MUHAMMADIYAH.ID, GENEVA - Attending the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment, Vice Chair of the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC) Rahmawati Husen declared that international organizations should shift and possess perspectives on providing new humanitarian assistance.
Rahmati had an occasion to be a panelist on Day 3, Wednesday (26/6) at a panel discussion on “preparing for the future in the face of climate change and weather-related disasters: strengthening preparedness and humanitarian response and collaborating to build resilience and address escalating risks and challenges.”
“International organizations need to recognize a mechanism applied by target countries and do not merely perform the humanitarian actions without grasping humanitarian architecture. The international organizations should collaborate with related local organizations,” stated Rahmawati.
She conveyed that international organizations should not direct the humanitarian actions as they expect or usually practice. They have to find out local actors, comprehend how local organizations work, and support efforts of the local organizations.
At the meeting, Rahmawati emphasized that it is necessary for the international organizations to understand all actors of central and provincial government, private sectors, non-governmental organizations, community, universities, and other related organizations.
Rahmawati’s recommendation was based on her experiences at the MDMC in responding to earthquakes and tsunami in Sulawesi so that international actors can notice, reinforce, and equip capacity of local actors better. At the meeting, she also explained the most valuable investment to address gaps.
Additionally, wearing attire of ‘Aisyiyah, Rahmawati Husein was the only Southeast Asian representative at the UN ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment attended by 191 participants from the UN member states, the UN agencies, international humanitarian organizations, and donors. On Day 3 of the panel discussion, Rahmawati became a panelist together with the other panelists from Colombia, Liberia, and Uganda.