What You Need to Know About Giving to War-torn Regions
Many humanitarian efforts in conflict areas are critically underfunded, making donations more important than ever. However, these efforts face serious challenges such as legal complexities, accountability, and sometimes sanctions.
International rules, often known as the rules of war, help protect civilians. These rules state that civilians should always be able to receive aid quickly and without discrimination, which includes essential supplies like food and medicine.
Understanding the challenge
One of the key aspects of these rules is ensuring that aid reaches those who really need it without being used for military purposes. Countries can inspect aid to ensure it’s going to the right place. However, this becomes complicated when aid needs to pass through areas controlled by different parties in a conflict.
All parties involved in a conflict must agree to allow aid through.
When donating to these regions, it's important to ask local organizations how they coordinate their efforts and identify areas most in need. Here are some questions to consider for any local organization you want to support in a war-torn area:
Do the warring parties understand and follow humanitarian laws?
Have they received training on the laws of armed conflict and remain committed to them?
Do humanitarian actors have a relationship with armed groups that enable them to deliver aid?
How do they ensure the aid remains neutral and unbiased?
Often, aid is channeled through religious groups that are deeply embedded in communities. It's important that this help comes without any strings attached, ensuring it doesn’t seem conditional on religious participation.
Basic standards
In response to these challenges, a coalition of NGOs and the Red Cross created a set of standards in 1997 to improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian work. This includes the Sphere Handbook, which sets basic humanitarian standards in critical areas like health and nutrition, and the Core Humanitarian Standard, which focuses on the quality and accountability of aid.
The coordination of this aid involves multiple international bodies, including the UN's agencies for coordinating emergency responses, refugees, children's welfare, food assistance, and health. These agencies work together to address the complex needs arising during emergencies. When supporting humanitarian efforts, it’s essential to coordinate closely with local partners to understand and meet the most pressing needs.
Dealing with sanctions
Donating to countries with ongoing conflicts also means dealing with sanctions, which can limit how and where aid is delivered. Sanctions, which are restrictions set by the United Nations or individual countries, can complicate aid efforts. For example, donors might need special permission to fund aid activities, and even with this permission, there are often strict limits.
Some organizations must ensure that their aid does not go to individuals or groups facing sanctions. This can mean checking regularly to make sure the aid reaches the right people. However, some organizations choose not to conduct these checks to ensure everyone in need can receive essential supplies, regardless of their status.
Banks may delay or block transactions related to humanitarian aid due to strict regulations, even if the donor and recipient are not directly affected by sanctions. “Over-compliance” can delay or prevent aid from reaching those who need it most. For more insights into the impact of sanctions on humanitarian efforts, this recent report offers detailed analysis and guidance.
By understanding these complexities, donors can better navigate the challenges of supporting humanitarian efforts in war-torn countries.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wissam al-Saliby is an expert in international humanitarian law, a former Director of the Geneva Office of the World Evangelical Alliance, and currently transitioning to a role with 21Wilbeforce Global Freedom Center.