theglobaljournal.net: Latest articles of Iben de Neergaard

The Best Solutions in the Most Complex Environments

2013-03-08T12:58:38Z

DRC is a self-implementing organisation, and is present the countries in which it operates. DRC applies a coherent and holistic approach to complex crises, offering refugees and internally displaced persons:

- Emergency Aid

- Livelihood Recovery

- Durable solutions

This holistic approach means that DRC will often stay in an area for 10 – 15 years. DRC will not exit until durable solutions for the refugees’ living situation have been found, and local duty bearers are able and willing to take over.

DRC’s main strengths:

- DRC has a unique knowledge of refugees, displaced and conflict affected persons, their rights and their needs

- DRC has extensive experience from many years of working with displacement and integration in conflict affected areas and in Denmark

- DRC develops tailor made solutions in dialogue with all relevant stakeholders

- DRC follows up and deliver on its commitments

A Brief Presentation of DRC

2013-03-08T12:56:35Z

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent and non-profit organisation working on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC strives to secure the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and promote durable solutions to displacement.

Acute crisis:

DRC’s prime role is to save lives and alleviate the immediate suffering for people who find themselves in acute crisis, which is characterized by active conflict, violations of rights and displacement.

This is done through emergency relief: food distribution, water and sanitation shelter and non-food items (NFIs), and also legal and other forms of protection and advocacy.

In displacement:

DRC aims to ensure protection of displaced people by strengthening their livelihoods along with the hosting communities. DRC’s activities also include support for income generation, ensuring provision of social services and rights advocacy for the displaced.

Durable solutions:

When a durable solution – e.g. local integration, resettlement or return – has been found, DRC works to promote it. To ensure the sustainability of the durable solution, DRC works with strengthening of local institutional capabilities and of livelihoods as well as with advocacy.

To learn more about the DRC, click on this link to see a presentation (PDF-file):

http://www.drc.dk/fileadmin/uploads/pdf/Om_dfh_PDF/Organisation_PDF/UK_DRC_presentation_2012.pdf

And to see videos about DRC's relief work around the world, please click on this link:

http://www.drc.dk/about-drc/videos/

04 - Danish Refugee Council

2013-01-09T21:11:28Z

Setting the standard in complex emergencies.

HQ Location: Denmark

Formed after the devastation of World War II and the European refugee crises triggered by the Soviet invasion of Hungary in 1956, the Danish Refugee Council has been a constant, trusted presence in the humanitarian sphere for over 50 years. Serving a dual role, the organization’s activities revolve around the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons from immediate persecution in acute emergency situations, as well as the promotion of lasting solutions for conflict-affected populations (including via targeted international advocacy).

Currently operating in over 35 countries in service of more than 1.5 million people, the Danish Refugee Council has developed an enviable reputation for itself as a leading actor in insecure environments, including through the respected conflict zone work of the Danish Demining Group, the organization’s dedicated humanitarian mine action unit. At the same time, consistent with the trend toward increasing diversification of activities amongst major humanitarian groups, the Danish Refugee Council also works across a number of ‘non traditional’ recovery-focused sectors, including: housing and small scale infrastructure, income generation, food security, displacement-related law and information, social rehabilitation and NGO networking and capacity development.

As an umbrella body comprising 30 members, the Danish Refugee Council’s network and impact is expansive. Perhaps more importantly, the organization’s strong commitment to partnership and collective action is symbolized in collaborative innovations like the Joint IDP Profiling Service, which has become a one-stop shop for data-driven humanitarian planning throughout the sector. Ultimately though, one need look no further for evidence of the Danish Refugee Council’s reputation amongst those that count than the pattern of significant increases in institutional donor funding it has enjoyed in recent years.

To read more about the Top NGOs rankings click here.

#09 - Danish Refugee Council

2012-01-23T11:15:36Z

Check out if Danish Refugee Council is in The Top 100 NGOs 2013 Edition!

Leading collaborative humanitarian efforts for five decades.

1 million beneficiaries.

With a long and reputable history, the Danish Refugee Council has worked, since 1956, across all aspects of the refugee cause. From initial displacement to housing and small-scale income generation, the organization is resolute in securing durable solutions for refugees – seeing their journey through until they are able to live in a stable and permanent environment. Founded first to address the European refugee crisis following World War II, the Danish Refugee Council is responsible for extensive humanitarian work – including having delivered over half of the international aid in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1990s.

The organization’s activities today assist over one million people spanning 30 countries, including programs in some of the world’s most conflicted areas – Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya. While emergency relief is a core priority, the Danish Refugee Council works across nine sectors: housing and small-scale infrastructure; income generation through grants and micro-finance; food security and agricultural rehabilitation; displacement-related law and information; social rehabilitation, NGO networking and capacity development; humanitarian mine action; information management and co-ordination; and emergency logistics and transport management. Its commitment to sustained recovery means the organization often remains in complex country situations for 10-15 years. Working with refugees, authorities and non-state actors, the Danish Refugee Council exits only when stability and local management has been secured.

As a membership body comprising 30 organizations, the Danish Refugee Council’s network and impact is expansive. It consistently employs strategic partnerships to enhance the collective outcome of humanitarian efforts. Through its Stand-By Roster, the Danish Refugee Council deploys rapid assistance to UN emergency operations to augment resources for internally displaced persons (IDPs). A leader in the field, it has also established innovative operations, including co-founding the Joint IDP Profiling Service, which collects core data on populations of IDPs. The profiling service – made available to a wide range of humanitarian organizations – provides information regarding age, sex, location and – when possible – details causes and patterns of displacement. The system enables emergency groups to harness and share information so as to address humanitarian needs and causes more effectively.

Its admirable commitment to synergy positions the Danish Refugee Council as one of the most effective and trustworthy humanitarian organizations in the field. Realizing the potential to scale impact through collective action, it facilitates collaboration at every opportunity, maintaining durable solutions for conflict-affected people as its bottom-line.