Can humanitarian work with refugees be humane?

AbstractThis interpretative phenomenological analysis explores aid workers’ understanding of identity and belonging through the transition from working in humanitarian aid to returning home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had returned to the UK after working in recently founded non-governmental organisations in Northern France between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of interview data identified four superordinate themes: (1) shared humanitarian identity, (2) limits and borders, (3) holding on to humanitarian identity and (4) redefining belonging and identity. Aid workers’ belonging in humanitarian work settings is rooted in shared moral values and being able to fulfil a clearly defined role. Upon returning, aid workers struggled to reintegrate, manifesting as denial of having left humanitarian work, re-creation of the social setting and moral demarcation. Participants formed a new sense of belonging through redefining their social in-group. The study sheds light on a previously unexplored area of research, specifically characterised through the closeness of the international humanitarian setting and participants’ homes. Findings suggest organisations can assist aid workers’ re-entry by supporting professional distance in the field, and through opportunities that allow to sustain moral values post-mission. Future research should focus on the role of peer support in the re-entry process and the re-entry experiences of aid workers returning from comparable settings further afield (e.g. Greece).

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Work–Life Balance Among Humanitarian Aid Workers

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly ◽

10.1177/0899764016634890 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 1191-1213 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Miranda Visser ◽

Melinda Mills ◽

Liesbet Heyse ◽

Rafael Wittek ◽

Vincenzo Bollettino

Keyword(s):

Humanitarian Aid ◽

Life Domain ◽

Work Life ◽

Work Life Balance ◽

Aid Workers ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Life Balance ◽

Humanitarian Aid Workers ◽

Trust In Management ◽

Humanitarian Work

A limited body of research has examined satisfaction with work–life balance of expatriate workers who live abroad, residing outside the typical “family” or “life” domain. This study aims to demonstrate how and under which organizational circumstances job autonomy can increase work–life balance satisfaction of humanitarian aid expatriates. We hypothesize that especially in humanitarian work, trust in management can buffer potential negative effects of high autonomy. We test our hypothesis by means of ordinal logistic regression, using survey data collected among expatriates of the Operational Center Amsterdam of Médecins Sans Frontières ( N = 142). Results reveal that high levels of autonomy are positively related with work–life balance satisfaction when trust in the management of the organization is high. When trust in management is low, the effect of high autonomy on work–life balance satisfaction is negative. This implies that trust in management indeed buffers negative effects of high autonomy among expatriate humanitarian aid workers.

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New technologies and new policies: the ICRC's evolving approach to working with separated families

International Review of the Red Cross ◽

10.1017/s181638311300057x ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 94 (888) ◽

pp. 1455-1479 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Olivier Dubois ◽

Katharine Marshall ◽

Siobhan Sparkes McNamara

Keyword(s):

New Technologies ◽

Rapid Rise ◽

Changing Environment ◽

Humanitarian Action ◽

The Past ◽

New Policies ◽

Humanitarian Work ◽

Insight Into

AbstractThe field of humanitarian action is far from static, and the ICRC has worked over the years to evolve and respond to changing needs and changing circumstances. The past several decades have seen a proliferation of humanitarian actors, protracted, complex conflicts, and the rapid rise of new technologies that have significantly impacted how humanitarian work is done. The ICRC has been continually challenged to adapt in this changing environment, and its core work of supporting separated families – through restoration of family links and through support to the families of the missing – provides insight into ways that it has met this challenge and areas in which it may still seek to improve.

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Humanitarian Work in the Era of Modernising Medical Careers

Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine ◽

10.1007/978-1-84800-352-1_39 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 619-624

Author(s):

James I. D. M. Matheson

Keyword(s):

Medical Careers ◽

Humanitarian Work

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Human Behaviour and Humanitarian Work

Humanitarian Work, Social Change, and Human Behavior ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-45878-2_3 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 97-130

Author(s):

Cornelia C. Walther

Keyword(s):

Human Behaviour ◽

Humanitarian Work

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PEREMPUAN ACEH AWARD: PASANG SURUT GERAKAN PEREMPUAN ACEH DALAM PEMBERDAYAAN PEREMPUAN

Jurnal AL-IJTIMAIYYAH: Media Kajian Pengembangan Masyarakat Islam ◽

10.22373/al-ijtimaiyyah.v4i2.4209 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 40

Author(s):

Rosnida Sari

Keyword(s):

Domestic Violence ◽

Human Rights ◽

Financial Support ◽

Research Method ◽

Women's Movement ◽

Voluntary Work ◽

The Government ◽

Depth Interviews ◽

Humanitarian Work ◽

Banda Aceh

This paper looks at the Acehnese women's movement in helping to respect women's work in the grassroots community. This effort was carried out to give recognition and appreciation for women who have dedicated themselves to upholding women's human rights in Aceh, because there are still many people who do not yet know the humanitarian work they have done. The women who were nominated were those who worked since the time of the conflict until now. This voluntary work they do without financial support on a regular basis from the government, although some of them are listed as volunteers in their respective city P2TP2A. The types of cases they handle vary, from domestic violence cases to women's empowerment and society. This research was conducted in the Banda Aceh, Bener Meriah and Central Aceh regions. The research method for this study was in-depth interviews of winners, nominees and implementers of activities shaded by the Ureung Inong Aceh Shura Hall. The results of this study indicate that there are ups and downs in the implementation of this activity. Some of the obstacles that hindered him were the unavailability of funds, weak government commitment and lack of coordination of women's institutions in Aceh in the success of this activity.Keywords: Aceh Women Award, Aceh Women's Movement, Empowerment

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“OUT OF THE EAST CHRIST CAME”: SERBIA IN THE EYES OF AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE GREAT WARж „ХРИСТОС ЈЕ ДОШАО СА ИСТОКА“: СРБИЈА У ОЧИМА АМЕРИКАНКИ У ВЕЛИКОМ РАТУ

Историјски часопис ◽

10.34298/ic1766437v ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 437-451

Author(s):

Биљана Вучетић

Keyword(s):

First World War ◽

Red Cross ◽

Large Contribution ◽

World War ◽

American Women ◽

The Balkans ◽

Political Commentary ◽

The Great War ◽

First World ◽

Humanitarian Work

Abstract: This paper is based on research into American magazine accounts of Serbia, as well as on reports on Serbia made by eyewitnesses, American journalists, and humanitarians who visited Serbia. Many of them made a large contribution to the formation of a positive image of Serbia and above all, of the Serbian people. A special emphasis is placed on the discourse and activism of three American women, who were personally and professionally linked to Serbia in the years of the Great War. Demetra Vaka Brown in 1917 considered political commentary a central part of her work, and her commentaries on politics during WWI were especially in demand. Amelia Peabody Tileston was a humanitarian, whose letters are abundant in data on Serbia, its people and soldiers, and the atmosphere at the Salonica Front. Another American who witnessed the ravages of war in the Balkans after WWI was Rose Wilder Lane who was sent to the Balkans by the Red Cross to investigate conditions there. Keywords: First World War, Serbia, America, women, Amanda Peabody Tileston, Demetra Vaka, humanitarian work.

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News from Headquarters: New executive structure

International Review of the Red Cross ◽

10.1017/s0020860400060551 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 31 (282) ◽

pp. 315-316

Keyword(s):

International Committee ◽

Red Cross ◽

Set Up ◽

Humanitarian Work ◽

Executive Body

At the meeting of its Assembly, on 2 May 1991, the International Committee of the Red Cross decided to set up a single executive body. The decision was prompted by the need to keep pace with the growing complexity of the ICRC's humanitarian work worldwide and to respond with optimum efficiency to the marked expansion in its activities.

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