Humanitarian & Development Advisory

Navigating complexity with principled purpose

The Consortium brings together senior practitioners with decades of field experience to deliver evidence-based consultancy across the humanitarian, development and peacebuilding spectrum.

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Purpose-driven expertise,
global reach

The Consortium is an independent advisory group of four senior specialists united by a shared commitment to principled, effective humanitarian and development action. We operate at the intersection of policy, operations, and peacebuilding — bringing rigorous analysis and deep field experience to bear on the world's most complex crises.

Whether advising donor governments, supporting UN agencies, or strengthening NGO capacity, we offer discreet, tailored counsel that is grounded in evidence and guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

80+
Countries of Experience
25+
Years Combined UN & NGO Service
4
Specialist Advisors

"The most effective humanitarian response is one that is locally rooted, globally informed, and always principled."

— The Consortium

Meet the Advisors

ES
Humanitarian Policy

Ekci Suyapno

Senior Assessment, Monitoring & Evaluation Advisor

A results-driven assessment and evaluation specialist with extensive experience designing and leading multi-sector needs assessments, monitoring frameworks, and programme evaluations across complex humanitarian contexts. Ekci has supported UN agencies, NGOs, and donor governments in developing robust MEAL systems, evidence-based decision-making tools, and accountability mechanisms in crisis-affected settings across the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.

SW
Operations & Analysis

Stephen Williams

Senior Humanitarian Operations Advisor

With over twenty years of hands-on experience in field operations and humanitarian analysis, Stephen has worked across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. A former contributor to ACAPS and Oxfam's humanitarian teams, his expertise covers needs assessment, programme design, safety and security management, and organisational capacity development. He brings a practical, problem-solving approach to complex and fragile contexts.

EI
Gender & Protection

Profile 3

Gender, Protection & Development Advisor

Profile 3 brings extensive programme leadership experience across gender equality, protection, and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. With a career spanning international NGOs and multilateral institutions, she specialises in conflict-sensitive programming, gender-based violence response, localisation strategies, and monitoring & evaluation frameworks. Her work has supported vulnerable communities in East Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.

SY
Peace & Security

Profile 4

Peacebuilding Disarmament & Security Sector Advisor

A senior advisor with close to 25 years in peacekeeping and political affairs, Simon specialises in ceasefires, peace mediation, DDR, Security Sector Reform, and conflict prevention. He has served on the UN Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisors and as senior researcher at UNIDIR, with field experience spanning CAR, Colombia, DRC, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen. He holds an MSc in Development Studies from the University of Hull.

Our Services

We provide bespoke advisory services to UN agencies, donor governments, NGOs, and international organisations working in crisis and transition contexts.

Humanitarian Policy & Advocacy

Strategic guidance on EU and multilateral humanitarian policy, donor engagement, NGO positioning, and advocacy at intergovernmental fora. Expertise in ECHO frameworks, Grand Bargain commitments, and localisation.

Peace Mediation & Security Arrangements

Expert support for ceasefire negotiations, peace processes, DDR programme design, Security Sector Reform, and conflict prevention frameworks in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Needs Assessment & Humanitarian Analysis

Rigorous field-based and desk analyses to inform response strategies. Expertise in multi-sector assessments, secondary data review, and evidence synthesis for operational and strategic decision-making.

Gender, Protection & Conflict Sensitivity

Mainstreaming gender equality, GBV prevention and response, and protection principles across humanitarian and development programmes. Conflict sensitivity assessments and do-no-harm frameworks.

Capacity Development & Training

Design and delivery of tailored training programmes for humanitarian and development staff on leadership, security management, cross-cultural communication, humanitarian principles, and response coordination.

Programme Development, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

End-to-end support for programme design, logical frameworks, theory of change development, and robust monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems for donor-funded projects.

Publications & Resources

Report
Policy Report

Rethinking Localisation: Field Evidence from East Africa

2024 · Stephen Williams
Video
Video Talk

Ceasefires and Civilian Protection: Lessons from Syria and Ukraine

2024 · Person
Brief
Policy Brief

Food Security and Gender Needs Assessment in Myanmar

2014 · Ekci Suyapno
Video
Video Lecture

DDR in Practice: Managing Armed Groups in Post-Conflict Transitions

2023 · Person
Field Note
Field Note

Safety & Access in Complex Emergencies: A Practitioner's Guide

2022 · Stephen Williams
Report
Research Report

Gender-Responsive Programming in Humanitarian Settings: A Framework Review

2022 · Person

Get in Touch

We would be glad to hear from you

Whether you are a donor seeking independent analysis, an NGO looking for operational support, or a UN agency in need of specialist advice, we welcome your enquiry. The Consortium is available for short-term assignments, longer engagements, and strategic advisory retainers.

Geneva, Switzerland
info@theconsortium-advisory.org
Available for global assignments