Humanitarian Innovation in Action

The CSIS Humanitarian Agenda hosts a full-day conference, Humanitarian Innovation in Action, on July 19, 2022. This conference explores the complex challenges facing the global humanitarian community and the way in which innovations—in people, processes, and products—can improve humanitarian response and mitigate the impacts of future crises.

At least 274 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2022. To contend with the growing need, “humanitarian innovation” has emerged as a central theme in the humanitarian sector, with a goal to transform processes and products involved in emergency response. While humanitarian actors are constantly innovating, the rising needs and complexity of response call for increased efforts toward exploring effective, innovative, and scalable solutions. These include increasing engagement with crisis-affected people and the private sector, transforming organizational structures, and integrating new and transformational technologies. This full day conference will focus on highlighting key challenges, identifying best practices, and exploring user-led innovations that can most effectively meet the challenges of today.

AGENDA

8:00 a.m. Registration opens

9:00 a.m. Opening Remarks and Keynote

Sarah Charles, Assistant to the Administrator of the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development 
Moderator: Jacob Kurtzer, Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Humanitarian Agenda​
 

9:30 a.m. Networking Break

9:45 a.m. Panel 1: Transformation Through Humanitarian Innovation and Private Sector Engagement

Moderator: Jacob Kurtzer, Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Humanitarian Agenda
 

​11:00 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m. Panel 2: Elevating Women's Leadership in Humanitarian Response

Moderator: Caitlin Welsh, Director, CSIS Global Food Security Program
 

​12:30 p.m. Break

1:30 p.m. Panel 3: Humanitarian Innovation in Data and Information Management

Moderator: Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Africa Program
 

​2:45 p.m. Networking Break

3:00 p.m. Panel 4: Humanitarian Innovation in Responses to Displacement

Moderator: Erol Yayboke, Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Project on Fragility and Mobility
 

​4:20 p.m. Keynote and Closing Remarks

Dr. Abdirizak Yusuf Ahmed, Ministry of Health, Federal Government of Somalia
David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee
Moderator: Sue Eckert, Senior Fellow, CSIS Humanitarian Agenda
 

​5:00 p.m. Event ends

This event is made possible through the generous support of USAID.