Role of NGOs in preserving families during conflict

The first plenary session on the final day of the Doha International Family Institute’s (DIFI) Conference on Family Research and Policy focused on the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in addressing the impact of wars and conflicts on Arab families.

During the opening session on October 18, 2016, Kamel Mohanna, Founder of Amel Association International in Lebanon, highlighted the plight of refugees in the wake of protracted conflicts. Mohanna also emphasised the need for NGOs, first and foremost, to work towards restoring the dignity of refugees and internally displaced people (IDP).

Tom Krift, Regional Director of Save the Children, Middle East and Eurasia, stressed the importance of partnerships between international and local NGOs: “Local partners have stronger community knowledge; they know how it functions, what happens in that structure and the coping mechanism of the community. Thus, we have enhanced our partner-level approach, particularly in Syria where we now have 38 partner organisations.”

“These partnerships are extremely complementary, especially for local organisations that were established as a direct response to the humanitarian situation in Syria. As a well-established organisation, Save the Children, has decades of experience in responding to humanitarian issues so we are able to assist our local partners with the necessary interventions.”

Held under the theme ‘The Impact of Wars and Conflicts on Arab Families’, the Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) Conference on Family Research and Policy was established to address family formation, the socio-economic impact of wars on families, and gender dimensions during conflicts.