Paper details
| Paper authors | Hatice Kübra Koçak |
| In panel on | Is the Humanitarian Subject Shifting? Rethinking Southern Leadership in Humanitarian Aid (Roundtable) |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
As a panelist, I will contribute reflections on the evolving role of Southern actors in humanitarian leadership, based on field experiences and case studies from diverse contexts including Türkiye, Syria, Somalia, Bosnia, and Bangladesh. My focus will be on how local and national NGOs are not only responding to crises in their communities but also shaping operational strategies, resource mobilization, and advocacy efforts within the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus.
Drawing on the concept of equitable partnerships, I will share examples of local-to-local cooperation that have challenged traditional top-down models. These include technical expertise exchanges in Somalia, midwifery training initiatives in Syria, cross-border solidarity during the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, and advocacy movements such as the Conscience Convoy. These examples demonstrate how Southern actors are developing alternative forms of leadership rooted in mutual trust, cultural relevance, and shared responsibility.
In this roundtable, I aim to support the discussion on whether these shifts represent an adaptation to existing humanitarian structures or a genuine transformation in how leadership, legitimacy, and accountability are conceived in global humanitarian action.
