DARA’S COMMITMENT
HUMANITARIAN ACTION
DARA’s commitment to humanitarian action is, in short, a commitment to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by conflicts or natural hazards. DARA’s goal is none other than to promote responses that adapt effectively to the needs of the most affected communities.
DARA’s work in the humanitarian field follows the HUMANITARIAN AID PRINCIPLES
1. The humanitarian imperative:
Human suffering must be addressed wherever it is found, with particular attention to the most vulnerable in the population, such as children, women, the displaced and the elderly. The dignity and rights of all those in need of humanitarian assistance must be respected and protected. The humanitarian imperative implies a right to receive humanitarian assistance and a right to offer it. At times, humanitarian access to civilian populations is denied by authorities for political or security reasons. Humanitarian agencies must maintain their ability to obtain and sustain access to all vulnerable populations and to negotiate such access with all parties to the conflict.
2. Neutrality:
Humanitarian agencies must not take sides in the hostilities or in controversies based on political, racial, religious or ideological identity (non-partisanship/independence). Transparency and openness are key issues to keep neutrality. Neutrality for an organization that has taken on a rights-based approach must not, however, be an obstacle to tackling human rights violations. Neutrality is not a justification for condoning impunity or turning a blind eye to egregious human rights abuses. It does not negate the need for some form of action, whether through strategic advocacy, simple presence, political demarches, local negotiations, etc.
Neutrality also requires that humanitarian actors be clear about the specific and limited circumstances in which military assets can be used: only as a last resort (where there is no comparable civilian alternative); the operation as a whole must remain under the overall authority and control of the responsible humanitarian organization; and any use of military assets should be clearly limited in time and scale. The military and civil defence assets of belligerent forces should never be used to support humanitarian activities.
3. Impartiality:
Aid is delivered to all those who are suffering; the guiding principle is only their need and the corresponding right. Human rights are the basis and the framework for an assessment of needs. This principle includes both the proportionality to need (where resources are not sufficient, priority is always given to those most affected) as well as the principle of non-discrimination (no one should be discriminated against based on their sex, age, ethnicity, identity, etc). It is crucial to emphasize state responsibility in ensuring that aid is delivered in an impartial way.
4. Accountability:
There are four stakeholders in the provision of aid assistance: the beneficiary community; the national/local authority; the donor and the aid agency. Within this relationship, international aid agencies shall hold themselves accountable to both the beneficiary communities (that their needs for assistance and protection are met, with dignity) and the donors (that assistance is provided for the proposed purpose). Coordination among organizations is thus a key part of this principle. National/local authorities, on their part, shall hold themselves accountable for the protection, safety and well-being of populations living in areas over which they claim control.
5. Participation of affected populations, in particular women and children:
Humanitarian action tends to look at short-term needs and forget the responsibilities of the aid community to give sustainable aid in a way that realizes the right of affected populations to participate in decisions that affect their lives. It is, however, important to build on capacities in the affected population, and promote the participation of beneficiaries in all that we do.
6. Respect for culture and custom:
Understanding local customs and traditions is important in understanding local values when connecting them to internationally recognized human rights. While local culture and customs vary, human rights are universal and applicable to all human beings, no matter what the cultural setting, and must be paramount. Some interventions require particular sensitivity to local customs.