ALNAP ICRC Webinar | Navigating complexity: Getting real with systems thinking in humanitarian response

We all know that humanitarian crises are complex and that most humanitarian responses rely on simplifications– sector silos, a focus on individual agency projects – which can undermine relevant and effective responses.  Systems thinking tools have been promoted as a way to embrace and navigate these complexities. But these approaches can, at best, seem difficult to apply in time-poor humanitarian responses or at worst, are overly abstract and impractical.

In recent years, more humanitarian actors have adopted systems thinking approaches, using them practically to improve urban resilience in Gaza, help pastoralists manage their livestock through drought in the Sahel, and strengthen contextual analysis and predict conflict.

This webinar will explore the practical applications of systems thinking from leading practitioners and thinkers, review the impact of these applications, and offer ideas for how humanitarian can apply the tools in their own work.