The Story of IHH
The India Humanitarian Hub was formally initiated on 19th March 2019, to enhance the scope of localisation and to bring in more local actors and national actors who are key to any humanitarian Response, thereby bridging the gap between the local/national actors and the international actors to pave way for a renewed and strengthened Humanitarian Response system which is built upon mutual trust and recognition. Agencies who were aligned to this understanding came together to form the India Humanitarian Hub.. Read More
VISION
Bringing humanitarian decision making closer to where all the action happens: inspire local leadership, and change.
MISSION
To bring local agencies at the forefront of humanitarian action and decision making.
Sneha Mishra, Secy Aaina, Chairperson IHH
Why Choosing IHH
The IHH is an initiative to prioritise local action and leadership by bringing together local,
national and international humanitarian agencies operational in India.
IHH acknowledges that local communities and organisations possess inherent resilience, deep local knowledge, and age-old Indigenous innovations.. Read More
IHH acknowledges the significant role played by frontline local and national organisations operating in the last mile, deeply familiar with the geography and communities affected by crises… Read More
The new financing mechanism, established after the Grand Bargain, aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian funding by prioritising localisation and ensuring that resources reach those most in need… Read More
Partner
Start Network is a membership of 134 local, national, and international organisations. Collectively, they work to drive system-level shifts in the way that humanitarian action is approached and delivered. They work across six continents to tackle what they see as the most significant systemic problems in the global humanitarian sector: centralised power and decision-making, slow and reactive funding, and an aversion to change. They understand that overcoming such challenges of today and tomorrow requires new, innovative, and locally led action. That’s why they use creativity and collaboration to redesign, and re-invent the global humanitarian system.
Upcoming Community
led Innovation project
Meet our innovators 2025-2026 Innovator 1 –Â Kottapuram Integrated Development Society (KIDS) in Kerela
Project Title : ThazhaKal: Inclusive Eco-Fibre Innovation for Empowering Women and Differently Abled Artisans towards Resilient Livelihoods and Climate – Ready Communities
Meet our innovators 2025-2026 Innovator 2 – Mountain Forum Himalayas, in Uttarakhand
Project Title : When the River Forgets – A Village Innovation for Water Resilience
Meet our innovators 2025-2026 Innovator 3 – Northeast Centre for Equity Action on Integrated Development (NEAID) in Assam
Project Title : Riparian Revival & Restoration – Restoring Flood-Affected Land in Assam through Indigenous Bamboo Spur Engineering and Community Participation
Meet our innovators 2025-2026 Innovator 4 – Orissa State Volunteers and Social Workers Association in Assam
Project Title : Crisis Cabinet – Community-Led AI Role-Play for Disaster Preparedness (Odisha)
OUR WORK
Voices That Make Us Better
My engagement with the India Humanitarian Hub (IHH) reflects a shared commitment to locally led, agile, and accountable humanitarian action. IHH, promoted by the Start Network, has the potential to strengthen regional collaboration, enable faster decision-making, and empower local actors to lead effective, inclusive, and sustainable humanitarian responses.
IHH represents the future of locally led humanitarian action, rooted in collaboration, shared learning, and dignity. It has created a meaningful space for grassroots organisations to connect, learn, and respond collectively to crises. I look forward to contributing to principled, inclusive responses that strengthen community resilience and sustainable humanitarian impact.
The IHH is the catalyst for change that our humanitarian sector requires, effectively linking local community power with global resources. As a Founding and Executive Member, I’ve been proud to witness the Hub champion equitable funding and vital innovation. This focused commitment is actively constructing a robust, locally-led architecture essential for a more resilient India and the indian humanitarian Sector
India Humanitarian Hub (IHH) is a powerful and transformative platform for promoting local leadership in humanitarian action. It is a collective commitment to strengthen the capacities of the member organisations so they develop resilience and can confidently lead before, during, and after disasters. By fostering shared learning, technical excellence, and collaborative response mechanisms, we are ensuring that humanitarian action in India becomes more localised, inclusive, and sustainable. I believe that building strong local systems today will define the resilience of our communities tomorrow.
OUR MEMBERS
LATEST Blogs
Barpeta, a district located in the lower Assam region of the state of Assam in India, is a place of both natural beauty and historical significance. This district is nestled in the fertile plains of Assam and is endowed with abundant natural resources. One of its defining features is the Beki River, a significant right-bank tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra River.
The flood-prone areas in Assam face numerous challenges during the monsoon season, including the contamination of water sources and sanitation facilities. In response to these challenges, the implementation of raised handpumps and toilets with handwash facilities has emerged as a community-based good practice.
In the flood-prone communities of Assam, the Village Disaster Response Force (VDRF) emerges as a transformative community-based innovation and practice for disaster preparedness. Developed and conceptualised by NEADS, the VDRF empowers affected villages to proactively mitigate the impact of disasters, particularly floods, through localized response and preparedness efforts.
Become a Member
Why be a hub member?
The IHH is made up of many diverse organisations which operate independently, in their own contexts and under their own principles. But these organisations have come together under a common belief: That the changes we want to see in the humanitarian system cannot be achieved by any single organisation acting alone.
The hub is creating a space of common values and practices, where members are bound by their shared mission to create a new humanitarian system: one in which both global and local power, capacity and resources are fully engaged for improving humanitarian action.