With over 19,200 asylum seekers living on its premises, the Moria refugee camp is operating way over its capacity of 3000 residents. Due to the uncontrolled, rapid growth of the camp, the existing sanitation infrastructure has fallen into disrepair under excessive usage. While the old toilets and showers are breaking down and lacking maintenance, creating new facilities has been slow, resulting in hundreds of people sharing one latrine. In this thesis, I analyze whether Moria‟s sanitation services meet the Sphere minimum standards and propose improvements based on the sustainable settlements framework. I argue that Moria is midst a protracted crisis. This means that in addition to meeting the minimum standards, the camp needs sustainable settlement planning for the many years it still has ahead of it. As a method, I use integrative literature review. The thesis finds that Moria cannot meet any of the Sphere standards as people live in a degrading, dangerous and unhealthy environment. Women and disabled people face additional challenges when using the few latrines, which are far away and have long queues. There is a risk of SGBV for vulnerable groups. Wastewater from Moria used to pollute a local stream until the sewage system was connected to a waste-processing plant in 2019, which is the only positive aspect that was found in the literature. However, broken pipes still create significant problems inside the camp. Seeing that waste is a problem on the tightly-packed camp, it is important that when new toilets are built they process excreta safely while saving space. I have introduced sustainable sanitation solutions that turn excreta into soil improver and energy. These toilets have long life-spans and are optimized to save space. They solve the problem of pollution and ideally, enhance the independence of their users, as excreta is turned into safe-to-handle products. To ensure that the users accept the new technologies, their engagement in the planning of the services is essential.

This thesis aims to explore why, and in what ways football is, and can be used within humanitarian action. I will discuss the reasons why football is particularly suitable, and how to build an effective program. I will take a closer look at peacebuilding and psychosocial support, how it connects to football and what attributes of the game that promotes a project’s success. The research is based on a literature study, and I have taken examples from both academic articles and other books. I have found a range of attributes that makes football particularly good to work with, including the physical aspect of the game, the joy it brings to the participants, and that it is a safe framed space where to explore new perspectives. That football is a team sport is essential when working with both peacebuilding and psychosocial support. The social platform football consists of is the foundation to cooperation and changing the view of ‘the other’. Moreover, it can build a sense of belongingness, not only to the players themselves but also to the team and the club which might be crucial in a volatile context such as forced migration. I partly challenge the idea that sport does not have any inherent positive factors for people’s well-being. I found the physical aspect and that it is teams that are winning, not individuals as reasons for this. But I also found, that creating an environment where the actors are autonomously motivated is the most important factor, not only to give optimal opportunity for the actors to perform in the best way but for their well-being as well.

The focus of this research is upon the measures that Swedish Crisis Management System carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic toward the shopping needs (i.e., food/groceries, medicines) of home-quarantined individuals (those who should stay at home according to the authorities’ recommendations because they were either elderly or regardless their ages, were in risk groups or had symptoms of disease). The research identifies the immediate responsible authority concerning this need and examines how this actor behaved and what measures took to address the shopping needs of home-quarantined. The interaction between this responsible actor and other social parties (e.g., humanitarian actors/civil society, and/or Local Communities), explored to illustrate whether the responsible actor had carried out its immediate duty or not. The outcomes of various operations that different social actors performed are analyzed and compared. For assessing the Swedish Crisis Management System and the measures carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, five case studies conducted; the action of the municipalities in four cities (Örebro, Staffanstorp, Uppsala and Umeå) and one Community Initiative in Örebro (named Coronahjälpen, which launched and operated via a Facebook group) examined and compared. Additionally, the pattern exercised in more than a hundred cities explored. The relationship/interaction between state agents (mainly municipalities) from one side and Civil Society organizations or Community Initiatives is illustrated by applying one practical categorization of the relationship between state and Civil Society and one politico-economic categorization. For the latter, the Neo-liberal paradigm applied for such an analysis toward the relationships. Based on the primary and secondary data and the discussion upon them, the failure or success of the Swedish Crisis Management System during the Covid-19 pandemic regarding shopping needs of home-quarantined individuals was examined. In the conclusion part of the paper, a recommendation for such a system is provided.

Humanitarian organizations and research groups are increasingly considering the potential of integrating palliative care into humanitarian health responses. While studies on the topic frequently examine the obstacles of integrating palliative care into humanitarian action, the field is marked by notable research gaps, particularly concerning assessments of practice, the impact of guidelines, as well as critical inquiries into the moral and conceptual implications of a “humanitarian palliative care”. This thesis contributes to the latter of these research gaps by unpacking the discourses of palliative care and humanitarianism as imperatives, with attention to the ways in which the two may support or challenge each other.  The main research question, “How does humanitarian action take up palliative care as a humanitarian concern?”, is addressed through an anthropological lens. To shed light on the intangible, yet powerful, moral aspects of combining these discourses, this research method consists of a literature review approaching guidelines and studies as empirical data. While without its main ethnographic method, the use of classic anthropological theories and analysis offers apt insight into the framework of a humanitarian palliative care. The thesis paper progresses as follows: first, a literature review outlines the background of palliative care and its introduction in the humanitarian sector along with the direction of existing studies and guidelines on the topic. This outline then facilitates a comparative analysis of the moral language and principles of palliative care and humanitarianism. During this analysis, Fassin’s critique of “humanitarian reason” (2012) is used to better understand both imperatives in focus, leading to a biopolitical analysis of the implications of a combined ‘humanitarian palliative care’. This analysis suggests that palliative needs inhabit a liminal position in humanitarian healthcare – at the threshold of humanitarian concern.   The liminality of humanitarian palliative care is then explored with particular attention to the infrastructure and relevant temporal aspects of humanitarian healthcare. While addressing abstract concepts, the analysis draws upon case examples to illuminate each analytical point in practice. Finally, I conclude with a discussion reflecting on the suggestions made by this thesis, and ultimately, the – arguably ambiguous – dynamic between palliative care and humanitarian action.

Thèse réalisée en cotutelle entre le Centre de recherche en droit prospectif de l'Université de Montréal (Canada) et le Centre d'études et de recherches internationales et communautaires de l'Université d'Aix-Marseille (France). / La présente thèse entend démontrer un phénomène d’instrumentalisation tant du champ conceptuel que de l’ingénierie humanitaires, servant les intérêts de l’impérialisme capitaliste. Nous montrerons en effet que les concepts, les normes et les outils de l’humanitaire sont utilisés par divers acteurs comme un cheval de Troie visant à ouvrir de nouveaux marchés de manière à satisfaire les impératifs expansionnistes du capitalisme. Convoquant une approche à la fois critique, pragmatique et interdisciplinaire, la thèse analyse le rôle et les interactions d’un triptyque d’acteurs humanitaires – civils, militaires et financiers – à travers une déconstruction en deux temps du champ conceptuel puis de l’ingénierie humanitaires. Cette analyse révèle, in fine, un phénomène d’instrumentalisation de la dynamique globale humanitaire, visant à satisfaire la dynamique fondamentalement expansionniste du capitalisme et les besoins impérieux propres au maintien de ce modèle économique hégémonique. / The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to demonstrate, in the light of the analysis of the global humanitarian dynamics, that both the conceptual field of humanitarian and the engineering of humanitarian are instrumentalized in order to serve the interests of capitalist imperialism. Indeed, it will be demonstrated that humanitarian concepts, norms and tools are used by various actors as a Trojan horse to open new markets in order to satisfy the expansionist imperatives of capitalism. The pragmatic deconstruction of the humanitarian conceptual field and the humanitarian engineering reveals the instrumentalization of the global humanitarian dynamics, serving the fundamentally expansionist dynamics of capitalism and the imperative needs for maintaining this hegemonic economic model. / La presente tesis pretende demostrar un fenómeno de instrumentalización tanto del campo conceptual como de la ingeniería humanitaria, al servicio de los intereses del imperialismo capitalista. En efecto, demostraremos que los conceptos, normas e instrumentos humanitarios son utilizados por diversos actores como un Caballo de Troya para abrir nuevos mercados con el fin de satisfacer los imperativos expansionistas del capitalismo. Convocando un enfoque crítico, pragmático e interdisciplinario, la tesis analiza el papel y las interacciones de un tríptico de actores humanitarios -civiles, militares y financieros- a través de una deconstrucción en dos etapas del campo conceptual humanitario y luego de la ingeniería humanitaria. Este análisis revela, en fin, un fenómeno de instrumentalización de la dinámica humanitaria mundial, con el fin de satisfacer la dinámica fundamentalmente expansionista del capitalismo y las necesidades imperiosas de mantener este modelo económico hegemónico.

Practitioners of Forecast-based Action (FbA) argue that a humanitarian response able to utilize forecasts to accurately predict disaster, secure funding, and take action before the onset of a crisis will benefit donors and beneficiaries alike. In search of effective and efficient early-action regimes, a number of major humanitarian actors are developing FbA projects of various designs, predominantly in response to natural disaster and famine. While numerous organizations and institutions have expressed interest in developing FbA mechanisms, the tool has only been applied in a limited capacity to the humanitarian needs generated by armed conflict. This research seeks to understand whether a scalable FbA approach can be developed to stage principled, anticipatory humanitarian action in response to situations in which rigorous evaluations predict the likelihood of imminent armed conflict. The hypothesis is that the application of FbA to armed conflict is possible, but due to the complex political nature of conflict, implementing organizations should try to focus on creating mechanisms managed by humanitarian actors and, in so far as possible, be insulated from outside influence. This research is the first academic work to specifically investigate the application of FbA to armed conflict. Following an extensive review of current FbA mechanisms and conflict early warning practices, this research concludes that a conflict-centered FbA system akin to the automated FbA systems in use today to respond to natural disaster and famine is possible, but that the endeavor presents many practical and conceptual barriers to implementation. In particular, diffuse models such as the Start Fund offer a hopeful glimpse at a type of horizontal, member-driven FbA mechanism that is both highly context-sensitive and relatively insulated from outside influence. Such a design, however, features notable and inherent limitations in its ability to reliably and accurately predict the outbreak of conflict and respond in a manner that minimizes regretful actions.

Children around the world suffer greatly due to conflicts. One of the most common interventions to support children affected by conflicts are Child Friendly Spaces (CFSs). Implemented within different cultural contexts, CFSs aim to be both culturally sensitive and contribute to gender equality, an interaction that can be complex. Previous research regarding CFSs is limited. As CFSs are commonly used in Humanitarian Action, further knowledge is central.This thesis aims to explore and compare how culture and gender appropriate responses in CFSs guidelines and manuals are expressed in order to gain an increased understanding of how these guidelines handle the interaction between gender norms in different cultures.In this study I discuss six CFSs guidelines and manuals by conducting comparative analysis and applying the Ecological Resilience Framework.The result suggests that culture and gender appropriate responses are central in all guidelines and manuals but emphasized in different ways. The participation of children, families and communities, as well as the adaption of activities, are all strategies aimed at cultural sensitivity. The result also entails that the equal inclusion of all children is a general gender appropriate approach. In addition, I claim that the main intervention, aiming to be both gender and culture appropriate, is separated groups between boys and girls. Finally, I argue that gender and culture may clash due to different perceptions of gender and culture appropriate responses.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-02-12T11:08:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Mezzanotti_.pdf: 2789396 bytes, checksum: 4748e067cb6d5e80e958fcb04964148a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-02-12T11:08:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Mezzanotti_.pdf: 2789396 bytes, checksum: 4748e067cb6d5e80e958fcb04964148a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-31 / Nenhuma / A pesquisa analisa o discurso humanitário no pós-Guerra Fria a partir de dois pressupostos teóricos fundamentais: a Teoria Crítica das Relações Internacionais de Robert Cox e a Teoria Crítica de Análise do Discurso de Norman Fairclough. A análise crítica proposta tem por objeto três documentos de padronização da ação humanitária internacional adotados pelo Comitê Internacional da Cruz Vermelha, Sphere Project e HAP (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership). Objetivando identificar nos documentos de padronização da Assistência Humanitária Internacional a representação textual de um discurso humanitário contemporâneo, a partir das premissas das teorias indicadas, a pesquisa procura também identificar a estrutura discursiva dos documentos e seu caráter hegemônico e politizado. Concebendo o discurso dialeticamente, como ação social que resulta e ao mesmo tempo molda a ordem do discurso, conclui-se que há uma tendência na comunidade internacional em geral de conceber discurso contido nos referidos documentos e na ação humanitária por eles regulamentada como moralmente inquestionáveis, rejeitando a hipótese de se questionar ideias, instituições e condições materiais envolvidas nesses documentos e na prática humanitária, de modo a indagar acerca da possibilidade de haver um projeto hegemônico na estrutura histórica específica que se forma a partir das interações recíprocas desses elementos. Esse projeto hegemônico se esconde atrás dos princípios da neutralidade, imparcialidade e independência veiculados no discurso humanitário dos documentos analisados. A relação de poder que se manifesta na ordem desse discurso está velada no próprio discurso e por isso mesmo legitimada pela relação de poder que nele se contém. Do ponto de vista das Relações Internacionais, a análise crítica do discurso humanitário no pós-Guerra Fria permite desvendar as premissas não declaradas nesse discurso, de modo a identificar a ideologia nele impregnada e o projeto de poder nele amparado. / The research analyzes humanitarian discourse in post-Cold War era through two fundamental theoretical assumptions: the Critical Theory of International Relations by Robert Cox and the Theory of Critical Discourse Analysis by Norman Fairclough. The critical analysis proposed aims three documents of international humanitarian action standardization, adopted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, Sphere Project and HAP (Humanitarian Accountability Partnership). Aiming to identify in the documents of international humanitarian action standardization the textual representation of a contemporary humanitarian discourse, taking the assumptions of the theories already mentioned, the research also aims to identify the discursive structure of the documents and their hegemonic and politicized feature. Conceiving discourse dialectically, as a social action that derives and at the same time molds the order of discourse, it reaches to the conclusion that there is a tendency in international community to conceive the discourse contemplated in such documents and in humanitarian action regulated by them as morally unquestionable, rejecting the hypothesis of questioning ideas, institutions and material conditions involved in these documents and in humanitarian practices, in order to make it possible to question the possibility of an hegemonic project in the specific historic structure that takes shape from the interaction of these elements. Such an hegemonic project hides itself behind the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence stated in the humanitarian discourse of such documents. The relation between power that manifests in the order of discourse is hidden in the discourse itself and therefore legitimated by the power relation contemplated in it. Under the point of view of International Relations, the critical analysis of the humanitarian discourse in the post-Cold War era enables to unveil the undeclared assumptions of such discourse, so that it becomes possible to identify the ideology impregnated in it and the power project based on it.

L'action humanitaire a connu un développement exponentiel au sein de la société internationale au cours de ces dernières années. Multiplication des résolutions humanitaires votées par les Nations unies, mise en place d'une justice pénale internationale chargée de réprimer les violations du droit international humanitaire, émergence de la responsabilité de protéger impliquant un recours à la force à des fins humanitaires, développement des organisations non gouvernementales en sont les manifestations majeures. Toutefois, la portée de ces évolutions récentes de l'action humanitaire tant sur le plan de la normativité que de l'opérationnalité est à relativiser. Si les insuffisances du droit de Genève ont pleinement justifié l'émergence d'un droit de New York, ce droit de nature essentiellement déclaratoire éprouve de réelles difficultés à palier les lacunes du droit de Genève. En outre, la mise en oeuvre contemporaine de l'action humanitaire, soulève de nombreux questionnements juridiques liés aux modalités et aux conditions de mise en oeuvre. La présente étude a pour objet d'analyser les évolutions et les limites du cadre juridique de l'action humanitaire afin de faire des propositions pour améliorer la condition juridique des victimes des catastrophes humanitaires. / Humanitarian action has seen such an exponential growth in international society in recent years that humanitarianism seems to be carrying increasing weight in international relations. Some of the main examples of this phenomenon are the increased number of humanitarian resolutions passed by the United Nations, the creation of an international court of justice to reprimand violations of international humanitarian law, the emergence of a sense of responsibility to ensure protection by means of force for humanitarian purposes, and the development of non-governmental organizations. However, the scope of these recent developments in humanitarianism, on both the normative and operational levels, needs to be put into perspective. Indeed, while the shortcomings of Geneva law fully justify the emergence of New York law, this essentially declaratory law faces real challenges in overcoming the short comings in Geneva law. Further more, humanitarian action as it has been carried out in recent years gives rise to a number of legal questions relating to the conditions under which such action is taken. This study aims at analyzing the developments and limits of the humanitarian action legal framework, in order to put forward proposals for improving the legal position of the victims of humanitarian disasters.

Aim:                Parkour is a relatively new action sport, which is not only popular in non-conflict regions but also in regions where armed conflict is taking place. When being featured in the media, youth from conflict regions frequently report that Parkour has helped them to deal with the consequences of armed conflict. Although Parkour is being used in psychosocial and life skills interventions in European countries, and despite the fact that action sports are used in humanitarian assistance, there is no research on the potential of Parkour as a tool in humanitarian interventions. The aim of this thesis is to analyse how Parkour can be used in humanitarian aid interventions, particularly focusing on its potential for life skills interventions. In order to do so, a mapping of Parkour teams in conflict regions is conducted. What is more, example cases highlight the importance Parkour has for youth in conflict regions. Lastly, a qualitative thematic analysis, will review the cases and academic literature, in order to discuss to what extent these characteristics coincide with the ten life skills as they were outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods:       Mapping is limited to the timeframe 2013 – 2018 and to countries which display a high amount of organized violence within said timeframe. Furthermore, qualitative thematic analysis in combination with a review of relevant literature is used, in order to understand what Parkour’s potential for life skills interventions could be. Findings:         The mapping indicates that Parkour teams and individuals are active in 16 out of the 22 countries which comply with the mapping criteria. The cases further exemplify that for many practitioners in the conflict regions, Parkour is used as a tool to deal with the consequences of armed conflict.  The qualitative thematic analysis shows that Parkour’s characteristics seem to coincide with the 10 life skills laid out by the WHO. Conclusion:    Action sports are already being used in aid interventions. Parkour’s assets in particular are multiple. It is an accessible, cost-effective and popular sport that youth globally and in conflict regions is attracted to. That, in combination with its characteristics and social media based nature, could be compelling arguments to use Parkour in humanitarian assistance.