Humanitarian interventions in settings of urban violence

Urban violence, even though it may not qualify as warfare under international humanitarian law, can involve large numbers of people who are killed, injured, raped, kidnapped, tortured and forcibly displaced. Violence is sometimes short-lived, but it can also become chronic. Urban violence is a particular and challenging context for humanitarian organisations.

Intended primarily for field staff involved in programme design and evaluation, this Lessons paper will help humanitarian organisations to start establishing criteria for engagement in situations of urban violence and to improve humanitarian responses which specifically address the effects of violence.