Urban Profiling For Better Responses To Humanitarian Crises

This document is part of a series of knowledge products produced through the Alliance Working Groups, with financial support from EU Humanitarian Aid. The series are key steps in driving an agenda of change, when it comes to:

1. Developing a better shared understanding of the complexities of urban crises;
2. Strengthening engagement between local governments and humanitarian and development actors in particular;
3. Developing a systems approach to protracted urban displacement; 
4. Building urban resilience in the face of crisis.

In addition, the Alliance also supported the development of an Urban Competency Framework, an HPN Good Practice Review, and a case study on urban disaster response in the Philippines.

The purpose of this research is to provide urban crisis responders with greater clarity about the concept of urban profiling by identifying key elements as well as lessons and examples from practice. In essence, this knowledge product is intended to contribute to improving the alignment of efforts by the many actors involved in crisis response, including but not limited to local governments, civil society groups, humanitarian and development actors, built environment professionals and academics, among others.