Information communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly becoming a defining component of twenty-first century humanitarian response operations during both natural disasters and armed conflict. ICTs have changed how information is communicated and received during crises. It may even be changing how some crises occur and unfold. Yet, despite this transformative impact, there is no accepted definition of what constitutes ‘humanitarian communication’, nor what defines the ‘humanitarian use of ICTs’ and its protection under international law.
The goal of this paper (2015) by Nathaniel A. Raymond,Brittany L. Card and Ziad al Achkar is to frame three critical questions that may help to address the pedagogical gap facing the humanitarian sector in this area:
- What should be the basis for defining ‘humanitarian communication’?
- How do definitions of ‘humanitarian space’ need to change to include current humanitarian uses
of ICTs? - How should internationally protected acts of ‘humanitarian communication’ be defined and by what standards are they protected?
Visit the communications technology hub
The hub aims to provide an outlet for researchers and practitioners to make original and policy-relevant research available to the humanitarian community. If you would like to contribute, please get in touch with the editor of the series at eisf-research@eisf.helpful.ws