Post by NGO Girls

Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) is one of the largest annual gatherings of the global humanitarian community, which took place in Geneva on March 10-12. The discussions focused on the role of local actors, power dynamics, accountability, inclusion, and climate challenges, as well as the link between humanitarian and development approaches. Participants also highlighted shrinking funding, limited resources, declining trust, and system fatigue. Daryna Ivchenko (Daryna Ivchenko), Deputy Director for Programs at NGO Girls, spoke at the panel “When Life-Saving is Not Impartial: Protecting Feminist Leadership in the Humanitarian Reset Era.” Daryna highlighted the realities faced by women and girls in Ukraine during the full-scale war, including the impact of ongoing security risks, winter conditions, and energy instability, and emphasized the critical role of local women-led organizations as first responders. In her speech, Daryna emphasized the importance of feminist leadership in humanitarian action and the need to strengthen the role of local actors in defining priorities. A key message was that those working directly with affected communities should play a leading role in determining what truly constitutes life-saving assistance. For us, HNPW was an important opportunity to engage with international partners, exchange perspectives, and contribute to global discussions on the future of humanitarian response. It also created space to place the experience of Ukrainian organizations within the broader international context and reflect on how it connects to ongoing system-wide conversations.