The ASAL Humanitarian Network (AHN) is a voluntarily collective of local and national organizations present and active in the ASAL counties of Kenya, unified around common issues and commitments. By centering local actors in humanitarian, development, peace (HDP), and climate efforts, AHN fosters advocacy, accountability, and strategic partnerships to amplify community voices and enhance aid effectiveness. The AHN operates through its members, using a two-level structure that includes two components:

Governance: the General Assembly and AHN Board
Strategic: the Secretariat and  its Technical Working groups 

General Assembly
Formed by the executive directors and CEOs of network members agencies, it is the highest decision-making body of the ASAL Humanitarian Network and is responsible for setting strategic goals, approving budgets, policies, and oversight of the network's activities.
 
AHN Board

The Steering Committee is composed of 10 members, selected by caucus of county network members, each representing the 10 ASAL Counties, with at least 50% gender representation. The board is appointed at the annual summit, each member is responsible for representing collective strategic ASAL agenda issues and the best interest of the network.

The AHN board meets quarterly to strategically oversee the secretariat, support in collective advocacy, monitors progress against approved AGM budgets and workplans, and provide reports to the General Assembly. The board forms various sub committees to aid in its governance work.

Secretariat

The AHN Secretariat is an independent body within the AHN that has strategic responsible working jointly with member in (i) Advocacy & Accountability; Organizational capacity Development (iii) Research Innovation and learning (iv) climate resilient HDP Climate nexus ecosystem, coordination and partnerships. AHN secretariat works with members to generate evidence for advocacy and influencing. Technical staff are recruited directly by AHN. The secretariat staff are direct employed for the network where there is need for any accompaniment and technical assistance provided by Partners reports directly to Head of secretariat and will have a ToR with clear deliverables. This will help avoid double hating, conflict of interest (representing a partner/donor and working for the network at the same time) and creating complexity in line management. 

The Secretariat consists of the AHN Team leader (CEO), Technical leads - Policy & Advocacy, MEARL, Communications & Media, Gender protection & Safeguarding, Business development & Funding, and operational support functions. 

 
County Forums

The forums are responsible for coordinating engagement at county level and building relationships with stakeholders and county governments. Office holders representing a county in the board serve term(s) as per the governance policy.

Technical Working Groups

The Technical Working Groups (TWG) support AHN in operationalizing its workplan and achieving its objectives. The Working groups are based on the AHN thematic areas of focus and they include: (i) Advocacy, Communications and Visibility (ii) Gender, Protection & Safeguarding (iii) Monitoring and Evaluation (iii) Women Caucus. Each of the working groups is led by a chair and/or co-chairs from members technical staff and supported by AHN secretariat technical leads.