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Humanitarian Operations in Addressing Large-Scale Emergencies

I. Introduction

Humanitarian operations give material and logistical assistance to people during times of great need, such as wars, famine, disease outbreaks, and floods. Non-governmental (NGOs), Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and independent agencies are the primary humanitarian assistance providers when natural and man-made disasters arise. These organizations include the International Red Cross (IRC), United Nations (UN), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and many other organizations. During humanitarian emergencies, these organizations respond swiftly to provide food, clothing, funding, and medical supplies to those affected (Anderson & Gerber, 2018). The famine in the Sahel region of Africa is an example of a large humanitarian emergency where relief organizations help provide food to thousands of people. Hence, humanitarian operations play a significant role in addressing large scale emergencies such as famine, disease outbreaks, and peacekeeping.

Indeed, many countries will be overwhelmed by the financial challenges that natural and man-made disasters present without the existence of humanitarian operations. For example, during times of war, infrastructure is destroyed. People are displaced, and many remain without any means to support themselves. The economy also comes to a standstill, and the government cannot provide basic needs for its people. That is where humanitarian operations reduce the impact of disasters on human life and provide financial support to economies crippled due to calamities. However, some scholars argue that some countries offer humanitarian aid for their self-interests (Ventura, 2018; Kevlihan, DeRouen & Biglaiser, 2014). The United States has lucrative trade deals with the countries it gives humanitarian aid; for example, in 2011, forty-six percent of US exports went to developing countries. Some argue that humanitarian interventions give aid providers the power to influence a nation’s policies, ultimately affecting a country's diplomatic freedom (Gray, 2019). In another study on large scale humanitarian organizations, researchers observed a high level of psychological stress, depression, and burnout amongst humanitarian aid workers. The factors that caused psychological issues amongst the workers included poor living conditions, insecurity, and heavy workloads (Lopes Cardozo, Gotway Crawford, Eriksson, Zhu & Sabin, 2012). This paper will highlight how humanitarian operations address healthcare, how they assist in natural disasters, and how they enhance peace and security. Humanitarian operations are critical in addressing large-scale emergencies like natural disasters, peace-keeping, and disease outbreaks.

II. Humanitarian operations help to address healthcare and human safety.

According to Anderson & Gerber (2018), humanitarian operations play a vital role in

promoting health and human safety during emergencies. International organizations that include the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Red Cross provide medical supplies and deploy medical personnel to treat the vulnerable populations, including the maimed (Anderson & Gerber, 2018). During wars, people get severe injuries, and many lose their limbs because of land mines and bombs. As such, health personnel are essential in making sure that they receive the appropriate treatment. Also, health workers give regular medical checkups and provide clean drinking water and proper sanitation to promote good health (Debarre, 2018; Footer & Rubenstein, 2013). They also make sure that pregnant women and the elderly receive good medical services. In the affected region, mobile medical clinics are strategically established, particularly in marginalized populations at risk of getting dangerous diseases such as cholera.

However, humanitarian workers suffer from high-stress levels because of attending to many patients daily, which leads to burnouts and severe depression (Lopes Cardozo, Gotway Crawford, Eriksson, Zhu & Sabin, 2012). Additionally, most of the locations where they work have harsh weather and poor living conditions, which exacerbates their stress. Most humanitarian workers are from developed countries; therefore, they have basic amenities such as running water, proper sanitation, and electricity. Consequently, it is challenging to adjust to a new environment where the humanitarian organization only provides simple makeshift tents as accommodation. Another serious stress activator is the ever-present security risk in the region where aid workers are deployed (Lopes Cardozo, Gotway Crawford, Eriksson, Zhu & Sabin, 2012). There have been numerous reports of kidnapped aid workers who are often tortured and killed by their captors.

III. Humanitarian operations aid in responding to natural disasters

During natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes, humanitarian organizations face the frontlines supporting those affected. An example was when hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. It was the humanitarian workers who spearheaded the efforts to offer food and shelter to the vulnerable populations. Another example is the 2010 Haiti earthquake, where humanitarian organizations managed to respond quickly to mitigate the disaster (Besiou & Van Wassenhove, 2020). Humanitarian efforts were instrumental in ensuring survivors' safety and providing people with basic amenities. For example, the International Red Cross provided Haiti with food, personnel, and medical supplies. During the Ebola pandemic and conflicts in Syria, humanitarian operations played a critical role in responding to these disasters. However, humanitarian operations received criticism during the 2015 Nepal earthquake that killed nine thousand people, highlighting some of the inefficiencies that humanitarian organizations have in responding to disasters (Lewin, Besiou, Lamarche, Cahill & Guerrero-Garcia, 2018). The humanitarian community was aware that Nepal sits on a fault line; hence they knew that a disaster could occur at any time. It is vital that when humanitarian organizations receive such information, they make preparations in advance to avoid massive loss of life.

IV. Humanitarian Operations enhance peace and safety.

The United Nations (UN) has the core mandate of maintaining global peace amongst

nations. That means providing countries with additional troops when conflicts arise. These UN troops are known as "peacekeepers" and have been monumental in assisting states fighting insurgents worldwide. Peacekeeping does not only mean helping with extra firepower but also involves showing warring communities how to resolve conflicts through peaceful talks (IPI, 2018). Humanitarian agencies also provide shelter for people displaced by conflicts by building camps like the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, which houses refugees from neighboring Somali and Sudan that have endless civil wars.

Although humanitarian operations promote peace and security, some scholars argue that aid is an avenue for looting since donors bring millions of dollars’ worth of supplies into the conflict zone (Wood & Sullivan, 2015). Rebels will want to steal these supplies to go and sell them for cash. Another argument by Wood and Sullivan (2015) is that aid organizations expose humanitarian workers and the recipients to risk. Humanitarian workers in conflict zones are prone to kidnapping for ransom and even death since rebels see them as easy targets. Likewise, donors have the power to influence donor behavior by denying them aid when they fail to comply with their expectations.

V. Conclusion

Indeed humanitarian operations play a significant role in addressing large scale emergencies such as famine, disease outbreaks, and peacekeeping. Without the existence of humanitarian operations, vulnerable populations would suffer during times of natural and man-made conflicts. Therefore, humanitarian operations are crucial in promoting human life by ensuring that there are adequate health facilities, basic needs, and peace during emergencies. Aid organizations protect and sustain millions of vulnerable populations’ globally, thereby preventing deaths, malnutrition, and the spread of diseases. As such, aid operations are an integral part of the international community's response to natural disasters and man-made violent conflicts.

Despite the benefits that humanitarian operations provide, many challenges face humanitarian aid operations. Humanitarian workers operate in regions that expose them to heavy workloads and poor living conditions, leading to high-stress levels. Secondly, aid workers are always risking their lives when working in conflict zones. Thirdly, the 2015 Nepal earthquake highlighted the lack of coordination and preparedness in the humanitarian community. There are also humanitarian organizations that influence governments' behavior, denying assistance to receiving countries that do not meet their requirements. Ultimately, donor agencies and other stakeholders should work harder to improve coordination and cooperation to mitigate future disasters. Also, donor agencies must develop better interventions that protect civilians and humanitarian workers' well-being.

References

Anderson, M., & Gerber, M. (2018). Introduction to Humanitarian Emergencies. Health In Humanitarian Emergencies, 1-8. doi: 10.1017/9781107477261.002

Besiou, M., & Van Wassenhove, L. (2020). Humanitarian Operations: A World of Opportunity for Relevant & Impactful Research. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 22(1), 135-145. doi: 10.1287/msom.2019.0799

Debarre, A. (2018). Hard to Reach: Providing Healthcare in Armed Conflict (pp. 1-32). New York: International Peace Institute. Retrieved from https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/1812_Hard-to-Reach.pdf

Footer, K., & Rubenstein, L. (2013). A human rights approach to health care in conflict. Int. Rev. Of The Int. red cross, 95(889), 167-187. doi: 10.1017/s1816383113000349

Gray, N. (2019). Walking a Fine Line: The Pros and Cons of Humanitarian Intervention (pp. 1-13). E-International Relations.

International Peace Institute. (2018). Humanitarian Action and Sustaining Peace (pp. 1-8). New York: International Peace Institute. Retrieved from https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/0306-Humanitarian-Action-and-Sustaining-Peace.pdf

Kevlihan, R., DeRouen, K., & Biglaiser, G. (2014). Is US Humanitarian Aid Based Primarily on Need or Self-Interest?. International Studies Quarterly, 58(4), 839-854. doi: 10.1111/isqu.12121

Lewin, R., Besiou, M., Lamarche, J., Cahill, S., & Guerrero-Garcia, S. (2018). Delivering in a moving world…looking to our supply chains to meet the increasing scale, cost and complexity of humanitarian needs. Journal Of Humanitarian Logistics And Supply Chain Mgt, 8(4), 518-532. doi: 10.1108/jhlscm-10-2017-0048

Lopes Cardozo, B., Gotway Crawford, C., Eriksson, C., Zhu, J., & Sabin, M. (2012). Psychological Distress, Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout among International Humanitarian Aid Workers: A Longitudinal Study. Plos ONE, 7(9), e44948. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044948

Ventura, R. (2018). Understanding Why Providing Foreign Aid Helps the US Retrieved 21 September 2020, from https://borgenproject.org/understanding-why-providing-foreign-aid-helps-the-u-s/#:~:text=One valuable return the US, jobs as well as trade.&text=Foreign aid has attributed %2446,exports went to developing countries.

Wood, R., & Sullivan, C. (2015). Doing Harm by Doing Good? The Negative Externalities of Humanitarian Aid Provision during Civil Conflict. The Journal Of Politics, 77(3), 736-748. doi: 10.1086/681239