Since humanitarian needs are growing rapidly outstripping resources. The traditional division between humanitarian and development assistance is increasingly seen as ineffective as the number of protracted and recurring crises grows and the ability to reduce poverty and save lives is threatened. In line with this, Global focus of humanitarian work and Social Interventions has gradually shifted from the traditional emergency aid delivery in the face of conflicts and natural disasters to building the capacity of communities to absorb and adapt in the face of shocks and stresses and ultimately achieve transformational change that may end the cycle of increasing humanitarian needs.

Paul Harvey from Humanitarian Outcomes stated that, by being de facto involved in decades-long protracted emergencies, humanitarian actors have the responsibility to plan long term by building resilient systems and therefore avoid recurrent relapses into crises.