共生人道支援とは

The increasing number of large-scale armed conflicts and natural disasters in recent　years have led to the appearance of refugee communities around the world. In this respect, Japan is expected to rapidly fulfill its role in the provision of wide scope humanitarian assistance.

For instance, Japan Platform (JPF), Japanese NGO created in 2000 to join 26 humanitarian associations, has delivered assistance that surpasses the 50 billion yen (50,000,000 USD) to up to 80 different related assistance groups after the earthquakes in Iran, Pakistan and Peru; the Sumatra tsunami, the reconstruction of Afghanistan, Sudan and Iraq, the droughts in Zambia and southern Africa and the Bangladesh flood. A post-assessment of the JPF intervention of the Bam earthquake in Iran showed the feelings of solidarity and sympathy of the Iranian staff and the beneficiaries of the Japanese assistance who appreciated the almost immediate presence of NGOs and the specificity with which their needs where addressed.

Similar experiences have widened the scope of Japanese Humanitarian Assistance and at the same time have offered space for an improvement in the relationship with the affected communities. The “Coexistence – Collaboration Research Project” aims to the provision of high quality humanitarian assistance that materializes the concept of coexistence of affected communities, dispatched humanitarian assistance workers, international collaboration researchers and area study researchers.

A multidisciplinary evaluation of humanitarian assistance based on the appraisal of area researchers, international collaboration researchers and dispatched staff.

The evaluation should verify 1) if the humanitarian assistance provided after a natural disaster corresponded with the quality of life (circumstances of the present life) of the target population, 2) if the humanitarian assistance provided to armed conflict zones had thoroughly considered the basic factors of the conflict and the individuality of the population; both previous statements require the 3) development of evaluation methods that evolve around the point of view of community members (Community-based participatory interdisciplinary approach); at the same time researchers will carry out the 4) compilation of humanitarian assistance related information to form a common database with the help of international collaboration researchers, dispatched humanitarian assistance workers and the mass media. Finally, 5) based on the evidence obtained from research; propose the construction of a realizable society. The ultimate objective is to provide high quality humanitarian assistance that materializes the idea of coexistence with total understanding of the “partnerships” that Japan’s humanitarian assistance has been able to develop.

To achieve our objectives, the following research methods have been selected:
1) Humanitarian assistance after natural disasters: Interdisciplinary approach
- Survey on humanitarian assistance after the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia (For FY 2008)
- On-the-spot-inspection after the earthquake in northwestern Pakistan (FY 2009)

2) Humanitarian assistance in armed conflict areas: Interdisciplinary approach.
- Survey on the assistance for the reconstruction and development of East Timor (Completed in FY 2007)

3) Development of community-based interdisciplinary evaluation methods
Considering the results of the inspections of numbers 1) and 2) we expect to clarify the roles of international collaboration, area research and humanitarian assistance in each case. Once the specific roles of these entities are clearly defined the next step will be the development of the “Community-based interdisciplinary evaluation method”, an approach that intends to incorporate humanitarian assistance recipients’ views and opinions in the evaluation.

The approach is organized based on the following theoretical framework:

1. Team Building： Build the team around a leader with experience in different research fields
2. Evaluation Plan/Strategy: All team members participate in the team’s research plan discussion and decision making
3. Field Visiting: All team members conduct interview surveys itinerary together
4. Study Design: The team decides the research methods and survey questionnaires
5. Combined Methods: Both quantitative and qualitative research methodology

4) Building database with the purposes of expanding awareness towards humanitarian assistance activities and obtaining economical support. The database will compile of humanitarian assistance groups’ valuable experiences and activities that will be publicly shared on a database. As important as these activities and experiences are, it is difficult for researchers and general public to learn about them. Project records will be classified and organized in a systematic way that makes them widely available not only to researchers but also to the general public. The database also intends to be a new way of promoting community understanding.

5) Application of a　humanitarian assistance model that combines the community research and international collaboration research approaches and allows stricken zones to live and develop prosperously within society.

1) Staff and Researchers from diverse backgrounds

Staff members from different disciplines working in partnership to deliver assistance are the main characteristic of our organization. Area study researchers, international collaboration researchers, mass media related and other professionals collaborate in the different projects.

When the need arises, members from different specialties and backgrounds immediately exchange opinions until agreement is reached to conduct joint research, allowing multifaceted, multilayered analysis of humanitarian assistance activities.

Number of members: 30
10 from university
12 from NGOs
5 from international organizations (UNHCR, UNICEF)
3 from the mass media

2) Research that places importance on the perceptions of the affected communities

Building a trusting relationship with the affected community leads to coexistence and to the delivery of humanitarian assistance based on the local community life and livelihoods. Namely, we pursue the delivery of assistance that includes community inherent understanding compiled by area study researchers.

Until recently humanitarian assistance was mainly evaluated in terms of activity interventions (investment) and results; leaving the viewpoints of the affected community and residents unevaluated.

From now on we need to think on the new possibilities of international collaboration and the evaluation of humanitarian assistance from a multidisciplinary point of view, in the light of learned lessons, based on the viewpoints of the affected communities and residents. Humanitarian assistance needs to be supported by a systematic organization from the scientific side.