Citation

Kent RC. Disasters 2004; 28(2): 216-233.

Affiliation

International Policy Institute, King's College, 138-142 The Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK. randolph.kent@kcl.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.0361-3666.2004.00254.x

PMID

15186366

Abstract

Changes in the nature of humanitarian crises and in the ways that the international community responds to such crises demand a radically overhauled role for the United Nations system. At a time when the UN and its member states are pursuing reform of some of that institution's most fundamental peace and security functions, this paper suggests that reform, too, is required to meet humanitarian crises of the future. This paper proposes a new type of operational role for the UN, while at the same time arguing that the UN has to place itself in the vanguard of humanitarian assistance as "the standard-bearer". The article draws many of its conclusions and recommendations from a recently completed study, requested by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, concerning the effect for the UN system of changes in humanitarian financing.

Language: en