Since the early 1990s, military forces have become increasingly involved in humanitarian assistance. This encroachment into what has traditionally been seen as ‘humanitarian space‘ raises significant issues of principle, as well as policy and operational questions not only for humanitarian agencies, but also for the international community as a whole. These questions have only become more urgent in the wake of the war in Afghanistan following the attacks of 11 September, and the increasingly explicit linkage of military, polit- ical and humanitarian aims that it has engendered. Some analysts consider this merging of humanitarian, political and military roles and goals inevitable, practical and desirable. Others believe that, in the attempt to bring political, military and humanitarian
objectives within the same framework, there is a danger that humanitarian objectives and principles will be compromised; as a result, the capacity to alleviate suffering will be diminished. Still others take a pragmatic approach to civil–military cooperation, establishing policy and negotiating the more contentious ‘grey areas’ on a case-by-case basis. Despite its importance, the debate over the proper roles of humanitarian actors and military forces and the relationship between them is relatively young and anecdotal. Detailed analysis is lacking, and few guidelines for policy or practice have been developed. This paper aims to clarify the key issues of debate, and puts forward recommendations to further dialogue, and to guide policy and practice.
NGOs are widely recognized as key actors in an effective, efficient and accountable emergency response because they are frontline implementers for the majority of humanitarian operations. As such, the appropriate engagement of NGOs within humanitarian leadership is a critical component for success....
This guidance documents gives an overview of the existing legal frameworks - international humanitarian law, international human rights law, international refugee law, international criminal law and international disaster response laws, rules and principles - and the challenges they face in...
This paper examines where the humanitarian community is now in terms of quality and accountability, how we got here, and what some of the challenges are for the future.
