Humanitarian Work

What is humanitarian work?

Humanitarian help, in its most basic form, is assistance used to alleviate suffering during emergency situations. Development assistance is used to solve long-term challenges that lead to human suffering.

Humanitarian aid in these situations usually directly benefits individuals, such as emergency supply packs sent to earthquake survivors or health workers screening and treating displaced children for malnutrition while they are living in temporary shelters. It can also take the shape of monetary contributions to assist people in surviving a short-term catastrophe. Development aid is frequently utilized to build structural systems that benefit entire communities when possible.

Humanitarian aid is material and logistical assistance provided to individuals in need. It is usually only temporary assistance until long-term assistance from the government and other organizations replaces it. The homeless, refugees, and victims of natural catastrophes, wars, and famines are among those in need. Humanitarian aid initiatives are made available for humanitarian causes and cover both natural and man-made calamities.

Humanitarian aid’s fundamental goal is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and preserve human dignity. As a result, it differs from development aid, which aims to address the underlying socioeconomic causes that may have contributed to a crisis or emergency.

National Red Cross

During natural catastrophes, armed conflicts, and other emergencies, national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies give immediate help to people in need. They have the local expertise, relationships, and access to be quick and effective responders before, during, and after a crisis occurs. They also play an important role in creating awareness about the significance of upholding humanitarian ideals and International Humanitarian Law. When a tragedy exceeds local capacity and the host National Society requests foreign assistance, the IFRC and Red Cross Societies in the EU frequently collaborate to offer people and resources to aid the national response. The Red Cross Red Crescent expands the reach and impact of its action by using the complementary responsibilities and strengths of local, national, and international humanitarian players.

The EU and its member states are among the world’s top suppliers of humanitarian aid. Thus, the EU plays an important role not just in terms of finance, but also in helping to establish the global humanitarian agenda. In the context of humanitarian assistance, we assist our members in their interactions with key EU institutions, particularly the European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). In close collaboration with Brussels-based actors on crisis management concerns, we monitor trends in EU humanitarian aid policy and argue for a responsible approach.

My humanitarian work:

I have been a volunteer of the Red Cross in Bihac throughout my senior years of primary and entire secondary school. Recently, with a group of friends, I participated in the establishment of an NGO “On the move” which is based in Bihać.  Its goals and mission are related to combating prejudice against people which have been negatively perceived in part of BiH where we operate, as well as addressing the needs of youth.

The sole goal of humanitarian operations and support is to alleviate and prevent suffering caused by disasters. This means we must respond in a way that is independent of political, economic, or military goals. Humanitarian organizations develop and implement programs that are not influenced by government policies or actions (thus the term “non-governmental organization”).