Learn how to address the main challenges of communication in humanitarian settings and how to implement a communication plan in the midst of humanitarian action.
Humanitarian principles
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Del curso dictado por University of Geneva
Humanitarian communication : Addressing key challenges
74 calificaciones
De la lección
Week 1
Dear students, Welcome to this course on communication in humanitarian settings. During this week, we will cover the main concepts and definitions essential to understand the specific framework of communication in humanitarian settings.
Conoce a los instructores
Prof. Doris SchopperDirector of CERAH, joint Centre of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of Geneva
Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Valérie GorinCERAH lecturer
Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action
Jean-Marc BiquetCourse coordinator and lecturer at CERAH
Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action
Claire BarthélémyCourse coordinator and lecturer at CERAH
Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action
Claire DooleInvited lecturer
Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action
Claire BellmannProfessional Trainer, Coach and Facilitator
Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action
[MUSIC]
Welcome to this introduction to humanitarian principles.
When we talk about humanitarian organizations and
humanitarian action, we also have to think about humanitarian principles.
In this session we will present the humanitarian principles and
analyze key issues concerning their utilization in humanitarian settings.
At the end of this introduction you will be able to name the most important
humanitarian principles.
To define their key elements and raise specific questions and
issues regarding their utilization In communication.
Depending on text references, such as charters,
conventions, commenteries, initiatives, and so on.
On organizations definitions or on cultural references, we can find diverse
understandings of what humanitarian principles are and what they mean.
Very frequently, two different terms are used synonymously.
Humanitarian principles and principles of humanitarian action.
In this session, we will make the distinction between the traditional
so-called humanitarian principles.
They are seen as conditions for access to affected populations.
And principles guiding the work of aid agencies in humanitarian settings.
They're recognized as precondition for good, quality humanitarian response.
Today, both types of principles are at the center of philosophical and
strategic debates at institutional as well as operational level.
Principles can be defined as fundamental collective norms, moral rules or
values that inspire and guide.
Their elements are considered as essential proposing both an ideal to pursue and
a process to guarantee the achievement of this ideal.
In the case of humanitarian action, the key principles are considered
as necessary conditions an organization or person has to respect
to maximize the possibility to reach the most needed population.
These principles should be underlying all operational decisions.
The traditional core humanitarian principles are humanity,
neutrality, impartiality and independence.
A distinction can be made between the more fundamental ethical principles humanity
and impartiality.
And more practical operational principles such as independence and neutrality.
These principles are interconnected
as the implementation of one of them helps achieve the others.
Nevertheless, the implementation of one of them is not a guarantee for
achieving the others.
The humanitarian imperative may lead to contradictions among principles.
Or may call for the establishment of some kind of hierarchy.
In responding to the humanitarian needs, these principles have to
be operationalized, taking into the account the reality of the context.
Sometimes humanitarian principles are compromised as a result of an informed and
deliberate decision or involuntarily as the consequences of a complex situation.
As several concepts exists within the humanitarian sector it's not easy
to find a universal and consensual definition of humanitarian principles.
In addition interpretations of principles and
values can differ from one cultural environment to another.
Nevertheless, key documents refer explicitly or not to the four
notions of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Key documents are for example, the Geneva Conventions and
their additional protocols, the official ICRC Commentary
to the convention by Jean Pictet published in 1958.
The Red Cross NGO Code of Conduct from 1994,
the Sphere Project developed in 1998.
You will find them in the additional readings.
There are also cultural values enshrined in various religions as for
example Islamic Relief Principles.
Two United Nations general assembly resolutions enshrined formerly
the principle centrality to the work of the office for the coordination of
humanitarian affairs at the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations.
The first three principles, humanity, neutrality, and
impartiality, are endorsed in a resolution adopted in 1991.
However, independence as a fourth key principle underlying humanitarian action
was only added in 2004.
The principle of neutrality is one of the fundamental principles
in conflict situations, but at the same time, one of the most complex principles.
Aid actors should not take sides in a conflict.
Neutrality means in practice that aid action, particularly in a conflict
situation, should not serve to assist one camp against another.
Aid actors should not take part in any controversies of political, racial,
religious, or ideological nature.
An aid actor who in its communication describes and denounces the consequences
of the bad conduct of hostilities by one warring party on effected populations,
can be considered as blaming that warring party and
therefore taking sides of the conflict.
Interpretations of the principle of neutrality are especially touchy in case
of testimony and witnessing activities.
The principle of impartiality demands that provision of humanitarian assisting is
done according to the needs with no discrimination as to nationality,
race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.
It endeavors only to relieve suffering according to the needs.
Giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress.
This principle means that there are no good or bad victims.
And that all people effected by disaster deserve to receive assistance.
In this sense, an aid actor must be able to demonstrate as much as possible,
that its assistance is provided with equity,
meaning the most need receive the aid first, and not equality, meaning
everybody receive the same amount of aid independently from their assessed needs.
Last, but not least, let's look at the basic principle of independence.
Examine the definition of this principle given by two major
humanitarian organizations.
The definition by the ICRC says, the Red Cross is independent.
The National Societies,
while auxiliaries in the humanitarian services of their governments and subject
to the laws of their respective countries, Must always maintain their autonomy so
that they may be able at all times to act in accordance with Red Cross principles.
The definition by OCHA says, humanitarian action must be autonomous from
the political, economic, military or other objectives That any
actor may hold with regard to areas where humanitarian action is being implemented.
Now ask yourself, what are the common elements of two, these two definitions?
And then, what is the main characteristic of this principle?
Why do you think this principle can have different meanings?
Independence implies freedom in the choices and modes of intervention,
acting only under the authority of the organisation's governing body and
in line with the organisation's purpose.
Humanitarian agency must thus formulate and implement their policies
in complete independence from any political, economic or religious power.
The decision to develop a humanitarian project, where and how to do it, is taken
solely by the humanitarian organization and should only be based on needs.
Independence can, for example, mean only accepting funds from parties that are not
directly or indirectly party to the conflict.
This type of financial independence will allow the actor to be
truly impartial and neutral.
It is important that actors involved in humanitarian response not only
proclaim their respect of these principles, but also that this respect
is clearly perceived by all observers and other actors.
Experience shows that the respect of these principles are among the minimal
conditions to put in practice to create trust with affected populations and
belligerents in a specific context.
It is important that these principles are respected in a coherent manner in
all contexts of intervention.
In this connected world,
what is practiced in one place will be known in another context.
The choice of the messages and any communication must be carefully done
in order not to jeopardize humanitarian principles, but rather to strengthen them.
We invite you to reflect on your own practice and
answer the following question.
Do you consider these principles in your daily communication process?
Beyond the four core humanitarian principles,
a certain number of principles and standards guide the work of aid agencies.
On the slides, you can see some of these additional principles.
Take your time to look at them.
Depending on the way the organization defines its actions, its roles, and
responsibilities.
It will adopt, and insist on some or
all of the principles in this nonexhaustive list.
Each humanitarian organization, or
organization acting in humanitarian settings has its own set of principles.
Let's give some examples.
In the UN system, OCHA and IASC have humanity,
neutrality, impartiality and operational independence as principles.
UNICEF adds to these do no less harm, accountability, participation,
respect of culture and custom, but does not refer to neutrality.
And then as you can see on this slide, there's a wide range of
principles major humanitarian, non-governmental organizations refer to.
You may notice that some of them do not refer at all to the four core principles.
As, for example, Save the Children or Care.
You should thus note that based on the main
principles that constitute the ethical foundations of humanitarian action,
each organization devised its own codes of conduct guide and standards.
In order to express its ethical position in operational terms.
Starting from the four core principles we first examined.
A multitude of guidance and
codes have been developed in the process of contextualizing them in the field.
We are therefore faced with a multiplication of rules and
principles that steer diverse humanitarian practices.
This is not without creating some debates among humanitarian actors
leading eventually to divergent ways of developing aid actions.
This has been a short introduction to humanitarian principles.
To go deeper into the subject, we invite you to look at three documents.
First of all the Principles of Humanitarian Action in
International Humanitarian Law published by ODI.
The OCHA Message on humanitarian principles.
And the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and
Red Crescent, an ICRC publication from 1996.
You will find all these documents in your course room.
We are now at the end of this session.
Thank you very much for your attention, and see you soon.
[MUSIC]
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