Humanitarian assistance
Humanitarian Assistance
Humanitarian Assistance (pronunciation: /ˌhjuːməˌnɪtɛərɪən əˈsɪstəns/) is a field of study and an area of social intervention that focuses on the support given to people in crisis or distress situations, often as a result of natural disasters, conflicts, or other types of emergencies.
Etymology
The term "humanitarian" comes from the late 18th century, derived from the word "humanity" and the suffix "-arian" meaning "advocate or follower of a particular ideology". The term "assistance" comes from the late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin assistentia, from the verb assistere (meaning 'stand near, help').
Definition
Humanitarian Assistance is defined as aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies. The characteristics that mark it out from other forms of foreign aid and development assistance are that it is intended to be governed by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Related Terms
- Emergency Management: The organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters.
- Disaster Relief: The provision of assistance or intervention during or immediately after a disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those people affected. It can be of immediate, short-term, or protracted duration.
- Non-Governmental Organization (NGO): A non-profit organization that operates independently of any government, typically one whose purpose is to address a social or political issue.
- United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): The part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.
- International Humanitarian Law: A set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Humanitarian assistance
- Wikipedia's article - Humanitarian assistance
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