Concepts in Humanitarian Assistance

Climate change, urbanisation, emerging infectious disease and widening socio-economic disparities have rendered the world’s population more vulnerable to disasters and in need for humanitarian assistance. This unit explores the history of humanitarian assistance and the role of different actors within the system. The continuum from prevention and risk reduction to humanitarian response and the transition to sustainable development is examined in the context of natural disasters, complex emergencies and post-conflict settings. Frameworks, mechanisms and tools for co-ordination, partnership, accountability and minimum standards in humanitarian response are investigated and critiqued. The potential roles, scope of practice and responsibilities of the government, organizations and civil society, within the international humanitarian system are addressed. The principles and ethics that inform practice in the field underpin the teaching in this unit.