You do your house, I do my house: A critical analysis of the humanitarian response to the refugee crisis on Chios

Krystad Myrvold, Kamilla ; Teigen, Julie

4. term

Global Refugee Studies, Master

2016

2016-05-29

142

Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan humanitære organisationer og andre aktører kan samarbejde om at levere en sammenhængende indsats under flygtningekrisen på Chios og imødekomme behovene hos nyankomne migranter. Med udgangspunkt i Biermanns teori om inter‑organisationalisme—et rammeværk for, hvordan organisationer koordinerer—kortlægger vi huller, udfordringer og samarbejdsmønstre. For det første ser vi på, hvordan nye organisationer og ordninger opstod i takt med, at krisen udviklede sig. Nyetablerede NGO’er dækker de mest umiddelbare behov på strandene, hvor folk går i land, ved at levere mad, tøj og basal medicinsk hjælp. Større, etablerede aktører fokuserer på juridisk bistand, lejrstyring og overordnet koordinering for at skabe et mere smidigt, samlet flow fra ankomst til ydelser på hele øen. For det andet analyserer vi, hvorfor samarbejde er vanskeligt. Forskelle i organisationskultur, standarder og procedurer medfører uforenelige tilgange i praksis, og nødsituationens kompleksitet gør fælles standarder svære at anvende. Vi finder, at fælles minimumsstandarder—selvom de kan være rigide og begrænse improvisation—fremmer synergi, kontinuitet og mere effektiv ressourceanvendelse, hvilket gør det lettere at lukke huller i hjælpen. For det tredje fremhæver vi styrker ved samarbejde og hvordan overlap kan bruges til at dele byrden. Incitamentet til at samarbejde vokser, når problemerne er for store for én aktør. Store organisationer har fordel af forbindelser til aktører, der arbejder i gråzoner, fordi de leverer pålidelig information om tidspunkter og steder for bådankomster. Deling af best practices og erfaringsudveksling på tværs af organisatoriske niveauer forbedrer kvaliteten og understøtter problemløsning. Denne form for videndeling har været utilstrækkelig på de græske øer, også på Chios, og er særligt nødvendig i de medicinske ydelser til nyankomne. Ved at styrke samarbejdet på tværs af organisatoriske niveauer og begrænse de udfordringer, vi identificerer, er det muligt at skabe en mere sammenhængende humanitær indsats på Chios, der bedre møder migranternes behov.

This thesis examines how humanitarian organizations and other actors can work together to deliver a coherent response to the refugee crisis on Chios and meet the needs of arriving migrants. Using Biermann’s theory of inter‑organizationalism—a framework for understanding coordination between organizations—we identify gaps, challenges, and patterns of cooperation. First, we analyze how new organizations and arrangements emerged as the crisis evolved. Newly formed NGOs address immediate needs at the beaches where people land by providing food, clothing, and basic medical care. Larger, established actors focus on legal assistance, camp management, and overall coordination to create a smoother, single flow from arrival to services across the island. Second, we explore why cooperation is difficult. Differences in organizational culture, standards, and procedures lead to incompatible approaches in practice, and the complexity of the emergency makes common standards hard to apply. We find that shared minimum standards—though sometimes rigid and limiting improvisation—help create synergy, continuity, and more efficient use of resources, making it easier to close gaps in assistance. Third, we highlight the strengths of collaboration and how overlaps can be used to share the workload. Incentives to cooperate grow when problems are too large for one actor. Major organizations benefit from links to groups working in grey areas, which provide reliable information about the timing and locations of boat landings. Sharing best practices and exchanging experience across organizational levels improves quality and supports problem solving. This kind of knowledge‑sharing has been insufficient across the Greek islands, including Chios, and is especially needed for medical services for new arrivals. Strengthening cooperation across organizational levels and addressing the identified challenges can support a more coherent humanitarian response on Chios that better meets migrants’ needs.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Humanitarian assistance ; Refugee crisis ; Greece ; Emergency response ; Volunteerism ; Civil society ; Chios

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Krystad Myrvold, Kamilla:

• "You do your house, I do my house" A Critical analysis of the humanitarian response to the refugee crisis on Chios (2016)

Teigen, Julie:

• "You do your house, I do my house" A Critical analysis of the humanitarian response to the refugee crisis on Chios (2016)