planning group) and Øystein Lyngroth from The Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Wite paper sets the objectives

The programme is launched on the basis of the white paper Norway’s Humanitarian Policy (Report 40 (2008 -2009)) to the Storting and the work of a planning group headed by Research Director Arne Strand from Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) in Bergen.

The white paper states four main goals for Norwegian policy:

Ensure that people in need receive the necessary protection and assistance
Finance humanitarian assistance based on the principles of humanity, impartiality and neutrality
Equip the humanitarian community to meet future global humanitarian challenges
Prevent, respond to and initiate the recovery of communities after humanitarian crises

Wide variety of themes

The HUMPOL programme will be spanning themes such as Prevention of and preparedness for humanitarian disasters, Protection of civilians, Armed violence and Future challenges for international humanitarian assistance, as well as some cross-cutting issues.

Øystein Lyngroth from the Section for Humanitarian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underlines the expectations of the Ministry: “The programme is expected to develop new knowledge in the humanitarian policy field and lay the foundation for a more knowledge-based formulation of Norwegian humanitarian policy.”

He continues: “We also want to increase the capacity of Norwegian research institutions, to make them better prepared for their advisory function on humanitarian policy issues. Researchers are expected to cooperate with a wide range of humanitarian actors, including NGO’s, and to be field-oriented in their approach.”

Close cooperation with the Ministry

The programme and the individual projects will be developed in close contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To ensure the best possible relevance, project leaders are to meet with the Ministry within the first six months of the project period.

All projects are expected to include communication activities to contribute to increased public awareness and debate on humanitarian action in Norway and in the South and to the international debate on humanitarian policy issues.

First call for proposals

The first HUMPOL call for proposals has been published, with an application deadline of 12 October.

Within a frame budget amounting to NOK 40 million, Norwegian universities and research institutes are invited to submit proposals for large (NOK 10-12 million) as well as more modest-sized projects.

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