In this interview, Anastasia Carayanides, Chief of the Intergovernmental Policy Section in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), explains why this year’s ECOSOC came at a critical juncture in the midst of conflict and divisions:
Why is ECOSOC so important for OCHA?
The ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment is the only formal UN body that provides a platform for the entire humanitarian system to come together to listen, learn from each other, and most importantly, put in front of Member States the issues, advocacy, and main asks to improve the lives of people caught in humanitarian crises, and to be more accountable to them.
This means not just the UN but our NGO partners and local actors – especially women-led organizations - who are at the forefront of humanitarian response.
This is a reflection of the very essence of OCHA’s existence.
Let’s not forget that OCHA was created to address the need for stronger leadership and coordination in response to humanitarian crises.
What were the big themes this year?
The biggest focus was respect for International Humanitarian Law and how to reverse its erosion amid brutal conflicts that continue to put civilians lives at stake, that see ruthless attacks on civilian infrastructure essential to people's survival and recovery, that obstruct access and show little regard for the lives of humanitarian workers at the frontline.
The ECOSOC resolution negotiated in parallel also heavily focused on these issues – with strong outcomes on ending impunity and holding perpetrators accountable.
What I found deeply inspiring is that this year, every theme, every event, and every discussion had one common denominator,– humanitarian action reflects the values of the UN and of humanity, and we must do all we can to protect this space.
What keeps you motivated?
My motivation comes from change that I saw is possible, no matter how slow.
This includes holding Member States accountable for abiding by the most basic norms for humanitarian action. Because, in the end, in the absence of those norms, you descend into just power, abuse of power.
Ultimately, we have one main goal: we want the delegations who attend our events to be able to go back to their capitals knowing more about the issues at stake, so that they can advocate for humanitarian action.
We do this for the entire system because after all, ECOSOC is a platform that brings all these extraordinary people who work in the field together, and we speak one common voice.
