As implied by its name, humanitarian action is driven by a sense of humanity, a willingness to relieve human suffering. Without seeking any advantage and guided by a wish to help unconditionally, humanitarian action relies on principles grounded on moral and ethical values.Defining why and how humanitarian action is carried out, “humanitarian principles”, or principles of humanitarian action, serve as the argument for humanitarian non governmental organizations (NGOs) to negotiate access to populations in need and to gain acceptance.
The purpose of this paper is to state ACF’s position on the application of the humanitarian principles and to highlight the importance and challenges of applying them when working in situations of armed conflict and social unrest. Using examples from ACF’s experience, this paper is not a collection of best practices but an attempt to illustrate the variety of challenges our teams regularly meet in the field when operating in conflict environments. It seeks to demonstrate that, in any situation, ACF bases its decisions on the application of the humanitarian principles. Finally, this paper underlines the importance of respecting the humanitarian principles and calls for the humanitarian community to advocate for their application and protection.
