International Humanitarian Organizations Research Articles

Adaptive coordination strategies in humanitarian action: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose This study aims to investigate the optimization of coordination mechanisms in humanitarian action and focuses on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Conducted as a case study in collaboration with an international humanitarian organization, this research examines the components and associated coordination mechanisms of humanitarian action phases. Findings The analysis reveals the complexities of managing humanitarian crises, emphasizing the need for adaptive coordination strategies. Four key crisis response coordination mechanisms are explored – structural configuration, outcome standardization, process standardization and mutual adjustment. The study particularly assesses the emergency-development phase. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to a single humanitarian organization and the COVID-19 context. Future research could explore additional case studies and broader contexts to enhance understanding of coordination mechanisms in humanitarian crises. Practical implications This research has practical implications for humanitarian organizations, policymakers and practitioners involved in crisis response. Enhancing coordination mechanisms and strategies can improve the efficacy of response efforts and facilitate navigation of the complexities of humanitarian crises. Social implications Effective coordination is crucial in mitigating the impact of humanitarian crises and promoting social resilience. By optimizing coordination mechanisms, this research contributes to building more adaptive societies in the face of global challenges. Originality/value This study innovatively applies the activities-resources-actors (ARA) model to the humanitarian context and concentrates on the response to COVID-19 of one international humanitarian organization. By adapting the ARA model to a real-world scenario, this research provides insights into optimizing coordination mechanisms in crisis management.

Territorial control by non-state armed groups and gendered access to healthcare in conflict using a new complex adaptive systems framework

The growing prevalence and influence of non-state armed groups (NSAGs) in armed conflict requires a deeper understanding of how their territorial control and contestation affect sub-national healthcare availability and outcomes, particularly with regards to gender dynamics. However, there are gaps in existing research in understanding how NSAG governance influences health care outcomes. Furthermore, a disconnect exists between the literature on international humanitarian interventions, NSAG governance and national health systems. Each perspective tends to prioritise a specific health service provider—whether NSAGs, State actors, or international humanitarian organisations—and often treats populations as homogenous. To address these gaps, we propose a complex adaptive system framework centred on the influence of territorial control for health services in intra-state conflict settings, with a gender lens. This systems framework accounts for the influence of all parties significant for health service delivery. It recognises that those governing the localised health system may differ from those physically delivering health services. Our framework enables empirical examination of health service delivery and outcomes. We apply the framework to three conflict-affected settings (Colombia, Iraq, Mali) using publicly available data and offer recommendations for policymakers and practitioners targeting health service provision in intra-state conflict contexts.

Проблеми адаптації внутрішньо переміщених осіб в умовах воєнного часу

Adaptation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in wartime conditions is a complex problem that requires attention and a comprehensive approach from governments, civil society organizations and international humanitarian organizations. This abstract offers an overview of the main aspects of the problem of adaptation of IDPs during hostilities, namely socio-economic instability, psychological and psychosocial problems, access to education and medical care, and the need for social adaptation. The authors substantiated the relevance of the study of the concept "internally a displaced person" in the conditions of modern realities of Ukrainian society. The article explains the need to determine the status of so-called forced migrants – population category, new for the history of independent Ukraine. Analyzed two socio-cultural and resource. Analysis of these problems will help to develop effective strategies and support programs for IDPs in wartime conditions aimed at improving their well-being and integration into society. The article, based on available research, analyzes the psychological problems faced by Ukrainians who were forcibly displaced as a result of Russian aggression, and which hinder their viability. An integrative model of psychological support for persons who were forcibly displaced due to Russian aggression is proposed. This model is based on the possibilities of different psychological approaches, such as psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic and existential. Its goal is to mobilize the internal resources of the individual, achieve existential self-expression, as well as to master health-preserving psychotechniques and build resistance to the destructive influences of the surrounding environment.

The Crisis Migration Experience Scale: Developing and validating a tool for Venezuelan youth and adults residing in Colombia.

Although prior research has shown that an array of distinct experiences related to crisis migration are associated with mental health, there is a pressing need for a theory-driven, multidimensional measure to assess the broad spectrum of crisis migration experiences. As such, the present study focused on developing and validating the Crisis Migration Experience Scale (CMES) with a sample of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. Participants were adolescent (ages 12-17; n = 430) and adult migrants from Venezuela (ages 18+; n = 569). Randomly splitting the adolescent and adult samples in half, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted with 26 original items. After identifying a satisfactory factor structure to generate a 16-item CMES (CMES-16), we examined the associations of the CMES-16 with mental health outcomes. We provide evidence for reliability, factorial validity, and concurrent validity of scores generated by the CMES-16 in a sample of Venezuelan crisis migrants in Colombia. Whereas our a priori conceptualization included seven domains, the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that four are especially salient: material hardship, desperation, danger, and unplanned departure. Crisis migration is an increasingly important construct frequently referenced in the literature on migrant health and by international humanitarian organizations. The number of crisis migrant groups worldwide is increasing, with Ukrainians and Afghans recently added to the list of such groups, along with Venezuelans, Syrians, South Sudanese, Iraqis, and Central Americans. Developing and validating the CMES-16 with Venezuelan crisis migrants opens up important avenues of research, including work that incorporates other crisis migrant populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Applying Self-Determination Theory to International Development and Humanitarian Organisations

International development and humanitarian organisations are increasingly focused on transitioning from top-down models of practice to ‘locally-led approaches’ that recognise local epistemologies, capabilities and visions of change. Despite this focus, there remains limited practical guidance to support organisations making this transition. In this article, we aim to suggest ways in which Self-Determination Theory, a well-known theoretical framework in psychology and education, could be applied in the context of development and humanitarian organisations to facilitate transitions to locally-led partnerships and ways of working. We provide an overview of Self-Determination Theory and where it has been used in the development and humanitarian contexts. We propose its feasibility as a framework for transition to locally-led partnerships and approaches in these contexts and suggest specific strategies under a Self-Determination Theory framework that organisations could employ to support both international and local staff members in organisational transitions to locally-led practice.

Engaging Ulama in the Promotion of International Humanitarian Law: A Case Study from Mindanao

Abstract In 2006 the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) produced rules of engagement in hostilities for members of its armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, which reference Islamic law and are also compliant with international humanitarian law (IHL). The release of these rules came following engagement with the MILF by both national and international humanitarian organizations. This article examines the role of Islamic scholars in the MILF and how they contributed to the development of the rules of engagement and the dissemination of humanitarian principles and IHL to its fighters. It also examines the support that humanitarian organizations provided to MILF’s Islamic scholars in their work on IHL. The findings show that MILF’s religious scholars played a major role in promoting IHL to the group’s armed wing through a framing of IHL from an Islamic perspective. A major motivation for the MILF to engage its Islamic scholars on IHL was the desire for international legitimacy as it was involved in a peace process with the government of the Philippines.

Unique data, different values: Explaining variation in the use of biometrics by international humanitarian organizations

AbstractHumanitarian organizations are increasingly using biometric technology. Although the existing literature comprehensively covers this issue, it overlooks the considerable divergence in approaches and policies. In fact, there are significant differences in how biometric data are collected, stored, processed, shared, and protected. Drawing on an analysis of relevant news items, documents, and 17 semi‐structured interviews with humanitarian practitioners, this paper explains the variational biometric practices of humanitarian organizations. The case studies are the UN Refugee Agency, the United Nations World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, and World Vision International. Contributing to the scholarly debates about, first, the use of technology in humanitarian response and, second, the complex interdependence and power relations between major donors, States, and international organizations, this paper argues that combinations of three broad factors – organizational culture, mandates and scope of action, and institutional structure significantly shape how each organization understands and practices biometrics. Humanitarian organizations have different interests, motivations, ideologies, statuses, structures, and areas of expertise, and they respond differently to the demands of the States and other influential actors, thus having different applications of biometric data.

Donors want it faster, humanitarian organizations get it cheaper

Donors provide yearly over 20 billion USD for international assistance to humanitarian organizations who transfer up to 23% of these funds to local implementing partners. Each transfer of funds seeks the maximum effectiveness through the compliance with the rules of the donor. The question of how aligned are donor policies with the ones of the recipients of funds, and what is the impact of this gap remains open. This study has gathered a unique dataset of the procurement policies from 42 institutional donors and 41 local and international humanitarian organizations. The research provides qualitative and statistical analysis on the diversity of procurement policies, and a cost model for deeper understanding of the effectiveness of humanitarian aid when implemented from institutional donors. The study shows that donors provide guidelines aiming at faster procurement, while humanitarian organizations employ more restricted processes focused on lower procurement costs and more competitive spending. The results show a statistically significant gap in the procurement thresholds of donors versus humanitarian organizations, and the existence of an efficient frontier that relates lead time and cost of the implemented projects. The results provide a unique overview of the humanitarian ecosystem and the benefits of international collaborating bodies such as the Grand Bargain in the standardization and convergence of policies.

‘Tangled times’: Central American refugee perspectives on the long Cold War*

ABSTRACT Between the 1970s and 1990s, state-led violence drove one-quarter of El Salvador’s population—most of them peasants—into exile. Studies of this phenomenon often adopt a bureaucratic, top-down approach, treating it as an anomaly, a problem to be solved by international leaders. Adopting a transnational social historical approach allows us to see this Cold War-era ‘refugee crisis’ as the peasants saw it—as part of much longer historical patterns of dispossession and resistance. This article traces their displacement narratives over thirty years. Drawing from two decades of work with displaced Salvadorans, public and private archives, and oral histories, it first brings to light how Salvadorans threaded together Spanish colonialists, Salvadoran oligarchs, US imperialists, and international humanitarian organizations into a noose of destructive outside interests. It then explores how, rather than submit to conventional portrayals of refugees as pawns or passive victims, Salvadorans identified as citizen-activists who harnessed displacement as an opportunity to continue progressing toward long-standing goals of building a more just and equitable world. Finally, the article moves to the present, as former refugees purposefully excavate the 1980s crisis to expose the roots of current mass migrations. The street gang wars that trigger today’s flights are nothing new, peasants argue; they are a living legacy of the Cold War. By emphasizing the past/present and local/global nexuses, these narratives recast the Cold War in terms of actors, causes, consequences, and chronology, while also demonstrating the value of looking beyond violence to consider the dreams of—and movements toward—a better tomorrow.

THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION OF MIGRANTS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH

Introduction. In the global economy, people migrate between regions or countries in searching better life. The migration is beneficial for both the country of origin and the host country. Economic benefits consist in sending money by migrants’ home through various remittance channels such as commercial banks, cash money market, electronic transfers. That is why the lack of access to regular financial services is a significant challenge to the economic independence of migrants and their self-sufficiency. As a result, international humanitarian organizations are increasingly promoting the financial integration of refugees, their empowerment, integration into the host economy, promoting self-sufficiency and financial inclusion. This actualizes the scientific research of economic growth and financial inclusion of migrants, because a passive response to the problem threatens the harmonious development of regions that are actively involved into migration processes. The purpose of the article is the research with focus to analyze the constituent elements of economic growth in the conditions of migration flows increasing and to outline directions for strengthening the financial inclusion of migrants. Results. The constituent elements of economic growth in the conditions of financial inclusion of migrants were considered. It was provided a taxonomic analysis of the theories of migration, its motivation and attraction factors. The Ukrainian economy was analyzed under of migration flows growing, estimated the pace of its recovery and reconstruction due to international aid and remittances from migrants. It was evaluated the financial integration and financial inclusion of migrants in terms of the availability of basic financial services. The factors affecting the financial inclusion of migrants and preventing the receipt of financial services were identified. It was outlined the directions for strengthening the financial inclusion of migrants. Prospects. The subject of further scientific research is the research of the level of digital financial inclusion of migrants, which can become an effective tool for overcoming socio-economic problems and stimulating economic development.

Недоліки «гуманітарної дипломатії» у сфері захисту військовополонених

The article provides a generalized analysis of the shortcomings of the functioning of humanitarian diplomatic institutions in the field of protection of the rights and freedoms of prisoners of war. It was established that, in general, the problem of the war in Ukraine actualizes deep ideological and legal constructions about justice, dignity and universal human values in the conditions of the conflict and requires a comprehensive approach to its solution. At the same time, the situation in the conflict zone leaves human rights mechanisms with the challenge of ensuring effective protection. Ensuring the inalienable rights of prisoners of war requires not only legal regulation, but also the practical implementation of these norms in difficult conflict conditions. It is motivated that the protection of the life and health of prisoners of war belongs to the canonical imperatives of ethics, which are embodied in normative acts of international humanitarian law. This imperative obligation, based on the principle of inviolability of the individual, reflects the highest anthropological ideals. However, the modern reality shows the insufficient effectiveness of these normative principles in the context of armed conflicts. Unfortunately, violations of the rights of prisoners of war have become commonplace, which requires improvement and strengthening of their protection mechanisms. The main task of the humanitarian community and the state striving to stabilize the situation in the conflict zone is to ensure elementary, "minimum" standards of humanity during a military conflict, including in relation to prisoners of war, which includes the need for a comprehensive approach that includes not only the regulatory and legal framework, but also the active role of international organizations, the public and humanitarian organizations. One of the main directions is to ensure independent monitoring of conditions of detention and treatment of prisoners of war. The analysis of the practice of the functioning of international and national "humanitarian diplomacy" in the context of the modern war on the territory of Ukraine gave us the opportunity to single out a number of significant problems in the field of protecting the rights of prisoners of war, in particular: the limited accessibility of representatives of "humanitarian diplomacy" to specific areas or groups of prisoners of war, to the camps where they are held; possible financial limitations of missions due to the problem of limiting resources and means for providing humanitarian aid; political pressure and limitations of "humanitarian missions", which causes a violation of the principles of neutrality and independence of humanitarian aid; security problems for employees of institutions.

Armenians in 1920s Greece: Turkey’s Unwanted Minority, the League of Nations’ Burden, Greece’s “Other” Refugees

Abstract This article sheds light upon the history of an underresearched group of refugees who settled in Greece in the 1920s. It focuses on Armenians from Anatolia who fled to Greece in 1921–22, during and after the Greek-Turkish War of 1919–22. The article examines how the Greek government and international humanitarian organizations (Near East Relief, American Red Cross, etc.) approached the Armenian refugees, including orphans. The study further highlights practices such as transfers of Armenians within Greece, repatriation programs supported by Greece to send the Armenian refugees to Soviet Armenia, and citizenship policies regarding them.

DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL COMPETENCE OF YOUNGER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF INFORMAL EDUCATION

Martial law conditions do not create favorable conditions for the education and development of children, but at the same time encourage the search for innovative tools. Temporal challenges determine the need to develop digital competence in younger schoolchildren. Modern society increasingly uses digital technologies in various aspects of life, including education and communication. In addition, the ability to use digital resources is also determined by the requirements for the professional skills of a modern teacher, because today mastering the basics of computer literacy is the basis of educational activity. The importance of non-formal education in the digital competence formation, especially in summer camps, increases. The article presents the authors’ practical experience in the development of digital skills of school-aged children in the summer camp «IT for Kids», which was organized by the NGO «Megasocium» in cooperation with the Center for Information Technologies of Uzhhorod National University with the support of the international humanitarian organization «People in Need Slovakia». Educational content included the basics of computer literacy, cyber security, internet safety, media literacy, programming and robotics. The main educational research goals: determination of key aspects of digital competence, approbation of pedagogical tools effective in the conditions of a military conflict; analysis of scientific research and European practices; assessment of the effectiveness of the application of these methods and approaches in the educational process; designing further work on the development of IT competence in conditions of non-formal education; outlining prospects and opportunities for digital skills developing of school-age children vis summer camps.

Hosting Biafran Child Refugees: the Inter-African Refugee and International Humanitarian Network System During the Nigerian Civil War, 1967 and Beyond

Abstract The Nigerian civil war (1967–1970) was one of the post-independence conflicts in Africa that called for the separation of children from their mothers for treatment and rehabilitation outside their home country. Using archival data, the article investigates the workability of the inter-African Refugee Network System and international humanitarian organisations in the evacuation of Biafran children for recuperation and rehabilitation. The article argues that it was through a collaborative network involving the Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches and the International Committee of the Red Cross, that thousands of Biafran children were transported to other African countries such as Gabon, the Ivory Coast and the Island of Sao Tomé for treatment. It concludes that such a collaboration goes a long way to prove that Africans do not just feed the Global North with refugees but can host their own refugees, though not without the help of international humanitarian organisations.

Humanitarian sector (international non-governmental organisations) support to the community in Goma city/DRC during the COVID-19 pandemic period: Expectations and reality.

COVID-19 was the largest public health emergency to disrupt social life and health systems worldwide. The pandemic affected all world continents creating fear and stress in many aspects of social life. The pandemic spread from China to Europe, then to Africa carrying with it all the negative impacts affecting population wellbeing. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in March 2020 and created huge shock and stress countrywide. Goma city accommodates more than 30 international non-governmental humanitarian organisations (HO) who have sought to support local communities to help them overcome COVID-19 stress. Few studies to date have considered the role of these HO from the perspective of the beneficiary populations. This is a descriptive, analytical study, reporting data collected from a survey questionnaire to 100 community members (including 21 healthcare professionals) in Karisimbi health zone in Goma city in DRC. The study's main aim was to explore how community members viewed the contribution and impact of HO actions during COVID-19 in Goma city. We identified some important mis-matches between community expectations and HO actions which must be addressed in future outbreaks. First, community members had big expectations of HO in terms of practice support to tackle the pandemic (including providing handwashing devices and mobile support teams), yet the vast majority of respondents reported seeing little or no such actions. This can create resentment against HO and it is critically important that they rapidly engage with communities at the start of any outbreak to understand their needs and concerns and develop strategies to directly respond to these. Second, HO played a very limited role in dissemination of information about COVID-19 and were not trusted messengers. Our findings showed that most people's preferred source of information about COVID-19, specifically vaccines, was local healthcare workers-particularly those who were known well and therefore trusted. HO (and national responders) should therefore map trusted spokespersons (including healthcare professionals) in the targeted communities and involve them in the planning and implementation of interventions as essential steps in the response. Among our respondents, social media played a large role in information sharing. Further research is needed to understand the role that social media (particularly Facebook and WhatsApp which were most frequently used) could play in sharing messages from trusted sources, including official government communications. Collectively, these actions could help create a positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine and similar interventions in future outbreaks.

TOOLS FOR ENSURING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION OF FORCED MIGRANTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF RUSSIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE

The article proves that the formation of an inclusive environment for persons who have found themselves in difficult life circumstances due to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is carried out through the provision of humanitarian assistance, creation of favourable conditions for employment and earning labour income, provision of legal assistance and protection, access to education and training, socio-cultural integration, etc. It is determined that the main responsibility for providing assistance to the population affected by the humanitarian crisis in the context of war lies with the government, local authorities, the private sector, faith communities, local civil society, NGOs, volunteers, international humanitarian organisations, donor and partner countries, etc. The author emphasises the important role of various international and national organisations and associations in the implementation of humanitarian initiatives since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine. It is substantiated that humanitarian aid and other charitable activities from various organisations have become a vital source of support for both forced users of temporary protection outside Ukraine and internally displaced persons. The author notes the role of grant funding and modern digital technologies in ensuring social and economic inclusion of vulnerable categories of forced migrants. The article examines Ukrainian and foreign experience in organising and conducting various events and activities for the socialisation and integration of war refugees. The author assesses the quantitative and qualitative indicators of forced resettlement, as well as the current state of funding for measures aimed at effectively addressing the migration challenges caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Reform of Health Protection Personnel in Armed Criminal Group Areas

In the context of reforming the protection of health workers in terrorist areas, this conclusion reinforces the fact that protection of health workers is a necessity that cannot be ignored. Health is a human right, and health workers are an important pillar in providing access to the health services needed by communities, including those living in terrorist areas. The threats to health workers in these conflict situations are real and significant. They are at high risk of being targeted by attacks, kidnappings, or other threats, which could hinder much-needed health services for civilians. Strong protection for health workers must be a top priority. This is not only the responsibility of the government, but also the international community and humanitarian organizations. In implementing this reform, measures such as strengthening security in health facilities, better training for health workers in dealing with risky situations, as well as close cooperation with relevant parties are important steps.

Toward a common humanitarian supply chain process model: the Frontline Humanitarian Logistics Initiative

PurposeThis study focuses to develop a common humanitarian supply chain process model (HSCPM) that enables effective enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for NGOs, and the study also investigates the role of modularity as a dynamic capability that supports creating such model.Design/methodology/approachA multifocus group study was performed as part of a larger project, the Frontline Humanitarian Logistics Initiative, aiming to establish a common data model that would serve as the backbone of humanitarian ERP systems. Fourteen international humanitarian organizations (IHOs) participated in the process, reaching a consensus on the structure of the process model.FindingsAn HSCPM was proposed based on the consensus reached across IHOs. Four degrees of customization differentiating between “generic,” “tailored,” “specific,” and “unique” processes are presented and discussed.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings show modularity applied to process as a mean to create dynamic efficiencies and position the modular process model within the dynamic capabilities framework, supporting supply chain responsiveness and expanding the literature on supply chain management (SCM), dynamic capabilities, and humanitarian logistics.Practical implicationsThis research proposes a consensus-based data model, facilitating the advancement of ERP systems in the humanitarian context and lays a foundation for interoperability among ERP systems across diverse IHOs.Originality/valueFirst attempt to elucidate the specific characteristics and unique processes defining an HSCPM, this study reached an unprecedented consensus for the humanitarian sector, setting the base toward an industry standard.

Developing a trusted human-AI network for humanitarian benefit

Artificial intelligences (AI) will increasingly participate digitally and physically in conflicts yet there is a lack of trusted communications with humans for humanitarian purposes. For example, in disasters and conflicts messaging and social media are used to share information, however, international humanitarian relief organisations treat this information as unverifiable and untrustworthy. Furthermore, current AI implementations can be brittle, with a narrow scope of application and wide scope of ethical risks. Meanwhile, human error can cause significant civilian harms even by combatants committed to compliance with international humanitarian law. AI offers an opportunity to help reduce the tragedy of war and better deliver humanitarian aid to those who need it. However, to be successful, these systems must be trusted by humans and their information systems, overcoming flawed information flows in conflict and disaster zones that continue to be marked by intermittent communications, poor situation awareness, mistrust and human errors. In this paper, we consider the integration of a communications protocol (the ‘Whiteflag protocol’), distributed ledger ‘blockchain’ technology, and information fusion with artificial intelligence (AI), to improve conflict communications called “Protected Assurance Understanding Situation & Entities” (PAUSE). Such a trusted human-AI communication network could provide accountable information exchange regarding protected entities, critical infrastructure, humanitarian signals and status updates for humans and machines in conflicts. Trust-based information fusion provides resource-efficient use of diverse data sources to increase the reliability of reports. AI can catch human mistakes and complement human decision making, while human judgment can direct and override AI recommendations. We examine several realistic potential case studies for the integration of these technologies into a trusted human-AI network for humanitarian benefit including mapping a conflict zone with civilians and combatants in real time, preparation to avoid incidents and using the network to manage misinformation. We finish with a real-world example of a PAUSE-like network, the Human Security Information System (HSIS), being developed by USAID, that uses blockchain technology to provide a secure means to better understand the civilian environment.

The consequences of Sudan’s armed conflict on public health: a closer look at the devastating impact

The consequences of Sudan’s armed conflict on public health: a closer look at the devastating impact