Panel details
| Panel organiser(s) will be presenting | In-Person & Online |
| Number of paper presentations | 0 |
| Location |
Abstract
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As humanitarian crises grow more complex and protracted, traditional aid models are struggling to keep pace. What is more, the humanitarian system is increasingly under fire, its purpose and efficiency put into question. The recent budget cuts in major donor countries like the US, the UK, Germany or Sweden are forcing the humanitarian sector to rethink its way of working in unprecedented ways. In this shifting landscape, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and social enterprises are emerging as influential actors—offering new approaches to service delivery, innovation, and collaboration. Their growing role also raises critical questions: What does meaningful partnership look like in practice? Who defines the problems—and the solutions?
This panel explores how PPPs can support more accountable, inclusive, and effective humanitarian systems. We highlight initiatives that support the use of digital engagement platforms to amplify the voices of crisis-affected communities in decision-making (Fisher et al. 2021) or help humanitarian organizations work more collaborative, more nexus-ready by improving their internal processes (Steinke 2025) - showing how PPPs can drive both internal transformation and participatory change.
At the same time, we seek to critically examine the risks of technical solutionism—the belief that humanitarian problems can be fixed primarily through technology (Krishnan 2024). Without careful design and ethical guardrails, partnerships may reinforce existing power asymmetries or displace local knowledge.
Key themes may include:
- Centering affected communities in design and governance
- Building equitable, transparent public-private collaborations
- Addressing power and accountability in cross-sector work
- Rethinking efficiency and innovation beyond economic optimization
This session (roundtable or panel) invites a grounded, practice-based conversation about what it takes to build better humanitarian systems—where innovation is driven not just by economic efficiency, but by equity and impact.
Co-Convenor: Pınar Okur, upinion
Paper presentations
Available soon.
Date & Time
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