Civil Society

The National Humanitarian Network (NHN) is a coalition of national and local NGOs in Pakistan formed in the early 2010s to coordinate and strengthen humanitarian efforts. It is led by an elected Chair and a Central Executive Committee at the national level, with active chapters in all provinces (Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan)cssp.org.pk. NHN was established as an independent and vibrant collective voice for local humanitarian organizations, enabling them to engage with stakeholders, influence policies, and build capacities for effective, rights-based emergency response.

Formation and Context: Established around 2010–2011 in the wake of major disasters (such as the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods) to unify Pakistani NGOs under one platform for disaster responsecssp.org.pk. This network emerged to ensure local NGOs have representation and a say in national humanitarian coordination forums.
Primary Role: Serves as an advocacy and coordination body for humanitarian NGOs, representing their perspectives in dialogues with the government (e.g. NDMA) and international agenciescssp.org.pk. It works to promote humanitarian principles and ensure that aid policies consider local needs and expertise.
Key Functions: Coordinates collective input from member NGOs on disaster preparedness plans and relief operations across the country. NHN engages in policy influence – for example, contributing to national disaster management policy and frameworks – and pushes for improvements in humanitarian access and practicescssp.org.pk.
Activities: Provides capacity-building for local NGOs through training workshops, shared resources, and joint simulations/exercises. It also disseminates knowledge (e.g. publishing the Humanitarian Resilience Journal) to share lessons learned and best practices in disaster response within the humanitarian community in Pakistan.

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