Humanitarian Principles and Standards
In: Refugee survey quarterly: reports, documentation, literature survey, Band 21, Heft 3, S. 255-258
ISSN: 1020-4067
Examines the principles & aspirations of the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR), an alliance of the Red Cross & seven major humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. The unifying thread of the alliance is a commitment to the principles outlined in the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations in Disaster Relief. Special attention is given to complex emergencies as opposed to those resulting from natural disasters, maintaining that traditional motivations of mercy & compassion are not enough to motivate a humanitarian response. The need to respect the rights of those affected by conflict/calamity is discussed, along with the need for agencies to maintain a degree of independence from their donors, & the importance of not using aid to further religious or political viewpoints. These concerns led SCHR agencies, together with Inter-Action from the US, to co-sponsor the Sphere project, which has set minimum standards in a core group of sectors to improve the quality of humanitarian assistance. Controversies & challenges are examined. J. Lindroth