Humanitarian Access

Humanitarian Access Overview

Date: 
May 24, 2011

Headlines & Opinion

Resources

Reports 

Crises in Africa Showcase Complexity of Humanitarian Access in Conflict Zones

Date: 
May 16, 2012

Several regions of Africa face significant man-made and natural disasters that are complicated by armed conflict and the presence of terrorist organizations. According to UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, several humanitarian crises coupled with the global economic downturn has created a “nightmare scenario” across the large continent. Regions like the Sahel and Horn of Africa have been confronted with severe food insecurity, while areas such as Sudan and Somalia have also faced violent armed conflicts.

In some cases, aid agencies are hampered by overly broad U.S. laws that make it a crime for charities to negotiate access to vulnerable civilians living on territory controlled by a terrorist organization. This has resulted in diminished aid to Somalia during the peak of its famine in 2011.   Without changes in legal rules for U.S. charities, the same problem could arise again in large portions of Africa in the summer of 2012. 

Deadly Combination: Disaster, Conflict and the U.S. Material Support Law

Date: 
April 27, 2012

National security measures in the U.S. negatively impact the speed and mobility of humanitarian relief in the wake of disasters. Deadly Combination: Disaster, Conflict and the U.S. Material Support Law by the Charity & Security Network considers two cases: The 2011 famine in Somalia and the summer 2010 floods in Pakistan. In both cases, by giving priority to military objective, the U.S. impaired effective aid delivery by humanitarian organizations, exacerbating the hardship caused by disasters.

The politicization of disaster response in conflict zones obstructs timely and effective aid delivery and also jeopardizes the safety of aid workers. The current U.S. government response to disasters occurring alongside terrorist organizations is, at best, a 'wink and nod' gesture that allows for limited access for humanitarian groups (and no legal protections) and, at worst, a blanket ban on any humanitarian operation.

Brookings Event Focuses on Barriers to Access During Humanitarian Crisis

Date: 
February 28, 2011

On Feb. 15, 2011 the Brookings Institution held a discussion, Access During Humanitarian Crises: Barriers to Protection and Assistance. Noting that "Sometimes the aid groups are blocked by authorities, sometimes by non-state actors" the speakers  emphasized that access is a precondition for humanitarian action and highlighted the need for all parties to meet their obligations under International humanitarian law, and for aid groups to maintain their neutrality and independence from military and foreign policy objectives.  

IN-DEPTH: UK Somalia Conference Weak on Humanitarian Focus, NGOs Host Own Meetings

Date: 
March 5, 2012
Author: 
Suraj K. Sazawal

A conference about Somalia held in London on Feb. 23, 2012 was supposed to set a new approach on issues like governance and humanitarian aid, but most analysts said military action rather than negotiating for peace remains the primary strategy.  Sponsored by the United Kingdom's Foreign Office, it was attended by over 40 world leaders including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.  Humanitarian aid issues were relegated to side meetings that aimed to meet the needs of the Somali people by de-politicizing the international response. 

Report: 10 Ways the International Community Can Address Somalia’s Humanitarian Crisis

Date: 
March 2, 2012

A January 2012 report, compiled by Islamic Relief Worldwide, the Organization on Islamic Cooperation, The Humanitarian Forum and the Turkish Red Crescent, gives concrete recommendations to the international community to better address the crisis in Somalia. The report tells the stories of four families living in the Korsan camp near Mogadishu and places them in a wider context of the complex aid environment of Somalia. The report makes ten recommendations to “ensure that Somalia’s humanitarian needs are at the very top of the international agenda.”

Telebriefing: The Ongoing Crisis in Somalia

Submitted by suraj on Tue, 2012-02-14 16:53
Date: 
February 14, 2012

Despite the UN officially declaring an end to famine in Somalia, a severe humanitarian crisis remains. Over two million Somalis are still in need of emergency rations, many of them young children. On Feb. 22, the Charity & Security Network hosted a telebriefing on how the crisis in Somalia became so devastating, what still needs to be done to alleviate suffering, and how to prevent similar crises in the future. 

Speakers included:

New MSF Book: Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed

Date: 
February 3, 2012

A new book from Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) takes readers behind the scenes of humanitarian action and describes the complicated process to access civilian populations trapped by armed conflicts and other crises.
 
“Humanitarian negotiations have life-or-death consequences for people in need,” said Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF-USA. “As MSF weighs the risks of delivering humanitarian aid in precarious situations, such as Somalia, it seems more important than ever to lift the veil that often obscures the difficult choices our teams confront on a daily basis.”
 
Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed: The MSF Experience provides case studies from 11 countries and essays examining the delicate balance between upholding the principles of independence, neutrality, and impartiality, and the practical realities of delivering humanitarian aid in complex and dangerous political environments.

News Index for Somali Famine: October 2011 to January 2012

Date: 
January 17, 2012

This index provides summaries of news articles from October 2011 to January 2012 on the responses of humnitarian organizations, governments and others to the widespread famine in Somalia. In July 2011 famine was declared in several regions of Somalia. Click on the headings below to see the full articles. 

House Members Push for More NGO Access to Somalia

Date: 
October 4, 2011

On Sept. 8, 2011 the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights held a hearing to address the “east Africa Humanitarian Emergency.” Members of both political parties expressed support for increased aid to the famine-struck area, and voiced concern about obstacles nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) face in getting licenses from the Department of Treasury that would allow them to work in areas controlled by the terrorist group al-Shabaab. Committee Chair Christopher Smith (R-NJ) said he intends to introduce legislation to address the NGO access problem. Ranking member Donald Payne (D-NJ) said there are now more than 50 sponsors to House Resolution 361, which calls for unrestricted NGO access.