Who we are
The Centre for Humanitarian Action (CHA) is a Berlin-based think tank founded in 2018, which engages in independent analysis, initiates debates and spreads the word about humanitarian action and principles amongst the general public. The CHA is an initiative of humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGO) to strengthen German, local and international humanitarian action.
Why do we need a CHA?
The German federal government as a donor and German aid organisations play a much more important role in international humanitarian action today than they did in the early 2000s. German humanitarian action has a major influence. That is why we need an independent centre that, similar to those in other countries, is dedicated to analysis and critical reflection and provides a forum for debate that brings together German and international discussions.
The number of people in need has been at record levels for years, and never before have so many people been displaced. Effective aid that impartially supports people in dire need is therefore essential for millions of those affected. At the same time, humanitarian action is now widely questioned, attacked and increasingly underfunded, both in Germany and internationally. An independent institution such as the CHA, which can criticise where necessary without financial interests, point out problems to donor governments and aid organisations, and highlight the need for reform, is therefore more important than ever.
CHA’s three core areas
Analysis and reflection
CHA engages in self-critical reflection of humanitarian action by German and international donor governments, aid organisations and other civil society, academic and political actors. Analyses and studies build on international research, inspire German debates by the latter, and feed German perspectives into the international arena.
Debate and policy engagement
CHA serves as a forum for controversial and open discussion with national and international humanitarian actors and with academic networks. Based on its independence it raises sensitive issues and challenges for humanitarian principles in action. Initiated debates also serve as policy and practical advice for humanitarian actors.
Imparting knowledge and know-how
CHA promotes communication and education on humanitarian action, its challenges and principles in public and media, in political discourse, in parliament and in the education sector, and it builds partnerships in this arena.
CHA’s core projects
CHA adopted its third work programme in autumn 2025. Until the end of 2027, three priority projects will be brought together and pursued under the megatheme ‘Contested Aid’:
- Aid Antagonists and Strategic Capacities of German Aid Organisations
- Donor Accountability in Contested Times
- Towards Local Leadership: The Role of Locally Led Intermediary Funding Mechanisms
An overview of all topics can be found here.
Building bridges
CHA is not meant to be a purely academic institution, nor to represent the interests of humanitarian organisations vis-à-vis the German Federal Government. CHA rather builds bridges between academic analysis of humanitarian action and international cooperation, policy development and consulting,
and practical work in projects and programmes. The results of this work and the related recommendations are freely accessible to all actors.
How is CHA funded?
To ensure that CHA is independent, practice-oriented and anchored in civil society, substantial financial contributions are made by its member organisations.
Institutional partners
The NGOs Doctors without Borders Germany, Caritas Germany, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and since 2021 the German Red Cross (DRK) are the institutional partners of CHA and provide the basic funding.
Endorsing partners
In addition to its institutional partners, CHA is financially and non-materially supported by other organisations. These include Islamic Relief Deutschland e.V., Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., Action against Hunger gGmbH, since 2021 Oxfam Germany and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Norwegian Rescue Comitee Germany since 2023, as well as Save the Childen Germany, the Johanniter International Assistance and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) since 2024.
Project funding
Another pillar of CHA funding is project grants, policy consultancy, evaluations, moderation and inputs. With its own funds as well as a grant from the German Federal Foreign Office, CHA was funding for example its SPREAD project on “Strengthening Program and Policy Relevant Capabilities of Humanitarian Actors in Germany” (see topics) from 2021-2023 and ‘The dilemma of innovation, efficiency and principled humanitarian action’ in 2024-2025.
Previous and current contractors include:
Due to its multiple funding sources CHA is independent of individual donors, and its content is not subject to their influence. CHA is open to additional institutional and endorsing partners from civil society organisations, scientific institutions and individuals. Please contact us for further details.
Memberships and Networks
What is the legal status of CHA?
Since 2021, CHA is a registered non-profit association. Previously it was part of the German Maecenata Foundation, which also served as its legal body.
Director of the Board: Ralf Südhoff
Supervisory Board:
Claudia Puschner
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
Sarah Meschenmoser
Doctors without Borders Germany
Marie von Manteuffel
Caritas Germany
Christian Hörl
German Red Cross
Others about CHA
Germany is becoming a really important actor in humanitarian action worldwide. And CHA´s role is really important […], because we need good German thinking on humanitarian policy.
Hugo Slim, book author and thinker
Better and faster humanitarian aid saves lives! That is why we must think of humanitarian aid in the same innovative and unconventional way as of any other policy area. For this purpose CHA is a valued partner and source of inspiration for us in the Bundestag.
Gyde Jensen MdB, FDP, former Chairwoman of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid
We need a CHA because we need to put the debate on humanitarian assistance at the centre of the capital.
Niels Annen, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, former Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office
CHA fills a gap in the debate on humanitarian assistance.
Margarete Bause, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, former Member of the Bundestag Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid
CHA is important because it needs politically independent and neutral actors who can conduct research on implementation problems of humanitarian action.
Cornelia Füllkrug-Weitzel, former President Brot für die Welt and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
We need a CHA because the ambitions of humanitarian assistance in Germany must now be put to the hard test of reality.
Florian Westphal, Chairman of the Board of Save the Children Germany
Content and statements on this website, in our publications or social media channels do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the founding or supporting organisations.