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Civilians' perceptions on the impartiality of Médecins sans frontières in contexts of its interventionsKanju, Fezile January 2016 (has links)
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Law, Commerce and Management, University
of the Witwatersrand, in 50% fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Management (in the field of Security).
June, 2016 / This study explores civilians’ perceptions on the impartiality of the international
humanitarian organization (IHO) Médecins sans Frontières (MSF). This is done through
engaging participants from countries where MSF operates and has experienced different
challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to civilians. The countries include the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Somalia. A basic interpretive approach was used to explore
and interpret participants’ perceptions. Interviews were conducted with groups of participants
based on their respective countries of origin. The interview questions and guide were
developed using indicators of impartiality which the researcher formulated based on varying
literature and definition of impartiality, independence and neutrality as the core humanitarian
principles that guide the work of MSF together with many other IHOs. Participants expressed
their perceptions on the impartiality of MSF through reflecting on associations they made
between the IHO and parties they considered to have vested interests in humanitarian crises.
These parties included Western countries, the military and persons perceived to have
discriminatory and colonial intentions. Upon analysis of these perceptions, it becomes clear
that MSF, as an IHO that holds itself to operate according to the humanitarian principles of
independence, neutrality and impartiality, needs to reflect on how it builds its identity in
order to mitigate perceptions that may have potential to hinder its ability to access and assist
civilians affected by humanitarian crises. / MT2016
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The politics of humanitarian organizations neutrality and solidarity: the case of the ICRC and MSF during the 1994 Rwandan genocideDelvaux, Denise January 2005 (has links)
With the seemingly infinite existence of complex emergencies and the overwhelming presence of humanitarian organizations responding to such crises, it is essential that the assumptions, precepts, and actions of humanitarian organizations be critically examined and understood. The aim of this thesis is to explore differing traditions within humanitarian thought: neutrality and solidarity. In the process, this thesis will determine whether it is possible to maintain clear ideologies in the context of a complex emergency and whether the existence of different humanitarian ideologies results in a dichotomy or polarization of humanitarian action. This study is of great import as it delves into the contemporary literature claiming that humanitarianism is currently in a state of crisis – the unsustainability of competing humanitarian ideologies operating together in a complex emergency. Primary documents from both the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) regarding their operations in the 1994 Rwandan complex emergency were examined in order to provide a foundation for the theoretical investigation. Although the ICRC and MSF occupy seemingly polarized positions in the neutrality – solidarity debate, the investigation into their humanitarian activities during the 1994 genocide and the resulting refugee crisis reflected the difficulties of providing relief based upon humanitarian ideals. Due to the complex realities of the 1994 Rwandan crisis, the ideological notions dividing the ICRC and MSF were overshadowed by the simple humanitarian desire to aid those in need.
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