Welcome to CHA - Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies


	VISION CHA believes in the respect of diversity and the promotion and achievement of fundamental rights and freedom, which provides equal opportunities for development for all Sri Lankans.

	MISSION CHA works in the non-profit humanitarian sector to: CONVENE the leadership of the humanitarian community and other key stakeholders to engage and address critical and emerging issues involving their work; PROMOTE effective policies and a healthy environment to strengthen the work of non-profit humanitarian organizations and increase opportunities for funding and support; CHAMPION accountability, effective collaboration and coordination amongst and within the government, donors and humanitarian sectors; IDENTIFY and communicate the important role and contribution of the non-profit humanitarian sector in Sri Lanka; PROVIDE a centre of excellence, which collects, collates, analyses, documents and disseminates information; LEAD independent humanitarian sector organizations to help shape their future and the future of the society they serve.

CONSORTIUM OF HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES (CHA)

The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies is an association of agencies working in and supporting work in Sri Lanka.

In the past nine years the CHA has continued to function as a network of humanitarian agencies and developed a full-fledged secretariat with its own specific capabilities. Its comparative advantages are:

Being a network and, therefore, having an excellent tool to disseminate information;
Having a weight in discussions and in lobbying due to its large membership;
Having links from top to bottom, from centre to field, from right to left;
Having easy access to information on needs (if all members are ready to share information), on policies of Government, organisations, international agencies;
Having access to specific know-how (internal & external).

CHA has made use of these comparative advantages by focussing on two main roles:

Functioning as a network of like-minded organisations
Implementing projects on behalf of and with its members.

Firstly CHA, as a network, takes on tasks on behalf of its members such as membership ethics, co-ordination and linking, advocacy and lobbying, and as an information centre.

By implementing projects, on behalf of and with its members, CHA has developed a niche in areas such as:

Developing and disseminating (incl. translations) standards, guidelines, principles, working methodologies/approaches for the humanitarian sector
Gathering information for humanitarian activities of national and/or international agencies
Providing advisory services to organisations, diplomatic and international missions and agencies etc

History of CHA

Governance

The Consortium has an Articles of Association describing the reasons for association, vision, mission, goals & objectives, structure and governance.

Ultimate authority lies with the General Assembly of Full Members who delegates authority to a Steering Committee. The General Assembly consists of CHA members and observers. The General Assembly meets bi-monthly, unless a special meeting is required in the interim period.

The Steering Committee is the main representational and policy making body for the Consortium collectively. The Steering Committee oversees the overall functioning of the Secretariat.

Steering Committee (Year 2006)

Mr. Kailasapillai	-	Chairman
Mr. Alessandro Pio	-	Vice Chairman
Mr. Yu Hwa Li	-	Member Programme Area –1 Coordination, Facilitation and Networking
Mr. Roshan Mendis	-	Member Programme Area –1 Coordination, Facilitation and Networking
Dr. Ms. Vishaka Hidellage	-	Member Programme Area –2 Knowledge Management and Resource Centre
Mr. Nick Osborne	-	Member Programme Area –3 Advocacy, Lobbing and Policy debate
Mr. Joern Kristensen	-	Member Programme Area –3 Advocacy, Lobbing and Policy debate

Ex-officio of the Steering Committee:

Mr. Tikiri Meedeniya	-	Quality Standards, Member Programme Area –4 Professional Standards
Ms. Anushya Coomaraswamy	-	Treasure/ Audit Standards, Member Programme Area –5 Audit and Management Committee

The Secretariat is managed by an Executive Director with a full-time professional staff.

Guidelines for the steering committee of the consortium

Staff Structure

The basic structure of the Consortium comprises four components, consisting of the General Assembly, the Steering Committee, Secretariat and Standing Committees.

Advisory Committees

Sectoral, geographical or issue-based groups are open to members and non-members alike. Ideally they seek to bring together all key stakeholders. These groups are either a Standing committee, a Forum or a Working Group established at the request of the stakeholders.

Mandate

CHA through its member organisations is committed to protect the basic rights and the livelihoods of the most vulnerable in society such as children, the elderly, the disabled, women, the wounded, prisoners, refugees, the displaced as well as all those living in poverty or suffering from deprivation and loss as a consequence of conflict or disaster.

CHA through its members is committed to provide the most vulnerable with protection and assistance for relief, rehabilitation, recovery, reconstruction and development to alleviate poverty and suffering and to promote the observance of fundamental humanitarian principles.

Funding

The principal sources of funding for the Consortium is from subscriptions, pledges and grant related activities.