Humanitarian Principles & Standards

1. Humanitarian Principles & Standards Presentation made by Joram Chikwanya

2. Common Standards • Humanitarian Accountability Partnership • Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action • People in Need • SPHERE Guidelines

3. Humanitarian Accountability PARTNERSHIP The Imbalance of Power in Humanitarian Action • There is a clear imbalance of power between humanitarian actors and the recipients of their services • Lack of effective regulatory mechanisms • Risks of sustaining power imbalance are often not obvious • Frank discussion of power (and power abuse) is difficult when ‘giving’, ‘compassion’, and ‘benevolence’ are important and defining values

4. International Agencies are Vulnerable to: • Waste and inefficiency • Corruption and fraud • Being used for the political agendas of others • Staff misconduct such as sexual exploitation • Priorities driven by for e.g. competition for market share and the power of donors rather than by measured assessment of need • Inappropriate decisions, for example agencies taking on jobs that they are not qualified to do

5. Humanitarian organisations are unique in that the consumers of their services • Have little or no influence upon their operations, • Rarely have means by which to appeal or complain • Are rarely reported to • Are not represented in • NGO governance arrangements • Donor resource allocation procedures • UN coordination mechanisms

6. In 1995, the Joint Evaluation of the International Response to the Genocide in Rwanda found • Need to improve accountability by monitoring performance of humanitarian action • Need for sector-wide learning • No standards in quality/ quantity of services • Negligence by some agencies led to increase in suffering and death • Agencies increasing but are unregulated • Staff abuse of beneficiaries rights and dignity • No regard given to local capacities, e.g. staff • Lack of consideration for culture and context • Low level of inter-agency coordination • Protection, safety and security concerns

7. Recommendations of the Need for Humanitarian Accountability • Accountability mechanisms need to be integrated into existing programmes and operations • Incentive for monitoring and reporting • Creation of a strong self-regulatory association of agencies committed to monitoring and reporting on the application of relevant “mission-critical” standards to strengthen accountability to beneficiaries • Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International (HAP) set up in 2003

8. What is Humanitarian Accountability • Humanitarian accountability involves taking account of, giving an account to and being held to account byto disaster survivors • Managers and staff in relief programmes properly consider and prioritize the needs, concerns and views of disaster survivors in all their policies and activities • Always practicable and should never be delayed until conditions improve • Means by which the power of aid agencies is qualified and legitimized

9. ALNAP • ALNAP is concerned with learning and Accountability • Set standards for evaluation

10. Primary Role of Humanitarian Assistance The Primary objective of the humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity Core Humanitarian Principles • The humanitarian Imperative • Neutrality • Impartiality

11. Fundamental Humanitarian Principles Humanity • Impartiality • Neutrality • Independence • Voluntary Service • Unity • Universality (Derived from the Geneva Conventions based mandates of the Movement and evolved practice in the first 80 years of RC/RC action)

12. Humanity Humanitarian principles of humanity, the centrality of saving human lives and alleviating suffering wherever it is found; Its purpose is to protect life and health and to ensure respect for the human being. It promotes mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace amongst all peoples.

13. Impartiality • No discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. Endeavours to relieve the suffering of individuals, being guided solely by their needs, and to give priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

14. Neutrality • Humanitarian action must not favour any side in an armed conflict or other dispute where such action is carried out or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

15. Independence • Autonomy of humanitarian objectives from the political, economic, military or other objectives that any actor may hold with regard to areas where humanitarian action is being implemented. The Humanitarian Actors, 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 these principles.

16. The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief • The Code of Conduct seeks to establish and safegaurd common humanitarian standards of behavior by articulating high standards for independence, effectiveness and impact. It contains the following components: • The Code of Conduct and Principles of Conduct for NGOs in disaster response programs. • Three annexes describing the working environment that humanitarian organizations desire to see created by host governments, donor governments and intergovernmental organizations.

17. The Code of Conduct The Code of Conduct and Principles of Conduct for the Movement and NGOs in disaster response programs: • The humanitarian imperative comes first. • Aid is given regardless of race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone. • Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious standpoint. • We shall respect culture and custom. • We shall attempt to build disaster response on local capacities. • Ways shall be found to involve programme beneficiaries in the management of relief aid. • Relief aid must strive to reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster as well as meeting basic needs. • We hold ourselves accountable to both those we seek to assist and those from whom we accept resources. • In our information, publicity and advertising activities, we shall recognize disaster victims as dignified humans, not hopeless objects.

18. Annexes Annex I – Recommendations to the governments of disaster affected countries: • Governments should recognize and respect the independent, humanitarian and impartial actions of non-governmental humanitarian agencies. • Host governments should facilitate rapid access to disaster victims. • Governments should facilitate the timely flow of relief goods and information during disasters. Annex II – Recommendations to donor governments: • Donor governments should recognize and respect the independent, humanitarian and impartial actions of non-governmental humanitarian agencies. • Donor governments should provide funding with a guarantee of operational independence. • Donor governments should use their good offices to assist non-governmental humanitarian agencies in obtaining access to disaster victims.

19. The Sphere Project • A handbook of humanitarian assistance. • A broad process of collaboration between NGOs globally. • Expression of commitment to quality and accountability. • Intended to improve the quality of assistance provided to people affected by disasters.

20. The SphereHumanitarian Charter • Commitment to “act in accordance with the principles of humanity and impartiality.” • Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Disaster Relief. • Fundamental Principles based in international human rights and humanitarian law: • The right to life with dignity. • The distinction between combatants and non-combatants. • The principle of non-refoulement. • Commitment to achieving Minimum Standards.

21. The SPHERE • Minimum standards for water and sanitation • Health Services • Food security, nutrition and food aid • Shelter settlement and Non-Food Items