Beyond centralized aid. Community-based approaches in humanitarian action in Afghanistan

Abstract

This master’s thesis investigates the primary challenges faced by community-based approaches in humanitarian action and their influence on the effectiveness of aid responses in Afghanistan. Community-based approaches represent a transformative shift towards collaborative efforts that integrate local perspectives and capacities into aid delivery, emphasizing the inherent tension between global standards and the imperative for a nuanced, culturally sensitive understanding of local realities from a more holistic and comprehensive perspective. In contrast to traditional centralized aid frameworks, community-based approaches aim to promote humanitarian aid in a decolonial manner, challenging western-centric or one-size-fits-all responses that emerged post-Cold War under liberal-democratic paradigms. Employing a qualitative methodology, this research conducts an exploratory study, drawing from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including reports, guidelines, and data from organizations such as UNHCR, OCHA, and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), as well as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, International Rescue Committee, and Center for Civilians in Conflict. The study is grounded in a critical-theoretical framework, integrating perspectives from Humanitarian Action studies, Critical Security Studies, and sociological debates on the concept of community and the various social dynamics that constitute it. The investigation seeks to provide insights that advance both theoretical expansion and practical implementation in contemporary humanitarian action, emphasizing responsiveness, inclusivity, and effectiveness in addressing the needs of affected populations in non-western scenarios. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the debate on the dynamics of community-based approaches in aid initiatives, particularly in contexts affected by non-state armed conflicts. Using Afghanistan as a compelling case study, we analyze the results from the Afghanistan Community Voices and Accountability Platform, based on the 2023 data from the AAP Afghanistan Working Group. The Platform presents feedback results from communities consulted about aid delivery in this region. By doing so, we underscore the need for critical self-reflection within the humanitarian system to refine actions in response to diverse and challenging contemporary emergencies. Keywords: Afghanistan, community engagement, community-based approach, Critical Security Studies, humanitarian action, non-state armed conflicts.