Four Humanitarian Principles

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Introduction Humanitarian aid is about reaching out to save lives, reduce suffering and support human dignity in times of crisis. Getting help to people in need is usually difficult, always challenging and almost impossible. The four humanitarian principles emerged after the second world war to ensure that people that need help can get the help they need, whoever they are and whatever the challenge that is involved. The need to apply the principle of humanity is what drives organisations to ensure that humanitarian needs are met. As the need for humanitarian assistance has grown, the organisations that provide people with this assistance have also had to grow. With the growing international challenges that take away human dignity, arose the …show more content…

The core principles that have come to be the defining principles of humanitarian action are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality: 1. Principle of humanity is about saving lives and alleviating suffering. It is the primary principle of humanitarianism and it preaches that it is our human duty to respond to human suffering where ever it is need. This principle is the basis of all humanitarian principles, and sets out what a humanitarian represents and what they do. 2. The principle of impartiality is about basing the assistance on one thing alone, the need for help. It means that ethnic origin, religious beliefs, race, nationality, political opinion, and gender must be ignored. Impartiality emphasises that those who need help must get the help they need, there should be no discrimination. 3. Neutrality teaches us that those carrying out humanitarian work should not pick sides, and this protects them as well as the people they are helping, especially in conflict zones. Neutrality is avoiding being see as picking a side. It also emphasises the need to avoid any political, racial, religious or ideological controversies that may allow people to perceive the humanitarian actions as not being neutral. An organisation may not disclose their funders or use their sponsor to ensure the safety of their workers and show that they are following the principle of