A/HRC/13/21 The Representative also encourages OHCHR and UNICEF to reinforce their efforts to increase capacity at headquarters and on the ground. 62. The 2005 humanitarian reform initiative created an early recovery cluster,31 with UNDP as lead, thus acknowledging the importance of the transition between humanitarian action in emergency situations and steps towards full recovery. The Representative has on several occasions32 observed a gap between the phasing out by humanitarian actors and the arrival of development actors. He stresses the need for humanitarian and development actors to work hand in hand and to begin recovery activities as early as possible. Present weaknesses in early recovery activities are exacerbated by underfunding of the early recovery cluster and the lack of flexible funding mechanisms in this area. E. Upholding distinctions between humanitarian and military roles 63. The Representative has observed in several countries the difficult relationship between United Nations political or peacekeeping missions and humanitarian actors, particularly where they were part of integrated missions. He welcomes efforts to strengthen the capabilities of United Nations peacekeeping operations to protect civilians, including internally displaced persons, and the fact that such missions often have a positive impact on humanitarian action on the ground, including by improving the security situation or facilitating humanitarian access. However, their impact can also be negative and even impair humanitarian activities, in particular where the mission is mandated to support militarily or politically one party to the conflict. 64. Where both humanitarian and military efforts to broaden protection of civilians coincide, the Representative has emphasized that the fundamental distinction between humanitarian action and military action be upheld at all times so as not to call into question the impartiality of humanitarian activities.33 Fostering a mutual understanding of each other’s role will certainly contribute to better coordination. The political and military arms of an integrated mission should reach out to non-United Nations humanitarian actors to promote this understanding. F. Defending humanitarian space 65. The Representative is very concerned that the humanitarian space required to effectively protect and assist internally displaced persons is shrinking. Long-standing logistical difficulties in accessing people in crisis areas have been compounded by serious security concerns for humanitarian workers. In 2008, 260 humanitarian aid workers were killed, kidnapped or seriously injured in violent attacks, more than in any previous year on record.34 31 32 33 34 16 The concept of early recovery has been defined as the application of development principles to humanitarian situations in order to stabilize local and national capacities from further deterioration so that they can provide the foundation for full recovery, and stimulate spontaneous recovery activities within the affected population. Stabilizing and using these capacities in turn reduces the amount of humanitarian support required. See United Nations Development Programme Policy on Early Recovery (22 August 2008), at 1.1. See e.g. the press release of 17 July 2009 on the Representative’s visit to Uganda and A/64/124, para. 71. See e.g. A/HRC/13/21/Add.2 and A/HRC/8/6/Add.3. OCHA, World Humanitarian Day: Security Trends (2009). By comparison, in 1998, 69 aid workers experienced such violence. GE.10-10161