Humanitarian Research Articles

Globalization and an epidemic process

The paper presents the results of analyzing the influence of major factors for globalization on the clinical and epidemiological manifestations of communicable diseases. Globalization is shown to considerably change the essence of an epidemic process and to affect its all component elements, by substantially accelerating the emergence and prevalence of communicable diseases. All five major aspects of globalization, such as economic, environmental, political, demographic, and technological ones, are closely related and affect both the prevalence of communicable diseases and the possibility of their prevention, control, and treatment. It is concluded that, by taking into account the global pattern of the threat associated with communicable diseases, a comprehensive approach that, in addition to international law on health care service, comprises the regulations and principles of other branches: international law of human rights, international environmental, commercial, humanitarian, and criminal laws, is the most effective method for counteracting this threat. The political will of states and the mechanism for financing the setting up of global and national infrastructures to follow all determinants of the epidemic process are of great importance in providing epidemiological security.

Progress and pain on the path of humanitarian medicine

Globalization and Health: Pathways, Evidence and Policy Ronald Labonte, Ted Schrecker, Corinne Packer and Vivian Runnels, editors. Routledge; 2009. Concepts and Practice of Humanitarian Medicine S. William A. Gunn and Michele Masellis, editors. Springer; 2008. In light of the faltering

Conflicts between Afar Pastoralists and their Neighbors: Triggers and Motivations

Particularly pervasive violent conflicts in the Horn of Africa have detrimental effects on people's livelihoods there. While the intensity, causes, and repercussions of violent conflicts vary spatially and temporally, pastoral areas are currently the hotspots. This paper examines the causes and consequences of violent conflicts in Ethiopia between Afar pastoralists and two of their neighbors, the Issa and the Karrayyu. The findings are based on primary data (individual interviews, group discussions, and field observations) and secondary data (documents and publications) collected in 2005 and 2006. The results indicate that contemporary challenges such as recurrent droughts, resource appropriation, livestock raiding, proliferation of small arms, and illicit trade contribute to the perpetuation of violent conflicts. While traditional institutions manage inter-clan conflicts, their effectiveness is quite limited with regard to inter-ethnic conflicts, where the contemporary challenges in pastoral areas are too diverse and complex to be managed solely by traditional institutions. The perpetuation of violent conflicts has affected the livelihoods of pastoralists, thereby causing humanitarian crisis and limiting access to resources and opportunities.

Dix ans après la création du Tribunal pénal international pour l'ex-Yougoslavie: évaluation de l'apport de sa jurisprudence au droit international humanitaire

The initial uncertainties as to the eventual capacity of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to accomplish its mandate can definitively he relegated to the archives of history and the creation of this Tribunal be heralded as a major step in the quest to develop mechanisms to impkment inter-national humanitarian hw. But after ten years of enstence, it appears that the role of the Tribunal cannot be limited to the mere enforcement of international humanitarian hw: while exercising its repressive function, the Tribunal has been interpreting this complex area of hw and — in so doing — has greatly contributed to a more progressive vision of international humanitarian law. The aim of this article is to briefly set out the more important contributions of this judicial hermeneutic reading of international humanitarian fow.It is argued that the Tribunal contributed to international humanitarhn Law in three ways, which interact with each other: first, by affirming the customary nature of a certain number of principles; second, by reducing the substantive gap separating the rules applicable to international versus non-international armed conflicts; and finally, by adapting international humanitarian law to modern realities through a liberal interpretation of certain rehtively old provisions of humanitarian treaties.

The development of the grave breaches regime and of individual criminal responsibility by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia

Two key developments of international humanitarian law by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia are analysed in this article: the progressive interpretation of the grave breaches regime and the common purpose doctrine. It is argued that these developments are legally justified and have been consistently upheld in recent decisions, despite ongoing controversy.

Ethiopias invasion of Somalia in 2006: Motives and lessons learned

Ethiopia’s invasion of Somalia in late 2006 may go down in history as one of the most daring if not imprudent strategic decision any African government has made on its neighbour. Ethiopia’s actions to invade Somalia gets more perplexing, considering it seemed unprovoked and should have been more circumspective given Ethiopia’s own history as a victim of unprovoked invasion by Italy and its myriad internal economic challenges. Even if Ethiopia's goal of going into Somalia had been purely humanitarian, the nearly two decades of instability there and the history of irredentism and distrust between the two countries should have given Ethiopia pause to be prudent. Although not without precedent, it is still unusual for one African country to invade another country on the scale Ethiopia did and fight a war that was guaranteed to be bloody. Self-defense, which Ethiopia claims as reason for its military action, raises doubt and compels an examination of the real motives for its actions in Somalia. This study explores what these motives could have been. Using historical evidence and those from contemporary sources, the study catalogs the violence that followed the invasion and how Ethiopia’s action aggravated Somalia’s endemic social and political ills. Ethiopia’s actions in Somalia could not have accomplished their objectives given the fact Somalia has plunged deeper into anarchy since the invading troops left its soil. It has also been costly both to the invader and the invaded. Other African countries can learn an invaluable lesson from Ethiopia’s experience not to start an audacious incursion into foreign territory without an unimpeachable reason. Key words: Ogaden war, the Derg, Islamists, refugees, Horn of Africa, piracy, pan-Somalism.

Professor Konosuke Fukai: a great scientist and excellent diplomat

Everyone who contacted Professor Konosuke Fukai, a scientist renowned as an innovator and virologist, was impressed by his unique character with humanitarian and unselfish attitude. He helped developing countries enormously to improve their public health by introducing the newest knowledge and techniques especially in vaccine production. He supported many young scientists throughout the world in their study of basic research resulting in improvement of research ability in their countries. Though it is almost 10 years since Professor Konosuke Fukai passed away in 1998 at the age of 78, we can easily remember him not because he was taller than the average Japanese but because of his distinguished achievements in fields ranging from basic research to public health. He was a pioneer in the field of virology in Japan that got going after the Second World War. In addition, impelled by his humanism, he applied his techniques and experiences to the promotion of medical research and public health in many developing countries. It is, therefore, not too much to say that he was not merely a great scientist but an excellent diplomat with scientific knowledge.

The Management of Mass Casualties in Case of Disasters

The problems faced by the immediate management of dealing with a mass influx of victims refer mainly to politrauma and severe pathology and their consequences on increasing intensive care needs in the context of a large and sudden influx of victims in an infrastructure potentially affected by severe logistics and often unprepared. Emergency plans should be well designed and then tested as together with the immediate response plans they constitute the only solution to deal with a situation where faced with a lack of personnel and overall logistical shortcomings. WHO and DHA continue to be the best organisations that provide advice based on evidence and previous experience in international health issues and disaster management and humanitarian issues. Doctors, who are trained in disaster medicine, should achieve an adequate level of education and training in the unique principles and practices of the medical management of disaster and of massive inflows of victims and to play a key role in this area. Key words: mass influx of victims, disaster, management

De la sauvegarde de la planète à celle des réfugiés climatiques : l'activisme des ONG

L’interet pour la protection de l’environnement est ne grâce a l’activisme des ONG soutenu par les institutions internationales. Bien que les conferences internationales aient ete en deca des esperances des ONG, ces dernieres ont su deployer un veritable savoir-faire en matiere de lobbying et de technique de communication : l’evenement – meme decevant – est relaye mondialement. En particulier, a l’occasion du Sommet de Copenhague (decembre 2009), les ONG ont fait preuve d’une habilete remarquable en mettant en scene les « refugies climatiques ». Apres un historique de la mise sur l’agenda international de la question environnementale, l’objectif de cet article est d’analyser les strategies que les ONG adoptent pour dramatiser le peril qu’encourt la planete et mettre en avant des problematiques qui unifient le pole environnemental et le pole humanitaire.

Fiorello H. La Guardia: Mayor, Statesman, and Humanitarian

Fiorello H. La Guardia: Mayor, Statesman, and Humanitarian

Principali criticità della pedagogia e della didattica dell’emergenza

The author, at the beginning of the essay, presents the specific area of research which is dealing with: a didactics dedicated to educational emergencies. Here are some keywords: humanitarian assistance, disaster, marginalization, spatial and temporal exclusion, extraordinary daily life, etc. We must build a kind of emotional and cognitive habitus to organize our lives in relation to otherness and difference and pedagogy may be a useful tool for the elaboration of experience and of error and to build educational relationships focused on the plurality.

The nature of international health security.

Health issues occasionally intersect security issues. Health security has been viewed as an essential part of human security. Policymakers and health professionals, however, do not share a common definition of health security. This article aims to characterize the notions of health security in order to clarify what constitutes the nexus of health and security. The concept of health security has evolved over time so that it encompasses many entities. Analyzing the health reports of four multilateral organizations (the United Nations, World Health Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and the European Union) produced eight categories of most significant relevance to contemporary health security, allowing comparison of the definitions. The four categories are: emerging diseases; global infectious disease; deliberate release of chemical and biological materials; violence, conflict, and humanitarian emergencies. Two other categories of common concern are natural disasters and environmental change, as well as chemical and radioactive accidents. The final two categories, food insecurity and poverty, are discussed less frequently. Nevertheless, food security is emerging as an increasingly important issue in public health. Health security is the first line of defence against health emergencies. As globalization brings more complexities, dealing with the increased scale and extent of health security will require greater international effort and political support.

The research concerning the quality of life of patients with cancer

This paper presents a review of the present research status concerning the quality of life regarding patients with cancer.It describes the content and the approach of evaluation,the focus about the quality of life,the development of nursing researck It aims to improve individual standard level concerning patients with cancer by increasingly providing humanitarian health care and professional management. Key words: Patients with cancer; Quality of life; Present situation and progress

Is Ban ki Moon heading the UNs demolition squad

The United Nations failed to stop the hostilities between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government. When thousands of Tamils were dying in the hands of the Sri Lankan state through aerial and artillery shelling for more than six months without a break, Ban ki Moon failed to stop the hostilities between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan armed forces. The UN failed to bring the perpetuators of the war crime to book. Over 280,000 civilians have been put in internment camps established by the government in Vavuniya without allowing the international media or UN agencies or any other non-governmental agencies to help despite outcries that the government armed forces were torturing civilians, but the UN is acting as a mute spectator. The UN can no longer act as a global organization for the betterment of humanity. Their officers are self-serving subservient to states that maintain them financially. Many international law and international relations experts argue that the UN should be completely reorganised, as all the administrative bodies, except the Social and Economic Council, are biased and lack the fortitude to bring global peace. Sri Lanka, a tiny island, in the Indian Ocean, is a classic example. Although not a major powerhouse for attracting the interest of global powers, with very little military power and receiver of military supplies from other countries, the corrupt behaviours of the UN’s top officials and their servile team could bring UN to its knees due. The global society needs to think that any single, powerful country can use nuclear weapons against one another, and even if the UN sends emissaries and the UN Secretary General visits, their support still goes to the violators in the end. Ban ki Moon has made sure that there would be no justice to the oppressed even from the highest citadel of humanitarian justice. Key words: Ban Ki Moon, United Nations, The League of Nations, Sri Lanka liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam, Tamils, genocide, civil war in Sri Lanka.

Moses Maimonides, "physician of princes, prince of physicians"

Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) is considered the most prominent figure of Judaism during the Middle Ages. Born within the Sephardic Jewish community of Cordoba, his rich intellectual education (theological, philosophical and medical) together with a deep spirituality gave birth to the figure of a highly humanitarian, rational and dedicated physician. His medical legacy includes ten treatises, among them 'Medical Aphorisms of Moses', a set of 1,500 aphorisms organized in 25 chapters, each dealing with a different area of medicine. His theological works and the renowned 'Guide for the Perplexed' raised his figure as a theologist and modern philosopher, being the latest his most universal creation. His life and legacy are an invitation to raise the medical vocation and practice beyond a simple occupation.

The influence of humanitarian care on the depression and the anxiety of patients before they receive their abdominal surgery

Objective To investigate the influence of humanitarian care on the depression and the anxiety of patients before they receive their abdominal surgery. Methods 98 patients were randomly derided into the experi-ment group and the control group and each group consisted of 49 patients. Humanitarian care was conducted in the ex-periment group while the control group only implemented the traditional functional nursing. Self-rating Depression Scale and Self-rating Anxiety Scale were used as the evaluation tools. Results The depression and the anxiety values of patients in the experiment group were obviously lower than those in the control group. Comparing both groups (P <0.05), such difference was of statistical significance. Conclusion The humanitarian care can reduce the feeling of depression and anxiety of patients, which is good for the recovery after surgery. Key words: Abdominal surgery; Depressive; Anxious; Humanitarian care

Échec de la prévention : le poids croissant des droits engendrés par l'aide américaine au financement du traitement mondial contre le VIH/SIDA et la voie à suivre

Résumé Les dépenses américaines pour la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA dans le monde contribuent à rallonger la vie de plus d’un million de personnes et sont largement perçues comme un double succès humanitaire et de politique étrangère. Pourtant, ce succès contient les germes d’une crise future. En effet, les coûts de ces traitements à vie ne cessent d’augmenter du fait d’une part de l’espérance de vie accrue des personnes sous traitement, et d’autre part du nombre de nouvelles infections qui dépasse largement celui des personnes mises sous traitement. Les coûts de traitement cumulés associés à une négligence de la prévention menacent d’évincer les dépenses américaines du financement des autres problèmes de santé dans le monde, dans la mesure où ils pourraient consommer plus de la moitié du budget de l’aide extérieure d’ici à 2016. Cet article analyse le problème évoqué plus haut et soutient que les États-Unis ont involontairement créé un nouveau « droit » mondial au traitement antiSIDA dont le coût est actuellement d’environ 2 milliards de dollars par an et pourrait s’élever à 12 milliards par an d’ici à 2016, ce qui représente plus de la moitié de ce que les États-Unis ont dépensé pour l’aide au développement en 2006. En outre, le coût de ce « droit » au traitement devrait continuer à augmenter, réduisant ainsi la part des dépenses consacrées aux activités de prévention et à d’autres besoins importants de développement, lesquelles deviendraient par là-même « discrétionnaires » par rapport au traitement du VIH/SIDA. L’auteur propose des pistes qui permettraient de restructurer substantiellement le Plan d’Urgence du Président pour l’Aide dans la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA (PEPFAR) de manière à éviter le dilemme qui serait offert aux Américains : le choix entre allouer l’aide extérieure aux dépenses croissantes pour le « droit » au traitement pour une durée indéterminée (ce qui éliminerait la moitié des autres programmes d’aide étrangère) ou retirer à des millions de personnes un traitement dont elles dépendent pour rester en vie. Plus spécifiquement, l’auteur propose d’adopter les mesures suivantes : renforcer le succès du traitement et créer une synergie entre le traitement et la prévention en rendant le financement de traitements futurs conditionnel au succès en matière d’adhérence et à la capacité à atteindre le plus grand nombre en matière de prévention, se recentrer sur la prévention en souscrivant aux efforts en matière de circoncision masculine et en étendant le dépistage et le conseil aux couples, et plus seulement aux individus, intensifier les effets de la prévention en faisant une carte des lieux à haut risque en les ciblant avec des programmes de prévention conçus sur mesure. Classification JEL : I12, I18, O15

Du développement à l'humanitaire, ou le triomphe de la com'

Cet article deconstruit de facon empirique le discours des ONG humanitaires internationales sur le developpement. En premier lieu sont rappeles brievement les debats qui, a partir des annees 1980, ont oppose les « developpementalistes » aux « urgentistes ». Dans une deuxieme partie, est analyse le role des ONG dans les reflexions en cours sur les mots et usages du developpement. De l’alerte au temoignage, les ONG du Nord sont indeniablement devenues des producteurs majeurs d’informations sur la gouvernance et la gestion des crises dans les pays du Sud. La difficulte est que leurs politiques de relations publiques visent aussi et surtout a satisfaire les donateurs, quitte a projeter des « images » et des representations du sous-developpement qui travestissent la realite. Dans une troisieme partie qui constitue le cœur de notre problematique, on etudie ainsi la marchandisation des strategies de communication humanitaires, avec tous les aspects derives du phenomene : miserabilisme, paternalisme, exageration de l’impact des crises, gonflement des besoins chiffres, fantasmes sur la toute puissance d’un Occident sauveur du Tiers-Monde...

Humanitarian response: improving logistics to save lives.

Each year, millions of people worldwide are affected by disasters, underscoring the importance of effective relief efforts. Many highly visible disaster responses have been inefficient and ineffective. Humanitarian agencies typically play a key role in disaster response (eg, procuring and distributing relief items to an affected population, assisting with evacuation, providing healthcare, assisting in the development of long-term shelter), and thus their efficiency is critical for a successful disaster response. The field of disaster and emergency response modeling is well established, but the application of such techniques to humanitarian logistics is relatively recent. This article surveys models of humanitarian response logistics and identifies promising opportunities for future work. Existing models analyze a variety of preparation and response decisions (eg, warehouse location and the distribution of relief supplies), consider both natural and manmade disasters, and typically seek to minimize cost or unmet demand. Opportunities to enhance the logistics of humanitarian response include the adaptation of models developed for general disaster response; the use of existing models, techniques, and insights from the literature on commercial supply chain management; the development of working partnerships between humanitarian aid organizations and private companies with expertise in logistics; and the consideration of behavioral factors relevant to a response. Implementable, realistic models that support the logistics of humanitarian relief can improve the preparation for and the response to disasters, which in turn can save lives.

Informe sobre la situación de los derechos humanos y el derecho internacional humanitario en el oriente antioqueño, 2007

This report on the situation of human rights and international humanitarian law in the East of Antioquia (Colombia) is the work product of the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Protection in eastern Antioquia. Joined at the presentation by the foundation and team projects Mobile Unit for Human Rights and Peace Observatory in eastern Antioquia, such as technical support and field for their work. It is promoted as evidence of the commitment of officers in the defense and promotion of human rights and strengthening it as the setting for interagency coordination. It brings together organizations governmental and citizen of local, departmental and international order that track one of the larger humanitarian crisis in the national territory through activities as permanent sessions to observe and analyze the social and political situation the region flanking days violated or at risk communities, emergency monitoring by field missions, legal advice to victims and strengthening public institutions