Crisis Prevention and Recovery

How We Do It

Operating in some 100 countries, the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery identifies the needs of people suffering from crises and responds to them. These needs may be as simple as providing fishing boats and nets to villagers who have lost their livelihoods in a flood, or as complex as training lawyers, judges and security forces to enable all civilians to have access to justice – particularly women.

Indeed, we take the needs and potential contributions of women seriously. Whether crisis is triggered by armed conflict or natural disaster, women bear the brunt of it. The staggering rates of sexual violence targeting women and girls in conflict zones reflects the heavy price women have to pay in times of conflict and instability. We have adopted a comprehensive eight point action plan to empower and protect women and ensure they play a vital role in the recovery process.

Working in countries in crisis is a risky business. It is only logical that we must assume risks of our own if we hope to be an effective partner easing societies towards peace and security. Our experience has taught us that we need to be flexible – always seeking new ways of working faster, getting in earlier and functioning in riskier situations. We, in turn, are always seeking partners on the ground who are willing to work, learn and take risks alongside us.

The Crisis Bureau wears many hats, depending on the nature of the crisis.

We provide expertise, offering both technical knowledge and financial resources to support prevention and recovery efforts;

We seek to protect women and give them a voice through our eight point action plan for women’s equality;

We develop policy and help societies in crisis identify and resolve problems, seeking sustainable solutions that will prevent further outbreaks of violence;

We provide leadership on crisis issues, serving as a center for crisis policy and best practice for partner agencies and governments;

We serve as advocates for crisis sensitivity, working to ensure that long-term development policies and programmes incorporate opportunities for disaster reduction and conflict prevention;

In everything we do, we recognize that we cannot work alone, and seek partners whose skills and strengths will complement our own.