Acute Humanitarian Response: Responding faster when children need it most

Ready to respond  

In an emergency, every day matters. Rather than building new partnerships when a crisis unfolds, we work with trusted organisations that have deep humanitarian expertise and strong local networks.  That is why we work with the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children through the Acute Humanitarian Response Mechanism. Together, we have created a way to respond quickly to emergencies, helping children continue to learn, play and regain a sense of safety during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. 

Helping children continue to learn, play and recover

Every crisis is different, but our focus remains the same: helping children regain safe opportunities to learn, play and connect with others.  Working alongside local partners, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children assess what children need most, whether that is restoring access to education, creating child-friendly learning spaces, providing mental health and psychosocial support or helping children reconnect through play. 

These approaches are grounded in evidence showing that play can support children's learning, wellbeing and resilience, particularly during times of crisis.  Together, we have developed a flexible way of working that enables our partners to act quickly while responding to the needs of children and communities in each context. This means support can reach children sooner, when it can make the greatest difference.