The Humanitarian Response Index 2010 reveals that:

• Politicisation and instrumentalisation of humanitarian aid is an escalating trend. Donor governments are not fulfilling their commitments to keep their humanitarian assistance independent from political, security or other interests. While most donor governments are perceived by the organisations they fund as focusing on humanitarian objectives when allocating aid, a significant number believe that donor governments are not keeping humanitarian assistance independent of political, economic or military objectives.

• Continued challenges for access and protection. Donor governments do not still support protection of civilian efforts adequately to ensure protection needs of populations are met.

• Prevention, preparedness and linking humanitarian relief and development. Donor governments are also failing to adequately support prevention, risk reduction and recovery efforts. This is vital in order to prevent and minimise human suffering when all scenarios point to increased humanitarian needs.

• Supporting wider humanitarian reform. Donor governments also need to step up their leadership in bringing about changes and improvements to the way the world responds to crises, in particular, by improving their support for learning and accountability towards the people aid efforts seek to assist.