Ethiopia CHS Country Cooperative kicks off with 24 organisations
Humanitarian and development organisations in Ethiopia have come together to launch the country’s first CHS Country Cooperative. The new initiative is designed to strengthen quality and accountability, support peer learning and encourage more organisations to engage with the Core Humanitarian Standard. Ethiopia joins seven other countries hosting a Cooperative: Afghanistan, DRC, Kenya, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey and Yemen. See all the CHS Country Cooperatives and their leads here.
The Ethiopia Cooperative is led by Kemeriya Hassan, Programme Quality Manager at Women Empowerment Action, and Betsegaw Botamo, Accountability Manager at Concern Worldwide. It brings together national and international organisations committed to more accountable, people-centred responses.
The Cooperative has already attracted strong interest, with more than 20 organisations taking part in early meetings. Most are national NGOs, working alongside international organisations. You can see the full list of participating organisations on the Ethiopia Cooperative page.
For Kemeriya Hassan, the Cooperative responds to a clear need for more practical, country-level exchange.
“We understand and believe that the CHS is a good framework. It is practical and also very comprehensive,” she said. “Before this, we were implementing the Standard at organisational level, but there was no opportunity to share real practice in applying the CHS, or to share our experiences at ground level.”
A timely space for accountability
The Cooperative is being launched at a time when organisations in Ethiopia are facing significant operational challenges. Participants highlighted resource constraints, insecurity and access issues as major pressures affecting humanitarian and development work.
CHS Country Cooperatives are designed to be rooted in real-world settings, with organisations designing priorities as a group, and addressing challenges specific to their context.
“The need is high, while resources are low,” Betsegaw said. “Even to engage in platforms like this, to facilitate capacity sharing, experience sharing and training, is a challenge, so it was really heartening to see so many organisations engage. We did not expect 24 organisations to join the call at this stage.”
Kemeriya also noted that in conflict-affected areas, discussions around accountability and meeting community needs can feel difficult for local actors working in very challenging conditions.
“When we speak about meeting community needs, or about rights and accountability, in areas where law and order are not in place and where human rights are not respected, participants ask, ‘Really, is this possible? Is it applicable?’ My answer is yes, and there is a framework and group of colleagues to support you.”
Betsegaw added: “The humanitarian need is enormous and with resource shortages, quality and accountability issues are once again in question. Through sharing experiences, we can make programmes more accountable and impactful for communities.”
Learning from CHS verification experience
So far the Cooperative has met twice, introducing participating organisations, identifying shared priorities, and exploring how the Cooperative can support members. Early priority areas include experience sharing, capacity building, organisational self-assessment, and support for organisations interested in CHS verification.
At the most recent Cooperative meeting, Kemeriya and Betsegaw shared their experience of CHS verification, having both taken their organisations through the process.
“Participants were very interested in the benefits of the audit process, as well as the challenges and the general process. We discussed how the process helps reveal gaps in capacity and areas of strength,” Kemeriya said.
The Cooperative also provided a forum for an honest discussion about some of the practical challenges of the process. “Documentation requirements, staff time, budget constraints and security limitations affecting field visits, these are all very real challenges, and it was useful to share our experiences,” she said.
Betsegaw also shared his thoughts on the end goal of verification.
“Sometimes organisations focus on the certification itself, it is the measure of success. But I want to demonstrate, certification is not the end, it is a starting point to a change in attitude, among leadership and the organisation, to deliver accountable programmes for communities.”
Building momentum
The Ethiopia Cooperative is still in its early stages, but its leaders are encouraged by the level of interest and engagement so far.
The next steps include continuing regular meetings every two months, inviting more organisations to join, and developing Terms of Reference for the Cooperative. These will set out the group’s priorities, ways of working, membership expectations and meeting frequency.
The Cooperative also plans to develop an annual action plan for 2027, with a focus on capacity building, experience sharing and practical support for members.
Betsegaw believes the model has relevance far beyond Ethiopia.
“In my opinion, the CHS Country Cooperative is relevant for every country,” he said. “Like-minded organisations can come together, share their experiences, speak with one voice, to have an impact on accountability and the humanitarian sector.”
Kemeriya said: “I am excited to see where this goes. Organisations working in Ethiopia are encouraged to join our Cooperative, contribute their experience, and help build a stronger, more accountable humanitarian and development sector. We look forward to welcoming you.”
Join a CHS Country Cooperative
CHS Country Cooperatives are open to organisations interested in strengthening quality and accountability, learning from peers, and engaging more deeply with the CHS.
Whether your organisation is already a CHS Alliance member, exploring membership, beginning a self-assessment, or simply interested in learning more, the Cooperative offers a practical space to connect with others facing similar opportunities and challenges.