Humanitarian Aid Research Articles

THE IMPACT OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING ON HUMANITARIAN AID DELIVERY: A POLICY ANALYSIS

Gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid delivery has become increasingly important in recent years as organizations seek to address the differential impact of crises on women, men, girls, and boys. This policy analysis examines the impact of gender mainstreaming on humanitarian aid delivery, focusing on its effectiveness in promoting gender equality and improving the overall outcomes of humanitarian interventions. The analysis explores the evolution of gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid, highlighting key policy frameworks and guidelines that have shaped its implementation. It also examines the challenges and limitations associated with gender mainstreaming, including issues related to funding, capacity building, and coordination among humanitarian actors. Furthermore, the analysis assesses the impact of gender mainstreaming on the design, implementation, and monitoring of humanitarian programs. It examines how gender considerations have been integrated into needs assessments, program design, and evaluation processes, and how this has influenced the quality and effectiveness of humanitarian aid delivery. The analysis also considers the broader implications of gender mainstreaming on humanitarian action, including its potential to transform power dynamics, challenge gender stereotypes, and promote women's leadership in humanitarian decision-making processes. It highlights the importance of adopting a gender-sensitive approach that recognizes and addresses the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women, men, girls, and boys in humanitarian settings. Overall, this policy analysis underscores the critical importance of gender mainstreaming in humanitarian aid delivery and calls for greater commitment and investment in gender-responsive programming. It concludes with recommendations for strengthening gender mainstreaming efforts, including enhancing coordination among humanitarian actors, increasing funding for gender-sensitive programming, and promoting gender equality within humanitarian organizations. Keywords: Impact: Gender Mainstreaming, Humanitarian, Aid Delivery, Policy Analysis.

Analyzing the Capacity of the Healthcare System in Gaza to Address Gaza Residents Needs

The present humanitarian crisis in Gaza has resulted in the devastation of medical facilities and health infrastructure. As of January 2024, the World Health Organization reports that 78% of primary care clinics funded by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA, 2024) have ceased operations, and hospitals’ bed capacity throughout Gaza has decreased by more than 59% (World Health Organization, 2024). Direct military attacks on medical facilities as well as the blockade of medical supplies and humanitarian aid pose the largest obstacles to greater healthcare attainment in Gaza (IRC, 2024). Over the course of the conflict, there has been a surge in the number of people suffering from war injuries, which now totals 71,377 (Shurafa, 2024). The rise in the number of patients who require access to medical services in combination with the limited hospital functionality in the Gaza Strip is putting a massive strain on their already limited healthcare system; before the over 6 month long duration of direct military attacks by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on hospitals in Gaza, data indicated a maximum ratio of 1.55 hospital beds per 1000 individuals across the entire region of the Gaza Strip, while the ratio in the US is around 2.35 hospital beds per 1000 individuals (Taylor, 2024). The already poor living conditions of the demographic–most of whom are housed in temporary structures in severe weather conditions with a lack of access to food and water for sustenance or hygiene–signify a need for a more robust healthcare system. However, triage conditions prioritize treatment of the most severe war injuries, which has forced hospitals to abandon previously established vaccination projects and disease surveillance programs, leaving the remaining population to suffer from preventable diseases such as chickenpox, upper respiratory infections, scabies, and Hepatitis A (Soni, 2024). Individuals who do receive medical care face higher levels of infection due to a lack of adequate sanitation, waste management measures, and basic hygiene supplies (The Economist, 2024).

Communal conflicts in Nigeria: Assessment of the impacts on internally displaced persons and settlements amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Acknowledging that violent communal conflicts can lead to increased displacement and overcrowding in IDP camps, this study investigates the impact of such conflicts on internally displaced persons (IDPs) and their camps in Benue State, Nigeria, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing a mixed-method approach, 386 IDPs and 20 stakeholders were purposively selected. Based on the research objectives, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the research objectives. Employing logistics and multi-linear regressions, the data reveal that unregulated access to IDP camps resulted in overcrowding, straining resources like food and shelter. The study identifies economic losses and various challenges stemming from communal conflict and COVID-19, causing chaos, anxiety, and uncertainty in the IDP camps. These findings highlight the urgent need for ongoing humanitarian assistance to alleviate the precarious conditions faced by IDPs and their camps nationwide and recommend that the IDPs camps across the country need constant humanitarian aid to mitigate the various precarious conditions in the camps.

What Are the Best Practices for Nursing Care during an Earthquake? A Scoping Review.

Among natural disasters, earthquakes have a considerable impact and are among the ten deadliest, with an extreme impact on the healthcare sector. This study aimed to analyze the best practices in nursing care for earthquake victims. An in-depth analysis was carried out by using a scoping review, a method used in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR recommendations, to identify best nursing practice in these circumstances based on searches of eight databases: MEDLINE via PubMed; Cochrane Library; Embase; VHL; PDQ-Evidence; Scopus; ProQuest; and Google Scholar. Twenty-one studies were selected. The nursing practices identified were grouped into two distinct dimensions, each subdivided into four subcategories: (i) care practices: (a) immediate care, (b) intermediate care, (c) psychosocial care, and (d) ethical care; (ii) care management and coordination practices, which cover (a) care coordination, (b) victim care network organization, (c) teamwork, and (d) training. By analyzing these nursing practices during care and relief operations for earthquake victims, this study identified the various actions carried out, the nursing skills to be developed, and the reinforcement of these advanced practices through the systematization of nurses' skills, in order to promote victims' rehabilitation, minimize their suffering, and improve their quality of life during and after an earthquake.

Think long‐term, embrace persistence, flexibility

Kate Magro's background in domestic and international relief work, helping communities recover from political instability and natural disasters, contributed to her becoming a more effective and innovative student affairs professional. As a self‐described task‐oriented, driven individual, working in those unstable, unpredictable environments where “nothing works as you anticipated,” taught her the importance of flexibility. It came down to finding out “the overarching goal and how to be flexible about getting there,” said Magro, now Associate Vice President for Student Development at Palm Beach Atlantic University and Co‐instructor and Field Supervisor for PBAU's international and community development program.

Coordination as the flagship to the efficacy of humanitarian aid: Research on the influence of different coordination types on the efficacy of humanitarian aid operations in Africa

AbstractAnnually, global populations need humanitarian aid due to various crises. Whilst numerous actors aim to provide assistance in these critical situations, this aid is often deemed ineffective due to duplication of efforts and a failure to ensure that all individuals in need are reached. This research aims to raise awareness of the significance of coordination in this field, as well as setting the stage for further research of issues and potential solutions within this policy domain. While “Coordination” is a widely accepted term that is regarded as a comprehensive solution, it lacks specificity regarding the type of coordination required. This research uses a meta‐evaluation to contend that despite extensive research on coordination within humanitarian interventions, there is still considerable room for improvement in this area. The findings, drawing on evaluations of humanitarian assistance in Africa, indicate that the success of coordination efforts varies depending on the type of coordination employed. They emphasize that humanitarian coordination positively impacts effectiveness, but this influence is contingent on the operationalization of the concept and the presence of various conditional factors. Several recommendations follow from these findings, including improvements on information exchange, short‐ and long‐term strategies and joint resource mobilization.

Warehouse site selection for humanitarian relief organizations using an interval-valued fermatean fuzzy LOPCOW-RAFSI model

The selection of warehouse locations for humanitarian organizations represents a critical and strategic decision-making process. It is inherently complex, influenced by uncertainties and conflicting criteria. This study presents an integrated decision-making framework tailored to address this complexity for humanitarian organizations. The framework combined two key methodologies: logarithmic percentage change-driven objective weighting (LOPCOW) and ranking of alternatives through functional mapping of criterion sub-intervals into a single interval (RAFSI). Besides, this model has strengthened by extending with the help of the interval-valued Fermatean fuzzy sets to capture and process highly complex ambiguities. A significant advantage of this proposed model is its high resilience against the rank reversal problem, which is a critical shortcoming and challenge in decision-making methodologies. Additionally, the model boasts a robust, powerful, and practical structure coupled with a straightforward and easily understandable algorithm. Based on the results obtained through the implementation of the model, population density (0.1140) emerges as the most critical factor influencing decisions regarding site selection. Humanitarian organizations aim to rescue and assist as many individuals as possible during and after a disaster, prioritizing their humanitarian needs. Therefore, enhancing logistical efficiency in disaster zones and promptly reaching affected populations becomes feasible when humanitarian aid warehouses are as close as possible to areas with the highest concentration of potential disaster victims. Moreover, according to the study’s findings, the most suitable option identified for the case study was Bağcılar. The conclusions drawn from sensitivity and comparative analyses affirm the model’s reliability, consistency, and resilience.

The integration of ortho-plastic limb salvage teams in the humanitarian response to violence-related open tibial fractures: evaluating outcomes in the Gaza Strip

BackgroundLimb salvage by ortho-plastic teams is the standard protocol for treating open tibial fractures in high-income countries, but there’s limited research on this in conflict settings like the Gaza Strip. This study assessed the clinical impact of gunshot-related open tibial fractures, compared patient management by orthopedic and ortho-plastic teams, and identified the risk factors for bone non-union in this context.MethodsA retrospective review of medical records was conducted on Gaza Strip patients with gunshot-induced-open tibial fractures from March 2018 to October 2020. Data included patient demographics, treatments, and outcomes, with at least one year of follow-up. Primary outcomes were union, non-union, infection, and amputation.ResultsThe study included 244 injured individuals, predominantly young adult males (99.2%) with nearly half (48.9%) having Gustilo-Anderson type IIIB fractures and more than half (66.8%) with over 1 cm of bone loss. Most patients required surgery, including rotational flaps and bone grafts with a median of 3 admissions and 9 surgeries. Ortho-plastic teams managed more severe muscle and skin injuries, cases with bone loss > 1 cm, and performed less debridement compared to other groups, though these differences were not statistically significant. Non-union occurred in 53% of the cases, with the ortho-plastic team having the highest rate at 63.6%. Infection rates were high (92.5%), but no significant differences in bone or infection outcomes were observed among the different groups. Logistic regression analysis identified bone loss > 1 cm, vascular injury, and the use of a definitive fixator at the first application as predictors of non-union.ConclusionsThis study highlights the severity and complexity of such injuries, emphasizing their significant impact on patients and the healthcare system. Ortho-plastic teams appeared to play a crucial role in managing severe cases. However, further research is still needed to enhance our understanding of how to effectively manage these injuries.

The Emergency Medical Team Operating System — a vision for field hospital data management in following the concepts of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine

In times where sudden-onset disasters (SODs) present challenges to global health systems, the integration of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM / 3PM) into emergency medical responses has manifested as a critical necessity. We introduce a modern electronic patient record system designed specifically for emergency medical teams (EMTs), which will serve as a novel approach in how digital healthcare management can be optimized in crisis situations. This research is based on the principle that advanced information technology (IT) systems are key to transforming humanitarian aid by offering predictive insights, preventive strategies, and personalized care in disaster scenarios. We aim to address the critical gaps in current emergency medical response strategies, particularly in the context of SODs. Building upon a collaborative effort with European emergency medical teams, we have developed a comprehensive and scalable electronic patient record system. It not only enhances patient management during emergencies but also enables predictive analytics to anticipate patient needs, preventive guidelines to reduce the impact of potential health threats, and personalized treatment plans for the individual needs of patients. Furthermore, our study examines the possibilities of adopting PPPM-oriented IT solutions in disaster relief. By integrating predictive models for patient triage, preventive measures to mitigate health risks, and personalized care protocols, potential improvements to patient health or work efficiency could be established. This system was evaluated with clinical experts and shall be used to establish digital solutions and new forms of assistance for humanitarian aid in the future. In conclusion, to really achieve PPPM-related efforts more investment will need to be put into research and development of electronic patient records as the foundation as well as into the clinical processes along all pathways of stakeholders in disaster medicine.

Conflicts and the dilemma of media intervention: An educational information management perspective

Conflicts are inevitable in any human community, despite the fact that they are never desirable. One of the characteristics of the contemporary world is conflict. Different parties participate in disputes (individuals, organizations, and states). When disputes arise, interventionist methods are put into action. Conflicts arise in a variety of ways, such as disagreement, rage, quarrelling, hatred, destruction, killing, or war, because human requirements are diverse. Conflict takes many different shapes, and so do interventions. Individuals, groups (both local and foreign), and governments can all intervene in a conflict. The media and its functions are up for debate among those who mediate disputes. Can the media be seen as intervening in a dispute, or are they merely performing their mandated duties? The diversity of opinions is what drives conversations in peace journalism. In addition, peace journalism promotes media engagement and intervention in conflict situations in order to lessen and end conflict. Media intervention, according to some critics, is not objective journalism because those in charge of educational information management and journalists are not expected to make decisions about the news; rather, they should just tell it as they see it. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the idea of conflict, the stages of conflict development, interventions in conflicts, and the contentious position of the media in conflicts from an educational information management perspective. Hence, this paper will contribute to the role of educational information management via social media and other new media platforms, which have occasionally been used to hold governments responsible, unite people in protest of violence, plan relief operations, empower people, dissipate tensions via knowledge sharing, and create understanding across boundaries.

0935 Sleep Disturbances Correlate Significantly with PTSD and Emotional Exhaustion in Humanitarian Aid Workers

0935 Sleep Disturbances Correlate Significantly with PTSD and Emotional Exhaustion in Humanitarian Aid Workers

Lessons learned from Jordan's response to the Syria refugee crisis.

The number of refugees across the world has jumped from 15.7 million to 34.6 million in the past 10years, and their forced displacement situation remain for an average period of 20years. To ensure sustainable benefits, health system strengthening through development cooperation should be a priority in parallel to humanitarian aid early on in refugee crises.

Indirect Exposure to Atrocities and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms among Aid Workers: Hemispheric Lateralization Matters.

Background: Humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) are indirectly exposed to atrocities relating to people of concern (POC). This may result in a risk of secondary traumatization demonstrated by post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). Previous studies have demonstrated that hemispheric lateralization (HL) moderates the relationship between threat exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs). Aims: We hypothesized that indirect exposure to atrocities (IETA) would be positively correlated with PTSSs among HAWs with right and not left HL. Method: Fifty-four HAWs from several countries that provided humanitarian support in Greece and Colombia participated in this correlational and cross-sectional observation study. They completed scales relating to IETA, PTSSs were assessed using a brief, valid scale, and HL was measured. Results: IETA was positively and significantly related to PTSSs (r = 0.39, p < 0.005). Considering HL, IETA was unrelated to PTSSs among people with right HL (r = 0.29, p = 0.14), while IETA was related to PTSSs among people with left HL (r = 0.52, p = 0.008). Right HL emerged as a protective factor in the relationship between IETA and PTSS. Conclusions: An assessment of dominant HL can serve as one consideration among others when deploying HAWs in specific locations and roles, vis à vis IETA. Moreover, those found to have a higher risk for PTSSs based on their HL could be monitored more closely to prevent adverse reactions to IETA.

Relief supply prepositioning strategies via option contract reserve fleet vehicles

In preparing for disasters, relief supplies can be prepositioned as tangible forms in warehouses or as intangible forms, such as production capacity. However, the prepositioning of relief supplies in the absence of a sufficient number of vehicles may delay the delivery time and reduce relief operation performance. Budget pressure may prevent local disaster relief authorities from maintaining a large fleet; thus, they may opt for fleet vehicle reserves through an option contract as an alternative. We propose a model for coordinating prepositioned tangible and intangible relief supplies, considering fleet vehicle reserves through an option contract. The objective function includes the reduction of deprivation cost, which considers the suffering of beneficiaries. We obtain the optimal quantity of the prepositioned tangible and intangible supplies and the fleet vehicles. Furthermore, we propose benchmark relief supply prepositioning models without fleet vehicle reserves and compare the performance of the three models. We prove that reserving fleet vehicles can reduce social costs, alleviate the suffering of beneficiaries and increase the profit of the supplier. We examine the applicability of the proposed model through numerical examples.

Yemen's humanitarian collaboration during conflict: UN and local NGOs in focus

This paper presents an exploratory study investigating the complex relationship between the United Nations (UN) system and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Yemen's humanitarian food assistance provision. Employing qualitative research methods, including document analysis and stakeholder interviews, we aim to understand key factors influencing collaboration and identify challenges hindering effective cooperation. Our findings emphasize the need for the UN to diversify its approaches to social interaction in food aid programs, prioritizing initiatives that resonate with local communities. Furthermore, active efforts to engage and satisfy local NGOs are essential for improving program effectiveness and achieving shared objectives. This study sheds light on critical areas for intervention, emphasizing the importance of fostering meaningful partnerships to address humanitarian challenges in Yemen.

A hybrid multi-objective solution approach for a reliable truck-drone routing problem integrated with pickup and delivery services

ABSTRACT Humanitarian logistics aims to reduce the arrival time of relief goods and optimize services in disaster-affected regions. This paper introduces a multi-objective hybrid truck-drone routing problem with pickup and delivery services, considering reliability (MHTDRP-PD-R) to enhance relief operations within humanitarian logistics. The model is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming problem with the simultaneous goals of minimizing transportation time and maximizing reliability through routing and inventory decisions made by multiple trucks and drones. An adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) algorithm, coupled with heuristic technique, is developed to tackle the problem. The ALNS algorithm refines initial solutions through destroy and repair operators, integrated with multi-objective optimization methods to create a unified objective function. Small and large-scale test problems are then employed to evaluate solution quality using multi-objective optimization. The calculation results show the superiority of the developed ALNS integrated with the ε-constraint method regarding the objective value and solution time.

Queering the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality: Implications for humanitarian action, IHL effectiveness and gender justice

Abstract Institutions are often reluctant to openly engage on controversies around the patriarchal underpinnings of the humanitarian sector, or the hard questions around implementing rights-based approaches in spaces where the dominant social norms run counter to an enabling environment for principled humanitarian and development assistance. A reluctance to engage on these issues can lead to unintended suppression of gender justice efforts under the urgency and scale of needs-based humanitarian response. Pre-crisis unequal power relations can be visible or invisible, difficult to measure and even more difficult to address through humanitarian action. Engaging on root causes and drivers of human suffering is often viewed as “political” in contexts of closing civic space and restricted humanitarian access. This article will explore tensions and synergies between the humanitarian principles and the gender justice agenda with a view to helping humanitarian actors contribute to long-term goals of transforming social norms. The article applies a critical feminist lens to the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality, with a focus on the wider development agenda, the nature of the State in a State-centric global order, and the continuum of violence. Drawing on critical feminist theory and decolonization discourses, and building on gender analyses of international humanitarian law, this article looks to queer the humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality within the context of the shifting aid system in which they are applied. The objective is help address some of the gaps in literature, identify ways in which aid actors can reduce unintended harm to the gender justice agenda, and help contribute to the more transformative agendas of gender justice.

Effects of blast exposure on anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among displaced Ukrainian populations.

Generalized anxiety and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among individuals forcibly displaced during war and conflict. Blast exposure may be one important contributor of such symptoms. The aims of this study were to provide data on blast-related experiences of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and to assess the influence of blast exposure on generalized anxiety, and PTSD flashbacks and nightmares. An online health needs survey was distributed to Ukrainian IDPs and refugees between April and July 2022 using Facebook Ads Manager. Participants reported whether they experienced blast exposure since the beginning of the invasion, and whether they took medication for a mental health condition before the war started. Finally, they completed measures of generalized anxiety (GAD-2), and PTSD flashbacks and nightmares. Analyses included 3253 IDPs and 5073 refugees (N = 8326). Results revealed that 67.6% of total participants- 79.9% of IDPs and 61.7% of refugees-reported blast exposure since Russia's invasion. Further, 69.1% (95% CI: 68.05, 70.15) of total participants met the cut-off for generalized anxiety in which further diagnostic evaluation was warranted. Compared to refugees, IDPs reported higher generalized anxiety and greater frequency of PTSD symptoms, specifically flashbacks and nightmares. Further analyses revealed that the impact of blast exposure on flashback frequency was stronger among IDPs compared to refugees (β = 0.51; t(8322) = 11.88, p < .0001, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.60) and among participants with pre-existing mental health conditions compared to those without (β = 0.18; t(8157) = 2.50, p = .013, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.33). Mental health and psychosocial support must be prioritised within humanitarian relief for both IDPs and refugees and especially among people with underlying mental health conditions.

Negotiating faith in exile: Learning from displacements from and into Arua, North West Uganda

AbstractHumanitarians have recently championed faith actors as valuable resources in delivering humanitarian aid. Partnerships are increasingly promoted through international declarations and bespoke toolkits. Such approaches are abstracted from the historical and contemporary contexts through which faith is negotiated, and through which faith actors have become legitimate. This paper explores how faith has been entangled within the dynamics of two spatially connected crises: Ugandans fleeing post‐Amin reprisals in the mid‐1980s, and South Sudanese fleeing civil war from 2013. Drawing attention to the local‐structural engagements which have shaped forms of protection and the legitimacy of faith actors, this paper urges for a consideration of complexity in humanitarians' localisation calculations.

The Legal Regulations and Governmental Approaches towards Refugees in Jordan

Jordan has long been a refuge for those fleeing conflict and persecution in neighbouring countries. As a result, the country has developed a robust set of laws and policies to protect refugees and provide them with the support they need to rebuild their lives. In this context, understanding the refugee laws in Jordan is crucial for anyone interested in the welfare of refugees and the broader humanitarian crisis in the region. With over 750,000 registered refugees, Jordan is home to one of the largest refugee populations in the world. The country has been praised for its generosity and commitment to protecting refugees, but also faces significant challenges in providing for the needs of such a large and diverse population. Understanding the legal framework that governs refugees in Jordan is essential to addressing these challenges and improving the lives of those affected by conflict and displacement. The ongoing conflict in Syria has resulted in a massive influx of refugees into neighbouring countries, including Jordan. To meet the needs of this growing population, the Jordanian government has established a set of laws and policies designed to provide refugees with protection, assistance, and access to essential services. This legal framework is a critical component of the countrys humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis and plays an essential role in the lives of hundreds of thousands of refugees living in Jordan.