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Journal articles on the topic 'Humanitarian actors'
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1
Nagra, Prabhjot. "Humanitarians and ‘Humanitarian Intervention’." Journal of Intelligence, Conflict, and Warfare 2, no. 1 (May 17, 2019): 16. http://dx.doi.org/10.21810/jicw.v2i1.950.
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Humanitarianism as a concept is arguably as old as humanity itself. To help one's fellow man in their time of need irrespective of race, religion, caste, or creed has been preached by innumerable ideologies. Despite being such a universally understood concept, in recent decades humanitarianism, has faced increased conflation with ‘humanitarian intervention’. This paper seeks to discern the differences between humanitarianism and humanitarian intervention and will do so by examining the ideological and foundational differences between the two concepts. The two concepts despite sounding similar are fundamentally different; they involve different actors and have different objectives. This paper will distinguish between state and non- state actors and the different humanitarian roles, values, and interests they have. This paper will posit that states that engage in military interventions are not humanitarians and that the conflation of such actions with those of impartial non-state actors are highly damaging to the ideals and values of humanitarianism.
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Sandvik, Kristin Bergtora, and Kristian Hoelscher. "The Reframing of the War on Drugs as a “Humanitarian Crisis”: Costs, Benefits, and Consequences." Latin American Perspectives 44, no. 4 (December 9, 2016): 168–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0094582x16683375.
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The War on Drugs has had grave humanitarian consequences for Latin America. It has encouraged a highly militarized and ultimately unsuccessful approach to drug control, leading to violence, displacement, and human suffering throughout the region. In acknowledging and responding to this suffering, humanitarian organizations have recently begun to frame this situation as a “humanitarian crisis” to facilitate humanitarian entry into new spaces. There is a need for a conceptual conversation about the use of the label “humanitarian crisis” in reference to the human costs of the War on Drugs in Latin America, particularly its rhetorical and normative use by the media and civil society and its strategic and moral use by humanitarian actors. La Guerra contra las Drogas ha tenido grave consecuencias humanitarias para América Latina. Ha promovido un enfoque altamente militarizado y en última instancia fallido, para controlar las drogas, lo que ha provocado violencia, desplazamientos y sufrimiento humano a través de la región. Como reconocimiento y respuesta a este sufrimiento, las organizaciones humanitarias recientemente han empezado a plantear esta situación como una “crisis humanitaria” para así facilitar la entrada humanitaria en nuevos espacios. Es necesario que se dé una conversación teórica sobre el uso de la categoría “crisis humanitaria” en referencia a los costos humanos de la Guerra contra las Drogas en América Latina, especialmente su uso retórico y prescriptivo por parte de los medios de comunicación y la sociedad civil y su uso estratégico y moral por parte de los agentes humanitarios.
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Sutton, Rebecca. "Enacting the ‘civilian plus’: International humanitarian actors and the conceptualization of distinction." Leiden Journal of International Law 33, no. 2 (January 29, 2020): 429–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s092215651900075x.
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AbstractThe civilian-combatant frame persists as the main legal lens through which lawyers organize the relationships of conflict zone actors. As a result, little attention has been paid in international legal scholarship to different gradations of ‘civilianness’ and the ways in which some civilians might compete to distinguish themselves from each other. Drawing attention to international humanitarian actors – particularly those working for NGOs – this article explores the micro-strategies these actors engage in to negotiate their relative status in war. Original qualitative empirical findings from South Sudan illuminate the way in which humanitarians struggle over distinction with individuals working for the UN peacekeeping mission, UNMISS. As is shown, humanitarian actors are doing away with a static civilian-combatant binary in their daily practice. A more fluid logic informs both their self-conceptualization and their interactions with others who share the operational space. Humanitarian actors envision civilianness as a contingent concept, and they operate according to a continuum along which everything is a matter of degree and subtle gradation. As civilianness is detached from the civilian, any given actor might acquire or shed civilian-like, or combatant-like, characteristics at any moment. The distinction practices that humanitarian actors enact can be understood as a bid for legibility, so that they might be rendered intelligible in international law and in the eyes of other actors as a special kind of civilian – the ‘civilian plus’.
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Bywater, Matthew. "Classical and Political Humanitarianisms in an Era of Military Interventionism and the War on Terror." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 8, no. 1-2 (August 1, 2017): 33–112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18781527-00801005.
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This paper scrutinises the modus operandi of classical and political humanitarianism: the use of ambiguity and prescription to frame calls for international action to protect civilians, and public commentary on jus in bello and jus ad bellum. It does so by innovatively considering the perspectives of belligerents alongside those of humanitarian actors, so as to identify how belligerents have responded to the two humanitarian modus operandi, and to ascertain the connection of humanitarian actors to the wars and international military interventions that they have implicitly or explicitly called for or endorsed. The paper finds that the response of belligerents differs from what both classical and political humanitarians expect. Even where humanitarians maintain ambiguity, the intention to will military action remains present and even the documentation and reporting of violence will bolster military intervention. Such consequences will be perceptible to belligerents, who may restrict humanitarian space. When humanitarians advance jus ad bellum perspectives, the humanitarian identity envisioned by classicists is not necessarily compromised. But belligerents are positively influenced by such perspectives only when those perspectives coincide with their own position.
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Slim, Hugo. "Business actors in armed conflict: towards a new humanitarian agenda." International Review of the Red Cross 94, no. 887 (September 2012): 903–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s181638311300009x.
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AbstractThe purpose of this article is to give an overview of current understandings of the various roles of business actors in armed conflict. It traces the expanding discussion of business and conflict in today's civil wars, and the discussion's importance to humanitarian, human rights, corporate and peacebuilding policymakers. It shows how the humanitarian understanding of business roles in conflict has progressed beyond some simple and largely negative stereotypes about business in war to become more sophisticated. The article then looks at the significant diversity of business actors, which can determine their experience of armed conflict. It is suggested that there are six potential roles of business in armed conflict – that of victim, perpetrator, supplier, humanitarian actor, peacebuilder, and conflict preventer. Finally, the article recommends a range of ways to improve humanitarian policy so that humanitarian actors engage with business more actively and appropriately on law, business relief, and business continuity.
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Voillat, Claude. "Pushing the humanitarian agenda through engagement with business actors: the ICRC's experience." International Review of the Red Cross 94, no. 887 (September 2012): 1089–114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383113000507.
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AbstractLarge companies can have both massively positive and massively negative impacts on communities, be it directly through their operations or indirectly through their influence on decision-makers. This is particularly true when business operations take place in conflict-affected or high-risk areas. Humanitarian organisations endeavouring to bring protection and/or assistance in these areas cannot, therefore, ignore these influential actors. Engagement with business actors – as well as with any other societal actor – should be framed within a clear rationale in order to deliver positive results. This article introduces the rationale that has been developed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and offers some examples of past engagement between the ICRC and business actors. It notes that occasions for humanitarian organisations to engage with business actors are likely to become more frequent in the coming years and argues that this trend, if properly managed, offers humanitarian organisations opportunities to leverage energies, know-how, and resources from the business sector for the benefit of the persons and communities that humanitarian organisations strive to protect and assist.
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Meiches, Benjamin. "Non-human humanitarians." Review of International Studies 45, no. 1 (October 22, 2018): 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0260210518000281.
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AbstractThe study of humanitarian intervention typically focuses on the human victims and saviours in armed conflict and natural disasters. Moreover, explanations of the virtues of humanitarian norms and ethics emphasise the importance of the university of suffering and the empathic nature of humanitarian efforts. In contrast, this article explores the neglected world of ‘non-human humanitarians’. Specifically, the article outlines three cases of non-human actors that expand and complicate international humanitarian practices: dogs, drones, and diagrams. Drawing on new materialist and posthuman literatures, the article argues that non-humans possess distinct capacities that vastly expand and transform humanitarian efforts in ranging from relief, to medicine, to conflict resolution. Highlighting non-human humanitarians thus offers a new perspective on the resources available for redressing mass violence and conflict, but also complicates existing definitions of humanitarian norms. To the contrary, the article demonstrates that non-humans often maximise humanitarian services to a degree greater than their human counterparts, but have also introduced changes into humanitarian practices that have problematic unintended consequences. Non-human humanitarians reveals previously discounted participants in international politics and the key roles they play in various international interventions.
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Schwendimann, Felix. "The legal framework of humanitarian access in armed conflict." International Review of the Red Cross 93, no. 884 (December 2011): 993–1008. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383112000434.
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AbstractObtaining and maintaining humanitarian access to populations in need by humanitarian actors is a challenge. A wide range of constraints on humanitarian access exist, including ongoing hostilities or an otherwise insecure environment, destruction of infrastructure, often onerous bureaucratic requirements, and attempts by parties to armed conflict to block access intentionally. The difficulties that these constraints present to humanitarians are frequently compounded by a lack of familiarity – on the part of states, non-state armed groups, and humanitarian relief organizations – with the legal framework. The main purpose of this article is to lay out the existing international legal framework regulating humanitarian access in situations of armed conflict.
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Muntoh, Eugene Muambeh. "AN APPRAISAL OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF HUMANITARIAN MISSIONS IN CAMEROON’S CONFLICT ZONES (NORTH-WEST AND SOUTH-WEST REGIONS)." International Journal of Legal Studies ( IJOLS ) 8, no. 2 (December 31, 2020): 147–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0014.6363.
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Humanitarian actors have become quite noticeable in the field of humanitarian missions in Cameroon ever since the outbreak of the “Anglophone” crisis in the North-west and South-west Regions. Even though, humanitarian actors have engaged fully in the fight against social injustice and human rights, most of them are considered feeble owing to their reliance on subsidy from government and international aid bodies. This study seeks to examine the basis and the role of humanitarian missions in the conflict hit north-west and south-west regions of Cameroon. The paper further scrutinises the efficacy of interventions by humanitarian actors in humanitarian missions as concerns the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon. Based on evidence from primary and secondary source materials, the paper argues that despite the relevance of humanitarian actors towards addressing the humanitarian situation in the course of the Anglophone crisis, much is yet to be achieved as far as the attainment of sustainable peace in the crisis stricken regions is concern. The lack of a common platform for humanitarian actors made coordination of their accomplishments impracticable.
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Gleditsch, Kristian Skrede, Simon Hug, Livia Isabella Schubiger, and Julian Wucherpfennig. "International Conventions and Nonstate Actors." Journal of Conflict Resolution 62, no. 2 (June 7, 2016): 346–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0022002716650924.
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Whether international humanitarian norms are respected during and after civil conflict depends on the behavior of both governments and nonstate actors (NSAs). However, international conventions on the protection of civilians generally do not address NSAs, as such conventions are open only to the representatives of states. In a pioneering initiative, the nongovernmental organization Geneva Call has started to address this problem by soliciting NSAs to sign “deeds of commitment” to ban particular activities violating humanitarian norms. Focusing on the case of antipersonnel mines, we examine why NSAs would choose to sign conventions that limit their autonomy, and whether such conventions can change the behavior of governments and nonstate armed groups. We propose a game-theoretic model of how the interaction between governments and NSAs shape their incentives to commit to and comply with international humanitarian norms. Our empirical evidence highlights the importance of these interdependencies between governments and NSAs in the realm of humanitarian engagements.
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Cain, Allan. "Humanitarian & development actors as peacebuilders?" Review of African Political Economy 28, no. 90 (December 2001): 577–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03056240108704567.
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Jansen, Bram J. "The humanitarian protectorate of South Sudan? Understanding insecurity for humanitarians in a political economy of aid." Journal of Modern African Studies 55, no. 3 (August 11, 2017): 349–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022278x17000271.
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ABSTRACTThis paper aims to contribute to debates about humanitarian governance and insecurity in post-conflict situations. It takes the case of South Sudan to explore the relations between humanitarian agencies, the international community, and local authorities, and the ways international and local forms of power become interrelated and contested, and to what effect. The paper is based on eight months of ethnographic research in various locations in South Sudan between 2011 and 2013, in which experiences with and approaches to insecurity among humanitarian aid actors were studied. The research found that many security threats can be understood in relation to the everyday practices of negotiating and maintaining humanitarian access. Perceiving this insecurity as violation or abuse of a moral and practical humanitarianism neglects how humanitarian aid in practice was embedded in broader state building processes. This paper posits instead that much insecurity for humanitarian actors is a symptom of the blurring of international and local forms of power, and this mediates the development of a humanitarian protectorate.
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Ewumbue-Monono, Churchill. "Respect for international humanitarian law by armed non-state actors in Africa." International Review of the Red Cross 88, no. 864 (December 2006): 905–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383107000835.
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AbstractThis report presents the instruments and strategies used by non-state actors to respect international humanitarian law during intra-state conflicts in Africa and highlights the recognition by these non-state actors of the role of humanitarian organizations. It examines the impact of such recognition on the development of international humanitarian law and the activities of humanitarian organizations, and shows the problems encountered by non-state actors with respect to their commitments. It concludes with some suggestions as to a way forward.
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Jæger, Tørris. "Humanitarian and Military Action in Armed Conflict – Side by Side, not Hand in Hand." Nordic Journal of International Law 78, no. 4 (2009): 567–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/090273509x12506922106876.
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AbstractHumanitarian action in armed conflict faces a challenge as the distinction between humanitarian, other civilian and military action becomes increasingly blurred. It may imply that the security of humanitarian professionals is put at risk or that humanitarian actors do not reach all those in need. From a Red Cross perspective, it is both necessary and possible to single out humanitarian action based on neutrality, impartiality and independence with a view to gaining and maintaining access to all those with a need and right to humanitarian assistance and protection during armed conflict. Access to populations in need is based on trust by parties to a conflict that this access is intended and used exclusively for humanitarian purposes. This imposes restrictions on humanitarianactors not to engage in non-humanitarian activities and non-humanitarian actors not to engage in humanitarian activities. Only where there is no civil alternative and needs are real and critical can assistance be provided by e.g., military actors, if this assistance is provided without discrimination on a needs first and only basis. isrequires that assistance is not used to achieve non-humanitarian purposes, i.e., to win consent, gather intelligence, and so on. Red Cross experience shows that the provision of humanitarian assistance and protection requires expertise, capacity and competence specific to humanitarian organisations. This cannot be assumed by other actors with a different mandate or purpose without compromising the basic principles of humanitarian action: neutrality, impartiality and independence.
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Abidi, Hella, Sander de Leeuw, and Matthias Klumpp. "The value of fourth-party logistics services in the humanitarian supply chain." Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management 5, no. 1 (April 7, 2015): 35–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jhlscm-02-2014-0010.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the value of fourth-party logistics (4PL) services in a humanitarian supply chain. Furthermore, it shows a framework for a fourth-party humanitarian logistics concept. Design/methodology/approach – The research paper presents a framework of fourth-party humanitarian logistics based on the four core components described by Christopher (2005) which was evaluated with a nonlinear approach called analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The AHP method explores qualitative and quantitative decision-making criteria in case of solving multi-attribute and complex problems. In total, seven experts from academia and practice have contributed to this research, resulting in a better understanding of the decisive needs of humanitarian supply chain actors for implementing and integrating a 4PL concept. Findings – The research shows an increased value for humanitarian supply chain actors of establishing a 4PL concept. The results present a positive influence of 4PL in complex disasters environments and provide key drivers for increasing and simplifying collaboration between the humanitarian supply chain actors. Research limitations/implications – Future research has to consider different disaster types and needs to further emphasize the added value for beneficiaries of implementing a 4PL concept in a humanitarian supply chain environment. Further research should preferably also consider case studies in order to analyse challenges, drawbacks and benefits of this concept (qualitative and quantitative factors) in a real-life humanitarian supply chain setting. Practical implications – The research offers managerial insights into the use of a 4PL concept in the humanitarian supply chain environment to improve efficiency due to an improved collaboration between the humanitarian supply chain actors. Originality/value – The research paper investigates an under-researched topic in the humanitarian supply chain environment. For humanitarian supply chain actors outsourcing their activities to a 4PL service provider could secure collaboration, increase service levels as well as efficiency and therefore create additional value.
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de Jonge Oudraat, Chantal. "Humanitarian Intervention: The Lessons Learned." Current History 99, no. 641 (December 1, 2000): 419–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/curh.2000.99.641.419.
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In determining how they should react to internal crises in other countries, the nations of the world need to answer three questions: “First, under what conditions should international actors intervene in internal conflicts?… When international action is required, which international actors should take the lead and who should participate in these operations? … [And third,] What are the best ways of carrying out international interventions in internal conflicts?”
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Weiss, Thomas G. "Principles, Politics, and Humanitarian Action." Ethics & International Affairs 13 (March 1999): 1–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7093.1999.tb00322.x.
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The tragedies of the past decade have led to an identity crisis among humanitarians. Respecting traditional principles of neutrality and impartiality and operating procedures based on consent has created as many problems as it has solved. A debate is raging between “classicists,” who believe that humanitarian action can be insulated from politics, and various “political humanitarians,” who are attempting to use politics to improve relief and delivery in war zonesThis essay examines the pros and cons of impartial versus political humanitarianism and differing approaches across a spectrum of actors, including the classicists, led by the International Committee of the Red Cross, who believe that humanitarian action can and should be completely insulated from politics; the “minimalists,” who “aim to do no harm” in delivering relief; the “maximalists,” who have a more ambitious agenda of employing humanitarian action as part of a comprehensive strategy to transform conflict; and the “solidarists,” exemplified by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), who choose sides and abandon neutrality and impartiality as well as reject consent as a prerequisite for intervention. The essay argues that there is no longer any need to ask whether politics and humanitarian action intersect. The real question is how this intersection can be managed to ensure more humanized politics and more effective humanitarian action.
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Klein-Kelly, Natalie. "More humanitarian accountability, less humanitarian access? Alternative ideas on accountability for protection activities in conflict settings." International Review of the Red Cross 100, no. 907-909 (April 2018): 287–313. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383119000031.
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AbstractAmbitions to fulfil accountability demands in humanitarian action are high, including for protection activities in armed conflict settings. However, from a Dunantist position, meeting accountability demands is often not only unsatisfactory for practical reasons, but is also inappropriate in view of humanitarian principles and flawed from related ethical perspectives. Regarding accountability primarily as a technical exercise, rather than as being linked to ethical perspectives on humanitarianism and its principles, may thus inadvertently contribute to reduced acceptability of, and ultimately reduced access for, humanitarian actors. Dunantist actors wishing to stay true to their ethical approach need new ways of thinking about accountability, a reflection which can serve as an example for an ongoing need to consider differences between actors within the humanitarian–development nexus.
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Ali, Shahla, and Tom Kabau. "Non-State Actors and the Evolution of Humanitarian Norms." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 5, no. 1-2 (January 10, 2014): 70–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18781527-00501001.
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The Sphere Humanitarian Charter, a self-regulation instrument of humanitarian non-State actors, establishes principles and minimum standards in the provision of humanitarian assistance in select vital life-saving relief activities, especially in nutrition and health. The Charter articulates principles and minimum standards for facilitating the achievement of rights and obligations enshrined in various international legal “soft law” instruments. Due to the multiplicity of international legal instruments, the Sphere Charter provides a tool for a coherent understanding and application of relevant obligations, and therefore increases accountability and efficiency. The Sphere Charter bold human rights based approach to humanitarian assistance, including its articulation of a right to receive humanitarian assistance, may contribute to the evolution of the international legal regime into a more “victim centered” system. The central argument postulated in this article is that although the Sphere Charter is not a binding legal instrument, it has significant normative value that may contribute to progressive developments in the legal regime governing humanitarian assistance, and is particularly helpful in improving accountability and quality in the provision of nutrition and health relief. The Sphere Charter framework for local participation is particularly viewed as significant in engendering accountability in relief activities.
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Kuipers, Erin Hedwig Christina, Isabelle Desportes, and Michaela Hordijk. "Of locals and insiders." Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal 29, no. 3 (August 16, 2019): 352–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/dpm-12-2018-0384.
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Purpose Through the case of the response to the 2017 Mocoa mudslide, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to a deeper understanding of why and how humanitarian response should be locally led, particularly in more complex contexts such as those affected by conflict. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative data collected during a four-month period in 2017, with a focus on the immediate April 2017 emergency phase which presented the largest diversity of local, national and international actors. Findings The study has found that competing legitimacy claims between the state and non-state response blocs led to tensions and confrontations between disaster response actors and consequently a problematic response process and outcome. The institutional map that was plotted based on locally perceived actor legitimacies indicates a local state-led response would have better served the broader goals of humanitarian support, development and peacebuilding. Practical implications These findings have significant implications for the understanding of how the locally led response should be understood. Better alignment with local needs and feasibilities requires a differential outlook on what is to be understood as “local.” This study puts forward the insider/outsider lens as a tool to identify the actors who possess local trust and legitimacy and are thus best suited to bridge the elements of the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding triple nexus. Originality/value This study gives a voice to state actors, which was largely absent in previous studies.
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Clements, Ashley Jonathan. "Overcoming Power Asymmetry in Humanitarian Negotiations with Armed Groups." International Negotiation 23, no. 3 (August 22, 2018): 367–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15718069-23031136.
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Abstract Humanitarian actors seeking to offer assistance and protection to civilians in many contemporary conflicts negotiate access with armed groups from a position of weakness. They consequently concede many of their demands, compromising humanitarian operations and principles, and leaving millions of vulnerable civilians beyond reach. Using a structural analysis of the negotiation process in many recent humanitarian crises this article demonstrates the basis of this marked power asymmetry and challenges the assumption in much of the literature that this power imbalance is immutable. Humanitarian negotiators have access to a range of tactics that can alter the structure of the negotiation to reach more favorable outcomes. This article argues that these strategies have proved effective in many recent negotiations, but also carry significant risks to humanitarian actors and to the civilians they seek to assist.
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Welde, Tadelech Bubamo, and Baiq L. S. W. Wardhani. "Paradox of humanitarian intervention: A critical analysis of theory and practice." Masyarakat, Kebudayaan dan Politik 33, no. 3 (August 31, 2020): 222. http://dx.doi.org/10.20473/mkp.v33i32020.222-237.
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Since the end of the Cold War, thoughtlessness act in conducting ‘humanitarian interventions’ has posed analytical challenges for international relations academicians. Traditional security advocators have tried to distinguished implications of ‘humanitarianism’ based on their interest and how it helps state in regaining the outcome. This research identified motivation of state in conducting humanitarian intervention. There are growing studies, as expressed by the constructivist, that humanitarianism is states’ political weapon that shifted the involvement patterns of policymakers and actors in humanitarian interventions. On the other hand, primary criticism from realism stressed economic and political ambition behind humanitarian interventions and makes it impossible to be moral, ethical, and cosmopolitan. The objective of this study is to examine the practices, motives, and challenges of humanitarian interventions. Data gathered from published books and journals selected through rigorous analysis. The research finds that the failure of humanitarian interventions indicates the following: First, humanitarian interventions requires expensive cost in people’s life and other resources. Moreover, there is a moral obligation to save the victims. Second, actors are engaged to operate the mission and has limited right to demonstrate their self-interest to protect the victims. Third is the issue of sovereignty and the subjected state’s willingness to integrate. To overcome the problem, government should promote global governance transformation and the cosmopolitanism nature between actors.
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Wilkinson, Olivia J. "“It’s Being, Not Doing”." Migration and Society 1, no. 1 (December 1, 2018): 111–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3167/arms.2017.010110.
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Local faith actors are deeply involved in assisting refugees around the world. Their place in refugee response, however, can be in parallel with and, at times, in disagreement with the efforts of international humanitarian organizations. Focusing on the interactions between local faith actors and refugees and local faith actors and international organizations, the lenses of hospitality and hostility are used to analyze the tensions between these types of actors. Through a review of the literature and interviews with 21 key informants, I show that processes of marginalization occur to the extent that local faith actors lose their positions of host to the dominance of the international humanitarian system, and feelings of hostility ensue. This demonstrates to international actors why they might be ill received and how they can approach partnerships with local faith actors in more diplomatic ways.
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Wilkinson, Olivia J. "“It’s Being, Not Doing”." Migration and Society 1, no. 1 (December 1, 2018): 111–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3167/arms.2018.010110.
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Local faith actors are deeply involved in assisting refugees around the world. Their place in refugee response, however, can be in parallel with and, at times, in disagreement with the efforts of international humanitarian organizations. Focusing on the interactions between local faith actors and refugees and local faith actors and international organizations, the lenses of hospitality and hostility are used to analyze the tensions between these types of actors. Through a review of the literature and interviews with 21 key informants, I show that processes of marginalization occur to the extent that local faith actors lose their positions of host to the dominance of the international humanitarian system, and feelings of hostility ensue. This demonstrates to international actors why they might be ill received and how they can approach partnerships with local faith actors in more diplomatic ways.
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Bollettino, Vincenzo, and Birthe Anders. "Civil–Military Coordination." Journal of Humanitarian Affairs 2, no. 1 (January 1, 2020): 3–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.7227/jha.029.
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In most of today’s crises, humanitarian organisations operate in the same environment as a range of military and non-state armed actors. The effective engagement between militaries and humanitarian aid agencies can be beneficial for the timely delivery of aid and is also often unavoidable when trying to gain access to areas controlled by military or non-state armed actors. However, such engagement also comes with risks. Previous literature on the subject has described some of the benefits and potential risks of different types of engagement between military and humanitarian actors. To date, however, quantifiable data on how civil–military engagement unfolds and which factors influence the effectiveness of coordination is lacking. This paper proposes an indicator framework for measuring the effectiveness of civil–military coordination in humanitarian response. It provides nineteen descriptive level and twenty perception and effectiveness indicators that may be used at any stage of a response to a humanitarian emergency, from mission planning and assessment through the various stages of a response and post-response assessment. The full set of questions, or a more targeted subset of these questions, may also be used as periodic polls to actively monitor developments in theatre.
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Moser-Mercer, Barbara, Somia Qudah, Mona Nabeel Ali Malkawi, Jayne Mutiga, and Mohammed Al-Batineh. "Beyond aid: Sustainable responses to meeting language communication needs in humanitarian contexts." Interpreting and Society 1, no. 1 (September 2021): 5–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/27523810211036534.
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This article navigates the complexity of the humanitarian system, the potential of the humanitarian-development nexus, and the commitments of the World Humanitarian Summit of 2016 as a backdrop to designing sustainable interpreter training programmes. It argues that these programmes must be locally designed to respond to real needs and developed and implemented by local actors living and working in the contexts where building trained interpreter capacity is essential to the success of the humanitarian agenda. It further highlights the crucial importance of decolonising aid and empowering local actors in efforts to advance the cause and quality of multilingual communication in crisis contexts. Two case studies from conflict-affected regions in the Middle East and East Africa—Jordan and Kenya—illustrate how cross-cutting issues from national, regional and international politics, humanitarian agendas, international aid, Higher Education in Emergencies, and country-specific policy agendas inform the design, development, and implementation of university-level training programmes in humanitarian interpreting.
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Minear, Larry. "Informing the Integration Debate with Recent Experience." Ethics & International Affairs 18, no. 2 (September 2004): 53–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7093.2004.tb00467.x.
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The overriding challenge faced by policy-makers in the post–Cold War era is not, as many would have us believe, the achievement of integration of humanitarian action into the prevailing politico-military context. It is rather the protection of its independence. The debate, rather than focusing on fitting humanitarian action more snugly into the given political framework, should explore how to ensure the indispensable independence of humanitarian actors from that framework.The experience of the Humanitarianism and War Project, an action-oriented research and publications initiative studying humanitarian activities in post–Cold War conflicts, suggests the essential elements of such independence. They include structural protection for humanitarian action against political conditionality; more sensitivity to local perceptions regarding humanitarian actors and action; tighter discipline within the humanitarian sector by those providing assistance and protection; increased attention to the origins of aid resources and of the personnel administering them; greater participation and ownership by local institutions and leaders in crisis countries; and an agreed overarching political framework that gives higher priority to human security.
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Bustamante, Nirma D., Shada A. Rouhani, Sean Kivlehan, Keegan A. Checkett, Kerling Israel, Sterman Toussaint, and Stephanie Kayden. "The Haiti Humanitarian Response Course: A Novel Approach to Local Responder Training in International Humanitarian Response." Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 35, no. 2 (February 19, 2020): 220–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x20000229.
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AbstractIntroduction:Countries most affected by disasters are often those with limited local capacity to respond. When local capacity is overwhelmed, international humanitarian response often provides needs-based emergency response. Despite global progress in education and the development of international humanitarian response standards, access to training and integration of local actors in response mechanisms remains limited. In May 2017, the Haiti Humanitarian Response Course (HHRC) was implemented in Mirebalais, Haiti to increase local capacity and allow for effective future engagement with international humanitarian actors in a country prone to disasters.Report:In collaboration with the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais’ (HUM; Mirebalais, Haiti) Department of Medical Education and Emergency Medicine (EM) residency program, four physicians from the Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, Massachusetts USA) facilitated the course, which included 53 local physicians and staff. Following 15 hours of online pre-course preparation, through didactics and practical small-group exercises, the course focused on key components of international humanitarian response, minimum standards for effective response, and the roles of key response players. The course was free to participants and taught in English and French.Discussion:The HHRC reduced the barriers often faced by local actors who seek training in international humanitarian response by offering free training in their own community. It presents a novel approach to narrow critical gaps in training local populations in international humanitarian response, especially in environments prone to crises and disasters. This approach can help local responders better access international humanitarian response mechanisms when the local response capacity is exhausted or overwhelmed.Conclusion:The HHRC demonstrates a potential new model for humanitarian and disaster training and offers a model for similar programs in other disaster-prone countries. Ultimately, local capacity building could lead to more efficient resource utilization, improved knowledge sharing, and better disaster response.
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Eagan, Sheena M. "Global health diplomacy and humanitarian assistance: understanding the intentional divide between military and non-military actors." Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps 165, no. 4 (October 12, 2018): 244–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2018-001030.
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Often known as ‘globalhealth diplomacy’, the provision of medical care to accomplish strategic objectives, advance public diplomacy goals and enhance soft power is increasingly emphasised in international affairs and military policies. Despite this emergent trend, there has been little critical analysis and examination of the ethics of military actors engaging in this type of work. This type of mission represents the most common form of military medical deployment within the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and is now explicitly emphasised in many militaries’ defence doctrine. The growth of these programmes has occurred with little analysis, examination or critique. This paper examines the history of global health diplomacy as directly related to humanitarian assistance, focusing on the difference in intention to highlight ethical dilemmas related to military involvement in the humanitarian sphere. The relationship between non-military humanitarian actors and military actors will be a focal point of discussion, as this relationship has been historically complicated and continues to shift. Relevant differences between these two groups of actors, their motivations and work will be highlighted. In order to examine the morally important differences between these groups, analysis will draw on relevant international doctrine and codes that attempt to provide ethical guidance within the humanitarian sphere.
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Jo, Hyeran. "International Humanitarian Law on the Periphery." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 11, no. 1 (June 22, 2020): 97–115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18781527-bja10016.
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Does international law matter on the periphery, where potential subjects are marginalized with uncertain legal status and without lawmaking power? Under what conditions would international law matter among the actors on the periphery, to be accepted as law, remain relevant, and eventually be complied with? By adopting an interdisciplinary perspective from international law and international relations, this article assesses how international humanitarian law (ihl) is accepted and adhered to among the non-state armed actors (nsaas). The author argues that international law matters on the periphery when two conditions are met. The first is when incentives of nsaas are compatible with ihl’s goal of restraint. The second is when the interpretation of ihl at the local level is consistent with international law at the global level. This article provides ample examples of nsaas’ words and deeds to illustrate the arguments.
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Grigorov, Grigor. "Improving Coordination, Interaction and Cooperation in Humanitarian Aid Operations." International conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION 23, no. 1 (June 20, 2017): 124–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/kbo-2017-0019.
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Abstract The report examines the possibility of improving coordination, interaction and cooperation in conducting humanitarian aid operations. It reveals how Civil-Military Cooperation staff would help overcome difficulties in the joint planning process and work between the different actors involved in humanitarian operations through the deployment of the Humanitarian Aid Coordination Centre.
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Theurich, Melissa Ann, and Veit Grote. "Are Commercial Complementary Food Distributions to Refugees and Migrants in Europe Conforming to International Policies and Guidelines on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies?" Journal of Human Lactation 33, no. 3 (June 21, 2017): 573–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0890334417707717.
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In 2015, more than one million migrants and refugees arrived in Europe. Commercial complementary foods, processed foods marketed for infants and young children 6-23 months of age, were distributed by various humanitarian actors along migrant routes and in European refugee camps. Unsolicited donations and distributions of commercial complementary food products were problematic and divergent from international policies on infant and young child feeding during humanitarian emergencies. Interim guidance regarding commercial complementary foods was published during the peak of the emergency but implemented differently by various humanitarian actors. Clearer and more technical specifications on commercial complementary foods are needed in order to objectively determine their suitability for operational contexts in Europe and emergency nutrition assistance in the future.
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Bongard, Pascal, and Jonathan Somer. "Monitoring armed non-state actor compliance with humanitarian norms: a look at international mechanisms and the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment." International Review of the Red Cross 93, no. 883 (September 2011): 673–706. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383112000197.
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AbstractArmed non-state actors are involved in most armed conflicts today, yet international law provides few mechanisms to ensure that they comply with humanitarian norms applicable to them. In particular, monitoring and verification mechanisms that address the conduct of armed non-state actors rarely appear in multilateral treaties, and, even when they do, are weak and not applied in practice. Over the past few years, a number of alternative mechanisms have been developed to better monitor respect of humanitarian norms during internal armed conflicts and verify allegations of violations. This article examines the strength of these various mechanisms and then focuses on the Deed of Commitment, an innovative instrument developed by the Swiss-based non-governmental organization Geneva Call, to hold armed non-state actors accountable. Experience with the Deed of Commitment on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines shows that these alternative mechanisms can be effective in ensuring better compliance with at least some humanitarian norms.
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Cubie, Dug. "An Analysis of Soft Law Applicable to Humanitarian Assistance: Relative Normativity in Action?" Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 2, no. 2 (2011): 177–215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187815212x624238.
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There is limited binding international law specifically covering the provision of humanitarian assistance in response to natural and human-made disasters. Yet a variety of authoritative soft law texts have been developed in the past 20 years, including the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, the Red Cross Red Crescent Code of Conduct and the Sphere Project’s Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. While such ‘non-binding normative standards’ do not carry the weight of international law, they play an essential role in the provision of humanitarian assistance albeit subject to their limited enforceability vis-à-vis intended beneficiaries and to their voluntary application by humanitarian actors. Notwithstanding a lack of legal compulsion, certain non-binding normative standards may directly influence the actions of States and non-State actors, and so obtain a strongly persuasive character. Analysis of texts that influence the practice of humanitarian assistance advances our understanding of humanitarian principles and performance standards for disaster response. As the International Law Commission debates draft articles on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, such non-binding normative standards are crucial to the development of an internationally accepted legal framework to protect victims of disasters.
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Rosenow-Williams, Kerstin, and Zeynep Sezgin. "Islamic Migrant Organizations: Little-Studied Actors in Humanitarian Action." International Migration Review 48, no. 2 (June 2014): 324–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imre.12061.
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Gonçalves, Paulo, and Mohammad Moshtari. "Collaborative initiatives among international actors within a humanitarian setting." International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations 16, no. 4 (2016): 346. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijnvo.2016.081652.
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Gonçalves, Paulo, and Mohammad Moshtari. "Collaborative initiatives among international actors within a humanitarian setting." International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations 16, no. 4 (2016): 346. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/ijnvo.2016.10002511.
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Rességuier, Anaïs. "The moral sense of humanitarian actors: an empirical exploration." Disasters 42, no. 1 (April 28, 2017): 62–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/disa.12234.
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Mackintosh, Kate. "Reclaiming Protection as a Humanitarian Goal: Fodder for the Faint-Hearted Aid-Worker." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 1, no. 2 (2010): 382–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187815211x555362.
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AbstractHumanitarian action is under pressure on two fronts. On one side, western nations seek to use aid as a foreign policy tool, threatening the neutral image of humanitarian actors and placing them under suspicion. On the other, and in partial reaction to this, host states are re-asserting sovereignty and imposing new limits on humanitarian action in their territory. In many contexts, organisations are being limited by law or practice from addressing abuse of the populations they seek to assist. This is not a surprising reaction from states whose actions are scrutinised; but it is making inroads on the confidence of humanitarian actors themselves. Some are beginning to question not only the feasibility but also the appropriateness of the protection work they have taken on since the 1990s. The article seeks to reinforce the importance and legitimacy of humanitarian protection by showing that both assistance and protection are key goals of humanitarian action as defined by international law. It urges organisations to fight for the space the law has granted, in order to most effectively help the victims of armed conflict.
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McGoldrick, Claudia. "The state of conflicts today: Can humanitarian action adapt?" International Review of the Red Cross 97, no. 900 (December 2015): 1179–208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s181638311600028x.
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AbstractHow do the dynamics of contemporary armed conflict shape, and constrain, humanitarian action? Is the international humanitarian “system”1 really at breaking point, as is often claimed? Or will it adapt to the changing realities not just of warfare but of global geopolitical shifts – as it has done repeatedly in the past – and evolve into something different? By way of response, the first part of this article offers a snapshot of today's armed conflicts and other situations of violence, focusing initially on the trends and features apparent in the Syrian conflict – which has in many ways come to define twenty-first-century warfare – and moving on to other countries and regions, many of which share at least some of these features, albeit in varying degrees. It considers the humanitarian consequences of today's armed conflicts and other situations of violence, and the implications for humanitarian response – which, at least on an international level, is indeed facing a watershed. The second part aims to show that even a glance back at key aspects of the evolution of humanitarian action over the past century – largely in response to the evolving nature of warfare and the developing international system – will remind us of quite radical changes in the face of major upheavals and challenges, not all of them dissimilar to those of today. The third part suggests that in today's global environment, international humanitarian response will continue to evolve and ultimately take on a different shape: one that reflects the changing nature of conflict and the geopolitical power shifts that go with it. With the rise of the global South, and the increasing recognition of the importance of local actors to humanitarian action, particular attention is given to the evolving relationship between local and international actors. In conclusion, the article reiterates some of the main reasons why humanitarian action – and international humanitarian actors in particular – will likely continue to adapt (albeit with varying degrees of success) to a changing world.
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Wieltschnig, Peter, Julia Muraszkiewicz, and Toby Fenton. "Without data we are fighting blind: the need for human security data in defence sector responses to human trafficking." Journal of Modern Slavery 6, no. 3 (August 16, 2021): 64–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.22150/jms/dimf1058.
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The increasing recognition of human trafficking’s connection to conflict and instability have led to a concerted drive to bring it further into the remit of defence actors. This article provides a discussion on how defence actors can use open data from the humanitarian sector to develop a holistic understanding of human security that can bolster their efforts to counter human trafficking and move from reactive to preventative responses. The article also discusses the recently developed ‘Fusion Doctrine’ within the UK and its implications for the meaningful inclusion of humanitarian perspectives in defence planning and analysis.
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de Torrenté, Nicolas. "Challenges to Humanitarian Action." Ethics & International Affairs 16, no. 2 (September 2002): 2–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7093.2002.tb00389.x.
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It is a commonplace to say that the world has changed since the tragic events of September 11. This also holds true for those dedicated to humanitarian action—to the prevention of death and the alleviation of suffering during crisis and conflict, irrespective of any consideration other than need. The cause of the change for us, however, is not so much the attacks themselves or their vicious character. Sadly, such great loss of life and willingness to inflict death indiscriminately upon innocent civilians is nothing new, as those of us who have worked in areas of conflict know only too well.What has changed is that, as a result of these attacks, the leading international power, the United States, has declared a new global war on terrorism. This war, as it has been defined, pits terrorism against freedom, and those who would imperil humanity against those who stand to defend it. While the main focus, thus far, has been on Afghanistan, the repercussions have swiftly embraced the entire planet. Like the Cold War, this is an open-ended, global fight defined to uphold both interests and values. Yet unlike the Cold War, it is one in which alliances are constantly shifting, the enemy consists primarily of an ill-defined set of nonstate actors as well as their purported state sponsors, and territorial control is not necessarily an aim.The U.S.–led war on terrorism poses a number of challenges for independent humanitarian action and the principles that underpin it. First, it seeks to subordinate humanitarianism to its broader purpose, undermining the ability of humanitarian actors to impartially reach out to all victims. Second, by questioning the applicability of international humanitarian law, the antiterrorism campaign could well threaten the fundamental restraints on the conduct of warfare, thus weakening the protection and assistance to which civilians are entitled. Third, there is a shift in attention to conflicts worldwide, and the victims they generate, making it more difficult to respond to crises at the margins of current priorities.
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di Cotrone, Antonio Gazzanti Pugliese. "Humanitarian Diplomacy." Diplomatic Ukraine, no. XIX (2018): 382–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.37837/2707-7683-2018-24.
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The article describes humanitarian diplomacy that has to break a potential ideological ice between belligerent parties, establish a network of diplomatic connections in a skillful way, and use every opportunity available to support victims of war. An indisputable fact is that the higher the reputation and the stronger the trust to those using humanitarian diplomacy strategies, the better results will be achieved. The combination of diplomacy and humanitarian activities may lead to the emergence of unexpected interactions. The International Federation of Red Cross mentions that the goal humanitarian diplomacy seeks to achieve is the provision of better care for socially disadvantaged groups of society from governments; establishment of closer ties with decision-makers to generate opportunities to influence them; maintenance of a permanent dialogue at both national and international levels; engagement to a discussion of those who work in the field of humanitarian diplomacy; increase in transparency of such discussion; enhancement of the ability to govern all the useful resources; cooperation with other actors pursuing the same humanitarian goals. Humanitarian diplomacy has to direct its actions at all crises and to both governmental and non-governmental entities of international law; take into account that its aim is to open borders and establish humanitarian corridors ensuring the provision of direct assistance to refugees. The main task is to guarantee long-term actions, while avoiding temporary and fragile alternatives. That is the basis for humanitarian diplomacy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta with all its peculiarities. Keywords: the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Red Cross, international law, humanitarian diplomacy, crises.
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Eguren Fernández, Luis Enrique. "Un análisis crítico del espacio humanitario: entre el discurso establecido y la práctica espacial." Deusto Journal of Human Rights, no. 10 (December 11, 2017): 135. http://dx.doi.org/10.18543/aahdh-0-2012pp135-152.
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<p>A critical analysis of humanitarian space allows us to reflect about some of the assumptions around it and paves the way to improve humanitarian practice. This analysis starts from the critical theories around space and territory and the social production of space, and poses how humanitarian space is produced as a result of the interrelationships among powerful agents (including humanitarian actors). On this ground we can question the stereotypes around the shrinking humanitarian space due to attacks against humanitarian workers, and we can develop the concept of a «sovereignty» of humanitarian space, within which affected population should be placed.</p><p><strong>Published online</strong>: 11 December 2017</p>
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Audet, François. "What future role for local organizations? A reflection on the need for humanitarian capacity-building." International Review of the Red Cross 93, no. 884 (December 2011): 1151–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1816383112000410.
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AbstractWhile treating the humanitarian organizations themselves as rational actors, this article considers the factors that influence the decisions and the current logic of Western humanitarian organizations in their dealings with local organizations. This reflection necessarily leads to a re-examination of the current structure of these organizations and to proposed scenarios to identify the best methods for the future, particularly in the relational framework between international organizations and their local partners. Ultimately, the humanitarian organization interventional model must be broadened, taking local humanitarian capacity-building into greater consideration.
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Fal-Dutra Santos, Ricardo. "Empowering Difference." Journal of Humanitarian Affairs 2, no. 3 (September 1, 2020): 42–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.7227/jha.051.
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Despite increasing attention to gender issues in the humanitarian sector, the notion of gender equality as a humanitarian goal remains largely rejected, as some argue it would require interfering with cultural values and practices, and thus lie beyond the remit of humanitarianism. This paper questions this by examining the close relationship between certain humanitarian goals, and cultural values and practices. It ultimately calls for a gender-transformative humanitarian action that recognises and supports local feminist actors, in an effort to transform gender relations both in local communities and within humanitarianism itself.
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van Wynsberghe, Aimee, and Tina Comes. "Drones in humanitarian contexts, robot ethics, and the human–robot interaction." Ethics and Information Technology 22, no. 1 (October 16, 2019): 43–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10676-019-09514-1.
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Abstract There are two dominant trends in the humanitarian care of 2019: the ‘technologizing of care’ and the centrality of the humanitarian principles. The concern, however, is that these two trends may conflict with one another. Faced with the growing use of drones in the humanitarian space there is need for ethical reflection to understand if this technology undermines humanitarian care. In the humanitarian space, few agree over the value of drone deployment; one school of thought believes drones can provide a utility serving those in need while another believes the large scale deployment of drones will exacerbate the already prevalent issues facing humanitarian aid providers. We suggest in this paper that the strength of the humanitarian principles approach to answer questions of aid provision can be complimented by a technology-facing approach, namely that of robot ethics. We have shown that for humanitarian actors we ought to be concerned with the risks of a loss of contextualization and de-skilling. For the beneficiary, we raise three concerns associated with the threat to the principle of humanity for this group: a loss of dignity by reducing human-to-human interactions; a threat to dignity through a lack of informational transparency; and, a threat to dignity by failing to account for the physiological and behavioral impacts of the drone on human actors. Although we acknowledge the obstacles (and dangers) associated with understanding the physiological and behavioral impacts we insist that the moral acceptability and desirability of drones in humanitarian contexts is dependent on the findings from such studies and that tailored ethical guidelines for drone deployment in humanitarian action be created to reflect the results of such studies.
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Paciarotti, Claudia, Wojciech D. Piotrowicz, and George Fenton. "Humanitarian logistics and supply chain standards. Literature review and view from practice." Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management 11, no. 3 (June 15, 2021): 550–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jhlscm-11-2020-0101.
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PurposeThe paper is focused on standards in humanitarian logistics and supply chain. Standards, implemented between organisations, allow improving the interoperability of humanitarian operations. The paper aims (1) to review a state-of-the-art approach to the topic by the academic community, (2) to evaluate the current use of standards among humanitarian organisations and (3) to investigate the perceived need for further and specific standards.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the aims, the literature was reviewed; then a survey on 227 professionals from the humanitarian logistics sector was conducted.FindingsBased on 227 responses, it is possible to conclude that most surveyed professionals recognise the need for and the importance of standardisation in humanitarian logistics, especially in areas such as procurement, distribution, medical logistics and logistics planning, which were perceived as critical areas that require standardisation.Research limitations/implicationsPractitioners and scholars were targeted via social media, through mailing lists and via communication from the practitioner organisation – the Humanitarian Logistics Association (HLA). While it provided good access to different groups of respondents, the response rate is not possible to calculate.Practical implicationsThe findings confirm the high importance of standardisation, indicating areas and functions that should be standardised first. Standardisation may improve cooperation between different humanitarian actors, allowing better service provision for beneficiaries. Thus there are also potential negative impacts, i.e. impact on localisation, which should be overcome.Social implicationsResults do not have a direct social impact; however, they stimulate research and work among practitioners on standardisation, which in turn could improve cooperation between humanitarian actors, thereby enabling a better humanitarian response in emergencies.Originality/valueThe majority of papers on standardisation use a qualitative approach. This paper applies a survey among a large network of humanitarian practitioners, capturing their view on the topic and perception of the need for standardisation. The work is descriptive; however, it could be used as a base for further studies related to humanitarian standards.
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Radice, Henry. "Saving ourselves? On rescue and humanitarian action." Review of International Studies 45, no. 3 (January 29, 2019): 431–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0260210518000554.
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AbstractThis article contributes to the international political theory of humanitarianism by unpicking the politics of humanitarian action’s simplest expression: saving human lives in the name of humanity. Both saving lives and defining notions of common humanity are closely interrelated acts of power. What saving a life means depends on a prior definition of humanity; humanitarians’ acts of rescue are the measure of their commitment to humanity. The politics of rescue and the politics of humanity are inextricably linked. The article explores four facets of this nexus. First, it considers the meanings of rescue, from saving bodies to saving lives, linked to contingent understandings of humanity. Second, it turns to the rescuers, for whom rescue performs particular functions, not least the need to preserve a sense of self. Third, it situates their often narcissistic motives in relation to the consequences of humanitarian action. Fourth, it addresses the power imbalance inherent in rescue and the problem of causing harm. It concludes that rescue is always an act of presumption, but one that can be tempered by humanitarian actors willing to embrace their role as ‘moral politicians’ (Walzer), aware of their power and their dirty hands, and open to contrasting understandings of humanity.
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Grace, Rob. "Humanitarian Negotiation with Parties to Armed Conflict." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 11, no. 1 (June 22, 2020): 68–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18781527-01101003.
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This article examines the role of international humanitarian law (ihl) and humanitarian principles in the discourse of humanitarian negotiation. The article is based on extensive, semi-structured interviews conducted with 53 humanitarian practitioners about their experiences engaging in negotiations in the field. The article proceeds in four parts. Part 1 discusses two key factors at play during humanitarian negotiation processes. The first factor is the counterpart’s familiarity with relevant legal and normative frameworks. The second factor is the interests that can drive counterparts’ behavior. Part 2 presents a framework for understanding how the interaction of these two factors – familiarity and interest-alignment – can shape the discourse of humanitarian negotiation. Part 3 addresses the impact of these same issues on the humanitarian side of the negotiation. In particular, there is the possibility that humanitarian actors themselves might also lack familiarity with ihl and/or humanitarian principles and might find that their interests exist in tension with humanitarian laws and principles. The final section offers concluding remarks.