The dramatic increase in humanitarian assistance by the international community in recent years has largely been in response to an upsurge in internal, ethno-nationalist conflicts. One of the principle characteristics of the humanitarian response has been an enhanced role for NGOs. However this new role for NGOs has often led to their policies and organisational structures focusing on direct action and short-term planning. There is a growing realisation of the need to refocus NGO activities so that they enhance the capacity of agencies to prevent and mitigate the effects of violent conflict.