Anticipatory action closes the gap between “we knew” and “we acted”

At the 13th Global Dialogue Platform, Jagan Chapagain said that anticipatory action closes the gap between “we knew” and “we acted”.

Anticipatory action in focus at the 13th Global Dialogue Platform

The 13th Global Dialogue Platform concluded in colourful way: presenting prizes to the winners of the inaugural anticipatary action photo competion.

Putting gender equality at the heart of anticipatory action

In Asia-Pacific, women have the knowledge, skills and leadership needed for anticipatory action – yet they often remain invisible. This blog looks at how to address this.

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society acts ahead of a drought

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society has activated its EAP for drought and, over the next few weeks, it will support 35,000 people in at-risk areas through anticipatory actions.

Building the evidence for anticipatory action

Drawing on the evidence presented in two recent major reviews, our latest blog assesses the current evidence base for anticipatory action – and identifies where knowledge gaps remain.

More Related Content: Blogs

Blog September 13, 2022

Anticipatory action with refugees and other displaced people: what needs to be considered?

Global displacement is rising, but to date, very few anticipatory action initiatives directly focus on displaced populations. This is despite the potential – and need – for anticipatory action with …

Learn more
Blog August 30, 2022

GIS & Mapping

Let’s get mappin’: building GIS capacities for anticipatory action

GIS can support many of the different phases of anticipatory action, but in many projects, staff are not familiar with the opportunities and limitations of this technology. Two training courses …

Learn more
Blog August 18, 2022

Early Warning System, Forecast, Science

Fair winds for climate forecasts in Mozambique

A collaboration between WFP and the Mozambique National Institute of Meteorology is strengthening climate forecasts and seasonal monitoring, helping to build resilience in the country.

Learn more
Blog August 17, 2022

Early Action

A streamlined NGO approach to drought-induced food insecurity in Zimbabwe: voices from EAP custodians and stakeholders

In early 2020, Welthungerhilfe began to roll out its forecast-based action mechanism to tackle drought-induced food insecurity in Zimbabwe. This blog shares the views of some of the project’s …

Learn more
Blog August 10, 2022

Impact-based Forecasting

Impact-based forecasting: moving from what weather will be to what it will do for more effective disaster risk management

Learn more
Blog August 10, 2022

Lessons Learnt, M&E

Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience: key learning and resources

After six years the Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience programme comes to an end, looking back on what was achieved and what challenges still lie ahead.

Learn more
Blog August 09, 2022

Early Action, Scaling up

First national dialogue on anticipatory action held in Nepal

Earlier this year, Nepal held its first national dialogue about anticipatory action. Delegates assessed the current status of this approach in the country – and also began to shape its future.

Learn more
Blog August 01, 2022

Cash & Voucher, Early Action, Evidence, Lessons Learnt, M&E

How does anticipatory action contribute to building resilience?

The immediate aim of anticipatory action is to reduce the immediate impacts of disasters. But evidence from Bangladesh highlights different ways in which investments in this approach can also help …

Learn more

Video: The Anticipation Hub at a glance

Through the online platform you can access a library of learning resources, global map of anticipatory action initiatives, an early action database, working groups and much more to support your work on anticipatory action as a practitioner, scientist or policymaker. 

Play Video

View our databases

Early action database Learn more
Evidence database Learn more
Trigger database Learn more

Therefore, scaling up is not just “more”, it also means “better”.
To respond collectively in a coordinated manner, we must work together.

Jagan Chapagain Secretary General, IFRC

What is global is local somewhere and what is local is global somewhere else. For this reason, it is very important for us to actually come together and co-design, co-produce and co-implement, so we can learn from each other and also cross-fertilize ideas and solutions.

Dr. Halima Saado Abdillahi Head of Research and Learning, International Centre for Humanitarian Affairs (ICHA) and Kenya Red Cross

Better anticipation allows us to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly volatile climate, connecting scientific information to practical action on the ground.

Professor Maarten van Aalst Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre

Anticipatory action has tremendous potential to increase the efficiency of life-saving interventions and protect the most vulnerable. This is especially true for women and girls who often face some of the most severe risks. Through well-targeted anticipatory approaches, we can better empower women and girls to face crises on their own terms.

Lisa Carty Director, Humanitarian Financing & Resource Mobilization Division, OCHA

Anticipatory actions are the bright spots in a bleak humanitarian outlook. If we manage to move more in that direction, we will get a response that is faster, cheaper, and more dignified. One that protects hard-won development gains.

Mark Lowcock Emergency Relief Coordinator

The Anticipation Hub in numbers

The Anticipation Hub aims to share knowledge and experiences to jointly enhance and scale up anticipatory action globally.

More about us
165 Number of partners
34 Bi-monthly newsletters
73 Number of countries on our global map

Get involved & participate

Exchange See more
Share content See more
Dialogue Platforms See more
Working groups See more

Emerging topics

In expanding the use of anticipatory action to address more risks, be applicable in more contexts and strengthen overall disaster risk financing approaches, experts and practitioners are engaging in multi-disciplinary collaboration to enable anticipatory action to be applied where and when it is needed using adapted tools, innovative solutions and new ways of working.

More about emerging topics

Please note that our website content is being continuously updated as we receive information from our partners.