WHAT ARE HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES?

WHAT ARE HUMANITARIAN 

PRINCIPLES?

All IRHGI activities are guided by the four humanitarian principles:humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. These principles provide the foundations for humanitarian action.They arecentral to establishing and maintaining access to affected people,whether in a natural disaster  or a complex emergency,such as armed conflict Promoting and ensuring compliance with the principles are essential elements of effective

humanitarian coordination.

Origins and implementation

The humanitarian principles are derived from the core principles, which have long guided the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the national Red Cross/Red

Crescent Societies.The principles’ centrality to the work of OCHA and other humanitarian organizations is formally enshrined in two General Assembly resolutions. The first three

principles (humanity,neutrality and impartiality)are endorsed in General Assembly resolution 46/182, which was adopted in 1991.This resolution also established the role of the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC). General Assembly resolution 58/114 (2004) added independence as a fourth key principle underlying humanitarian action.The General Assembly has repeatedly reaffirmed the importance of promoting and respecting these principles within the framework of humanitarian assistance. Commitment to the principles has also been expressed at an institutional level by many humanitarian organizations. Of particular note is the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations in dis aster relief. The code provides a set of common standards for organizations involved in humanitarian activities, including a commitment to adhere to thehumanitarian principles. More than 492 organizations have signed the Code of Conduct. Also of note is the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response elaborated by the Sphere Project.

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