Getting ahead of crises: A thesaurus for anticipatory humanitarian action

The recent shift in humanitarianism from thinking in terms of response to anticipatory action has not only great intuitive appeal but there is also growing consensus on the value of acting early in terms of both cost-effectiveness and efficiency. As a new way of thinking and acting, this innovative approach comes with a new parlance and vocabulary.

This thesaurus is intended to enable reflection on the similarities and differences in the way organizations use language associated with the concept of anticipatory humanitarian action. Its purpose is not to define terms but to facilitate mutual understanding and, thus, coordination and collaboration across the multitude of organizations operating in this space.