An importAnt Actor in internAtionAl operAtions

Photo: Salam Karam/TIPH

NORCAPs mandate is to: Enhance the capacity of the international community to prevent and to respond to ongoing and future humanitarian challenges. Support efforts to ensure that international operations are carried out without consideration to religion, race, nationality and political persuasion. Support international capacity, and in particular the United Nations, in all stages of crisis; from prevention/early warning and response, to monitoring, reconstruction, conflict resolution, sustainable development and democratic governance. Ensure that people in emergencies receive protection and assistance according to their needs and rights, with particular emphasis on the protection of civilians and the implementation of relevant Security Council Resolutions.

norwegian capacity to international operations

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The worlds leading emergency standby roster is Norwegian

Get the right person in the right place in

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NORCAP is the worlds most frequently used emergency standby roster. Since 1991 we have seconded personnel to more than 6000 assignments globally. This experience has made us one of the most sought after standby partners in the world. NORCAP consists of 850 women and men who are ready to deploy to international operations within 72 hours. At any given time, some 120 of our roster members are on assignment. We strive to make humanitarian efforts more representative and better adapted to the needs and rights of crisis-affected people. Consequently the emergency roster consists of women and men from Norway, Asia, Africa and the Middle East with different professional and cultural backgrounds. Their expertise spans from nutrition to engineering and law. NORCAP is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and operated by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

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the right person in the right plAce At the right time

NORCAP personnel are professional and experienced. They are sent all over the world to work with coordination, project management, education, logistics, distribution, shelter, information, protection, child protection and more. We work strategically on which operations to support and how to support them. In difficult and complicated operations it is important to find persons that not only have the right professional background, but also the right personal skills. We put great emphasis on targeted recruitment, as well as training and capacity building of our existing members. This ensures that we always have experts available for assignments.

Photo: Stener Vogt

in action

the right person in the right plAce At the right time

In Yemen, a country with many internal conflicts and large groups of refugees and IDPs, NORCAP has provided broad support to the UN. We have sent personnel that have worked with logistics, information, camp management, gender mainstreaming and child protection. In the Philippines, where internal conflict and frequent natural disasters have affected large areas of the population, NORCAP has assisted the UN within the fields of air transport, cluster coordination, communication, nutrition and protection of vulnerable groups. In Iraq, NORCAP has provided long-term support to UNICEF on child protection. NORCAP personnel have developed a national database for monitoring and reporting on violations against children in armed conflict. They have also contributed to institution building by training local authorities, NGOs and UN organisations on how to monitor and report on grave child violations.

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Time is a crucial factor when the need for assistance is urgent. NORCAP provides immediate assistance when an emergency occurs. After the earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, we ran several mobile kitchens on behalf of WFP. Our logistics experts made sure that thousands of tons of food and non-food items were distributed to the earthquakeaffected population.

All photos: Mirvette Abed-Rabbo

ineers information officers logistics experts observers education experts financial officers cash voucer experts project managers protection experts engineers information officers logistics

the right person in the right plAce At the right time

No two disasters are the same. Some occur rapidly, others develop over time. Sometimes the entire population is affected at other times only certain groups. The needs in each specific situation determine the type of assistance required. If there is an acute need for food and medication, we send logistics experts. If there is a need for reporting and monitoring, we send observers and information officers. In large humanitarian operations it is more important than ever to coordinate all the actors. NORCAP plays an important role by creating flexibility in large and complex operations. The UN is NORCAPs largest partner, and we have agreements with 14 different UN organisations. NORCAP is one of the Norwegian Governments most important instruments in international operations and strengthens relations between Norway and the UN.

NORCAP makes the UN stronger NORCAP personnel increasingly contribute to capacity building within the UN. They do more than fill in personnel gaps. They provide field experience and act as independent dialogue partners in strategic processes such as the ongoing reform process within the UN. Through their work they help make the UN and other international organisations more efficient.

Photo: Jan A. Steinvik

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Photos: Salam Karam

noroBs
International civilian observation missions need highly qualified personnel. NORCAP provides this through NOROBS (Norwegian Standby Roster for Civilian Observers) NOROBS consists of civilian experts who are deployable for missions requested by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UN and other organisations. NORCAP has previously deployed observers to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM), Nuba Mountains, Nepal and Ache Monitoring Mission, among others. This has provided us with valuable experience in terms of observation and monitoring as a category as well as with Nordic cooperation in this area.

INTerNaTIoNal cIvIlIaN observers

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Thematic rosters
In collaboration with the UN, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other donors, the Norwegian Refugee Council has developed several international thematic rosters linked to the NORCAP framework. GenCap consists of senior gender experts that are deployed as inter-agency advisers working under the Humanitarian/Resident Coordinators to facilitate gender mainstreaming in all aspects of humanitarian response. ProCap responds to gaps and needs in emergency protection response by deploying senior protection officers to the UN. ProCap provides strategic and operational policy, planning and coordination expertise. MSU Standby Team of Mediation Experts deploys world leading expertise on short notice to mediation processes and dialogue in support of UN-led processes and initiatives. ACAPS deploys assessment experts to assist the UN and the international humanitarian community in carrying out common multisectoral assessments in all types of emergency situations.

HoW To ProceeD
How to request standby personnel from NORCAP 1. 2. Identify the need for seconded personnel in the field. Consult your organisations agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with the Norwegian Refugee Council, if applicable. If not, your contact person at headquartes will be able to tell which professional categories are available through the standby rosters. Send your request for seconded personnel through the appropriate channels established within your organisation, usually through headquarters in Geneva, Rome, etc. A request must include: - Type of personnel needed - Reason for the request - Descriptive Terms of Reference (ToR) - Length of desired contract period - Starting time of deployment - Background information

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Read more about NORCAP and apply for membership at

Photo: Jrn C. wre

www.norcapweb.no

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Design: NRC_Erik Tresse