HLTH 350 - global health emergencies and humanitarian responses

Current drivers of humanitarian emergencies

• conflicts

• The global climate emergency

• Economic factors (ex. Areas that rely on agriculture experiencing drought)

objective of humanitarian action/response

• save lives

• alleviate suffering

• maintain dignity (as human beings)

the humanitarian space

the environment or symbols space which humanitarian acts need to deliver their services according to humanitarian principles and without any form of hindrance

• can be physical environment or symbolic space

  • ex. board room where decisions are made before aid is provided

humanitarian actors

• wide range of organizations, agencies, and networks

• both local and international

• enable humanitarian assistance to reach people/places in need

principles of humanitarian response - humanity

• primary principle of humanitarian action

• preventing and alleviating human suffering

• protecting and respecting the life, health, and dignity of each individual

• should be the basis of all humanitarian missions

principles of humanitarian response - neutrality

• not taking sides in a conflict or engaging in political, racial, religious, or ideological controversies

principles of humanitarian response -impartiality

implementing action and assistance solely on the basis of need. not discriminating on the basis of ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political opinions, race or religion

principles of humanitarian response - independence

• the autonomy of humanitarian objectives from political, economic, military, or other objectives

  • not interested in advancing other objectives of other parties

what compromises the humanitarian space?

• when all 4 principles of humanity are not met (impartiality, independence, neutrality, and humanity), the humanitarian space is compromised

case study: what principles of humanitarian action did yemen and mali compromise?

yemen: neutrality

Mali: independence

emergency response gaps

issues with any of these three factors creates a response gap:

• life saving responses

• at the right place

• at the right time

identify the emergency response gaps described in Mali, North-East Nigeria, and Yemen

Mali: at the right time and life saving response

North-East Nigeria: at the right time and life saving response

Yemen: life saving response and at the right time

who gets assistance in a crisis?

typically only a portion of the population receives assistance, and there is always the question of if those who received assistance was what they needed. people who may need assistance sometimes won’t receive it as they are not reached.

drivers of emergency response gaps

1. increasingly overstretched humanitarian sector as it tries to respond to an ever-growing workload of both new and increasingly protracted crises

   • not enough manpower to provide assistance to everyone —> gap in response

2. subordination of humanitarian values — subordination and the potential sacrifice, of humanitarian assistance to political goals — obstruction of humanitarian

   actions for political gain

   • causes people in need to not accept the help because they can’t distinguish between the political and humanitarian issues

     • ex. food used as a weapon to achieve military or political results

3. frequent insecurity in humanitarian settings

   • attacks on hospitals, treatment centres etc.

4. competition among humanitarian actors trumps delivery

   • overstating presence to secure better funding

     • ex. stating they were able to reach more people than they did

5. financial gaps which can compromise independence

   • accepting funding from outside sources with their own agendas

6. lack of expertise and capacity

7. humanitarian dilemmas both limit and increase humanitarian action

8. environmental conditions

what were the drivers of the emergency response gaps described in Mali, North-East Nigeria, and Yemen

• mali:

  • subordination of humanitarian values

  • dangerous

  • wouldn’t work in areas the military were present

• North-east nigeria

  • lack of expertise

  • dangerous

• yemen

  • dangerous

  • not secure area

  • lack of expertise

  • financial