Rethinking the Role of Vulnerability in Early Warning Systems: Insights from Humanitarian Practice in Mozambique

Sammanfattning

The effectiveness of early warning systems (EWS) is frequently emphasised as being dependent on the integration of vulnerability, yet such considerations are often argued as lacking in practice by international organisations and scientific communities. Although this is acknowledged by global initiatives, less attention has been given to understanding vulnerability integration from the perspectives of practitioners in the humanitarian field. This study explores the role of vulnerability from practitioners' perspectives within the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in Mozambique. More specifically, the research investigates how they perceive and operationalise vulnerability in EWS, and which factors they identify as impacting this process. This thesis adopts a grounded theory-based approach through qualitative semi-structured interviews with 19 humanitarian staff, aiming to complement current scientific research with insights emerging from the views and experiences of practitioners. The findings reveal that vulnerability plays an essential role in the effectiveness of EWS; however, diverse perceptions lead to differing operationalisations of the concept, which may cause uneven consideration of vulnerability between contexts. Moreover, the complexity of vulnerability forces trade-offs between acknowledging its multidimensional nature and the need to simplify it into feasible measures for practical implementation. This is further influenced by enabling and constraining factors, including, power dynamics, financial conditions, governance issues, the quality of vulnerability data, and social inequalities that hinder people to act upon warnings. The effectiveness of EWS thus extends beyond the integration of vulnerability in the process, and needs to be considered in a broader, resilience-focused context, in which EWS are embedded.