Inaugural Ceremony

The inaugural ceremony of the Maraka Humanitarian Observatory (MHO), was held at Department of Political Science in University of Peshawar on November 4, 2024, at 2:30 PM. The creation of the MHO marks a significant milestone in fostering local solutions to pressing humanitarian challenges. Prof. Dr. Shahida Aman, the Chairperson of the Department welcomed the distinguished guests and emphasized that hosting 4 million refugees, Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were critical player in the humanitarian field, and the MHO aimed to go beyond mere discussions to drive meaningful change through research and advocacy. Dr. Ayub Jan, Head of the Migration Research Cell (MRC), highlighted the Observatory’s mission to provide a platform to academia, civil society, and government organizations working on humanitarian issues for solution-building inputs into humanitarian crises facing the region. Dr. Saba Gul Khattak, Director of Crossroads Advisory, provided an insightful overview of the Observatory’s mission and purpose. She stressed that humanitarian needs resulting from displacements, climate change, protracted conflicts, and public health crises, threatened the well-being of vulnerable communities in Pakistan and these needed to be deliberated upon, and action taken to redress them on an emergency front. MHO is a collaborative initiative between Crossroads Advisory (CA) and the University of Peshawar’s Migration Research Cell (MRC), supported initially by the Women’s Regional Network. Ms. Rukhshanda Naz, Ombudsperson in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government enriched the session with her talk on the significance of local humanitarian efforts through ‘community conversations’.

The session featured contributions from both in-person and online participants, connecting diverse voices in humanitarian governance. The Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Johar Ali, Dean of Social Sciences at the University of Peshawar, commended the Department of Political Science for hosting the MHO initiative. He emphasized the importance of empathy and acceptance for refugees and internally displaced individuals and called upon the local communities to support marginalized groups. Dr. Thea Hilhorst, Professor of Humanitarian Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, was thrilled to announce that the MHO was the15th humanitarian observatory in the global network, marking Pakistan’s entry into this important movement. “We believe that real change in humanitarian action comes from within the context it serves. I am delighted to welcome you to this global network and look forward to learning from your local solutions,” she expressed enthusiastically. Representatives from the Congolese and Philippines Humanitarian Observatories also joined the event online. The ceremony concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr. Noreen Naseer, who highlighted MHO’s collaborative efforts as a new chapter in humanitarian governance, one marked by hope, resilience, and unwavering commitment to humanity. The event ended with a refreshment session.