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Consequences of humanitarian aid in war zones

Humanitarian action has evolved, even before Henry Dunant started the International Red Cross movement. In its early stages, humanitarian aid was provided to alleviate suffering and save lives, upholding the principles of humanitarian action, including humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

These principles were established so that humanitarian action would be separate from politics and could not be politicised. Over time, another approach emerged from Woodrow Wilson, who believed that humanitarian aid in disaster and conflict crises could not be short-term assistance alone.

In 1990, humanitarian organisations began to direct humanitarian action towards resolving the root causes of a crisis, bringing action into the process of transformation and politics (Barnett, 2005). This kind of action is expected to bring society into a state of positive peace, so that reforms are needed in each field to prevent similar crises from occurring by entering the realm of politics and development.

Editor's Comment
Medicine before ConCourt

Yet, while this crisis ravages the communities, the administration is championing a major, resource-intensive legal reform and the establishment of a dedicated Constitutional Court. While the principle of strengthening constitutional justice is commendable, the timing is profoundly misplaced. When the President himself admits the government coffers are limited, every thebe and every moment of political capital must be directed towards the...

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