Humanitarian Action & Peace

Humanitarian crises are becoming more complex and protracted, requiring responses that not only save lives but also support resilience and sustainable peace. At the same time, funding is declining even as needs continue to grow, widening the gap between what is required and what is delivered. Effective responses must be timely, principled and grounded in the realities of affected communities.

Work in the humanitarian action and peace stream focuses on addressing immediate needs in crisis settings while contributing to long-term stability, protection of civilians and peacebuilding efforts.

Cooperation Canada bridges policy and practice by working closely with our members to promote principled and needs-based humanitarian action, respect for international humanitarian law and approaches that bridge humanitarian, development and peace efforts.

Through coordination, advocacy and engagement, we help ensure that Canadian policies and funding reflect Canadian values, uphold Canada’s reputation as a principled humanitarian actor, and respond to evolving needs on the ground. Our work strengthens connections between humanitarian response, long-term development and peacebuilding, supporting more coherent and effective action across sectors.

By amplifying member expertise and facilitating dialogue with decision-makers, we contribute to policies that protect civilians, build resilience, uphold human rights and enable locally-led responses in fragile and conflict-affected settings.