The IRC was excited to attend the second edition of the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF), which took place Monday 20 to Tuesday 21 March 2023 at the EGG Conference Centre in Brussels and was livestreamed via the EHF website.

About the European Humanitarian Forum

The European Humanitarian Forum (EHF), co-organised by the European Commission (DG ECHO) and Sweden in the framework of its Presidency of the Council of the EU, will take place in the context of sharply increasing humanitarian needs, changing geopolitical realities, and shrinking humanitarian space.

The forum provides the opportunity for the international community, the EU and member states to strengthen the cooperation and partnership among countries affected by crises and develop innovative, sustainable, and efficient approaches to address the current challenges of the humanitarian world.

Learn more about the EHF on the official forum website.

The IRC's participation in the European Humanitarian Forum

The IRC was excited to take part in the forum as vital opportunity for the international community, the EU and its member states to come together to shape humanitarian action at a time where humanitarian needs are reaching unprecedented levels.

Please see the list below of IRC staff who participated in the forum:

Monday 20 March 2023

  • 11:00-12:00: Humanitarian Talk - Ensuring the safety and security of humanitarian and medical personnel in armed conflict - Moving from words to action (Babatunde Ojei Anthony, IRC Nigeria Country Director) 
    IRC Nigeria Country Director Babatunde Ojei Anthony
    Babatunde Ojei Anthony, IRC Nigeria Country Director
  • 11:00-12:15:  Panel - The guidance on the promotion of equal partnerships with local responders (Intervention from the floor. Statement from Tatiana Ivanina and Tetiana Konovalova from the Ukrainian organisation Gender Bureau, to be read by IRC Senior Advocacy & Policy Officer, Ukraine Response Anna Dudinska)
  • 14:45-15:45: Humanitarian Talk - Funding Gap - Expanding anticipatory action: crises and conflict, diseases outbreaks, food insecurity from German Red Cross (Anneleen Vos, IRC Senior Policy Officer, Economic Programmes)
    IRC Senior Policy Officer Anneleen Vos
    Anneleen Vos, IRC Senior Policy Officer, Economic Programmes
  • 15:45-17:00: Panel - Unlocking efficiency through flexible funding: Responding to new needs and changing operational contexts (Babatunde Ojei Anthony, IRC Nigeria Country Director)
  • 17:15-18:30: Panel - Plenary session on Gender, Access and Afghanistan

All day:

  • IRC photo exhibition: “Female humanitarians working on the frontlines"
  • IRC stand presenting our project “Preparedness for Protection Southeast Asia” in Southeast Asia (Roger Cabiles, IRC Project Director - Preparedness for Protection)
    Roger Cabiles, IRC Project Director - Preparedness for Protection
    Roger Cabiles, IRC Project Director - Preparedness for Protection

Tuesday 21 March 2023

  • 10:15-11:15: Humanitarian Talk - Shifting the Architecture of Nutrition in Humanitarian Contexts (Ellyn Yakowenko, IRC Project Director, Scaling Nutrition)
    Ellyn Yakowenko, IRC Project Director, Scaling Nutrition)
    Ellyn Yakowenko, IRC Project Director, Scaling Nutrition
  • 16:15-17:15: Humanitarian Talk - Humanitarian access impediments: the reality of the frontline (Babatunde Ojei Anthony, IRC Nigeria Country Director)

All day:

  • IRC photo exhibition: “Female humanitarians working on the frontlines"
    IRC photo exhibition, European Humanitarian Forum 2023
    The IRC was proud to share portraits of some of our female humanitarians working on the frontlines across the globe. Visitors to the exhibition were invited to leave hand-written messages of support, thanks and solidarity to those women featured in the exhibit.
  • IRC stand presenting our project “Preparedness for Protection Southeast Asia” in Southeast Asia (Roger Cabiles, IRC Project Director - Preparedness for Protection)

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Be sure to use the hashtag #EHF2023 and tag us (@Rescue_EU) on Twitter.