Bureaucraticand administrative obstacles are among the most persistent and least visible challenges faced by humanitarian negotiators. From navigating complex visa and customs regulations to overcoming procedural delays imposed by host governments, these barriers can significantly slow down or even prevent life-savingassistancefrom reaching affected populations. While often framed as technical or logistical hurdles, bureaucratic constraints arefrequentlythe result of political dynamics, risk management policies, or competing governance priorities.

Drawing from theCentre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN)’s most recent research findings,and based on interviews with frontline professionals from across the globe,this session will take a deep dive into the bureaucratic complexities that humanitarian actors must negotiatein order togain accesstoandremain operational incomplexcontexts. By exploring real-worldexamples, this panel will shed light on the underlying political and institutional drivers of administrative constraints and discuss strategies for mitigating their impact through negotiation, advocacy, and systemic engagement with authorities.

About theCentre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation(CCHN)

Founded in 2016, the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN) is a joint initiative of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières Switzerland, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and the UN World Food Programme. The CCHN provides frontline humanitarian staff with learning and training opportunities to develop their negotiation skills and share their practices with a global community so they can negotiate better assistance and protection for people in crisis situations.