Accountability in distributing assistance stressed
Speakers at a seminar yesterday stressed ensuring accountability of the government and non-government organisations (NGOs) in distributing humanitarian assistance.
They said giving assistance or relief to people during periods of disasters should not be considered as charity rather this accountability should be considered as the minimum human right of people.
The seminar titled “Accountability towards Grass Roots Humanitarian Assistance in Bangladesh: Hap Standard 2010” was held at Brac Center Inn in the capital.
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International's (Hap) support groups in Bangladesh organised the programme to inaugurate the Bangla translation of the “2010 Hap Standard in Accountability and Quality Management”.
Appreciating the Bangla translation of Hap Standard 2010, Marian Casey-Maslen, executive director of Hap International, said each actor in the humanitarian system has to stand by their commitments to at-risk and crisis-affected population and this applies for all stakeholders, including national governments, international donors, United Nations, national and international NGOs.
Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation, said humanitarian assistance is not a mere charity; rather it is the very right of grassroots people to whom we owe to support as per the code of humanity.
A full course implementation of Right to Information Act 2009 may ensure the accountability of NGOs and other organisations in the country, she said.
Mentioning accountability as the responsible use of power, Mahbubur Rahman, member of BNP Standing Committee, criticised the indemnity act in the proposed disaster management act that is being drafted to enforce disaster management rules in Bangladesh.
Mohammad Touhidul Islam, coordinator of disaster risk reduction at Muslim Aid, in his presentation, said six benchmarks of Hap Standard 2010 ensembles a framework to promote the highest principles of accountability.
Md Sayedul Haque, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Food and Disaster Management Ministry, who chaired the programme, urged all to pursue the Hap Standard 2010 in every sector of administration.
Hap, a Geneva-based partnership of humanitarian organisations, developed the international standard of accountability through extensive review of over 1900 crisis-affected people, aid workers and donor representatives, said speakers.
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