Learning to Learn. Discussion paper prepared for OCHA by Larry Minear "This paper examines the lessons-leaming process among international humanitarian institutions in the Post-Coid War period. It begins with a review of experience in the Great Lakes region (Section D, with particular attention to problems of coordination among humanitarian organizations and at the political interface. It then tums to experience in other major recent crises, which confirms the recurring difficulty of putting humanitarian principles into practice (Section II). The paper assesses progress to date in making the necessary refoms in humanitarian policies and procedures (Section III), finding that while numerous changes have been introduced, the underlying problems identified remain largely unresolved. The paper links resistance to leaming and institutional change with four characteristics of the culture of humanitarian organizations: their tendency to approach every crisis as unique, their action-oriented nature, their defensiveness to criticism, and their lack of accountability (Section IV). It concludes with a discussion of an agenda for future action (Section V). (Posted 10/10/2001)