DEMAC – Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination is a global initiative, who works for a deeper understanding of diasporas as humanitarian actors and strive for better coordination between diaspora organizations and the humanitarian system.
Building on expertise gained since its inception in 2015, DEMAC has developed as a one-stop-shop for enhancing mutual knowledge and coordination between diaspora humanitarian actors and the international humanitarian system.
“Our mission is to improve coordination and collaboration among diaspora organizations providing humanitarian assistance and across diaspora organizations and institutional humanitarian actors. We further aim to increase visibility and engagement for diaspora organizations in the humanitarian system.”
– DEMAC – Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination
In July 2022, DEMAC published a Good Practice guide “Diaspora Humanitarianism Response & Engagement“, highlighting the extensive work diasporas do, and challenges they face as primary audiences in humanitarian response.
The report provides an overview of 14 key and good practices of diaspora organizations that engage in humanitarian response from the experiences and lessons learnt after consultations with diaspora organizations, as well as institutional humanitarian actors.
Stakeholders in the institutional humanitarian system and international non-governmental organizations, who are identified as secondary audience in this report will benefit from this tool by gaining additional understanding and knowledge of how diaspora organizations engage in humanitarian assistance, as well as the opportunities and challenges they face.
This report is made possible by the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Download the full report HERE.
The DEMAC International Conference marked a highlight in the annual calendar, as it was finally possible to gather again in person. The two-day international conference “Enhancing Coordination in Humanitarian Settings” on May 30 & 31 was made possible by the generous support of USAID and held in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference brought together 43 participants from diaspora organizations and representatives from, amongst others, Somalia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Haiti, and Timor-Leste; in addition to 24 representatives of INGO, UN, and research partners.
DEMAC has published the conference report to support the dissemination of the valuable discussions held at the forum, focusing on trust building, improved diaspora engagement in the institutional humanitarian system, and the status of diaspora humanitarian response.
A full overview of all the conference sessions including discussions on the role of diaspora in terms of localization, working with local partners, collaborating with institutional actors, accountability, and many more is captured in the report which can be downloaded HERE.
For more information about DEMAC kindly visit their website.
Edited by: Theresa R. Fianko
Additional Information: DEMAC – Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination
Image Attribution: DEMAC – Diaspora Emergency Action & Coordination
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