When resources are insufficient to address the scale of need, this creates important ethical challenges for donors and agencies in deciding where to prioritise their efforts and put their funding.
The belief that humanitarian support should be allocated based on need, and go to those who require it most, is reflected in the principles of humanity and impartiality that form the bedrock of modern humanitarian action.
In 2021, 40% of international humanitarian assistance went to five countries (Ethiopia, Syria, South Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan), and there was a significant gap between the best and worst funded appeals in 2021 (the Afghanistan flash appeal versus the Nepal COVID-19 appeal).
When deciding where to prioritise funding, a judgment must always be made, and often this is not based on level of need alone.
Achieving fair distribution of humanitarian assistance is an ongoing challenge.
ALNAP’s new podcast series, A Matter of Priorities, tackles many of the key questions around prioritisation.
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