Load low-bandwidth site?
Help

Archive:

Humanitarian Programmatic Issues

Evaluating Ebola: the politics of the military response narrative

In her op-ed, Kristin Bergtora Sandvik suggests that humanitarians must pay keen attention to the post-Ebola narrative of military victory that is currently emerging. To see the deployment of military personnel, strategies and tactics as the game changer is unfair, because it invisibilises the resilience of the nationals of Ebola affected countries, as well as the efforts of local health workers and (some) humanitarians to address and control the outbreak. However, this narrative also has important strategic consequences for patterns of funding and intervention in future health emergencies.

16 Mar 2015 Blog

Hostage taking: new tool for media impact

Kidnapping and the consequent use of hostages is hardly a new method for terrorist organisations to express their defiance towards enemy states, or even hostile home states. What differentiates current hostage situations from those of the past is the way in which they have been adapted to today’s information society. It seems that terrorist groups have found a new use for hostages: propaganda.

23 Feb 2015 Blog

The Needs of Faith Communities in Major Emergencies: Some Guidelines

A guideline (2005) on the various needs of faith communities in major emergencies. The guideline explores specific features and requirements of faith groups and beliefs, grieving and healing process following a major disaster, memorial ceremonies, services and anniversaries, and floral…

10 Feb 2015 Resource

Fighting hate speech in Myanmar: are mobile and digital technologies the right tool?

The looming 2015 elections have heightened religious tensions in Myanmar. Hate speech has intensified and became more common and aggressive on blogs, web forums and Facebook pages. Hateful and inflammatory comments have served political groups as a tool to dehumanise Muslims. Considering the country’s political, social and religious context, we explore some challenges that projects monitoring inflammatory speech in blogs, forums, online newspapers and social media platforms might face in Myanmar.

27 Jan 2015 Blog

Difficulties of delivering aid in Northeast Nigeria: Boko Haram, vigilantes and other challenges

Fighting to establish an Islamic ‘Caliphate’, Boko Haram hit the UN compound in Nigeria’s capital Abuja in 2011, killing 18. After the UN attack, President Goodluck Jonathan ‘reaffirmed his government’s “total commitment” to combating terrorism.’ In early 2013, Boko Haram gunmen killed nine polio workers, one of the deadliest attacks against aid workers in the region. Recent attacks in Baga and Doron Baga, where approximately 2,000 civilians were killed have further increased security difficulties for humanitarian organisations. Located in the Northeastern tip of Nigeria, humanitarian agencies have been unable to reach the destroyed towns since the attack due to the unstable situation.

21 Jan 2015 Blog

Humanitarian Access in Situations of Armed Conflict

This manual (2014) is designed to support humanitarian practitioners in developing and implementing approaches to improve humanitarian access in situations of armed conflict. The practitioner’s manual includes Humanitarian access in contemporary armed conflicts, Foundations of Humanitarian Access: Humanitarian principles and…

9 Jan 2015 Resource

Have you listened to our webinar on communications technology, security risk management and humanitarian delivery?

GISF teamed up with DisasterReady.org to host a webinar entitled ‘Communications Technology and Humanitarian Delivery: Challenges and Opportunities for Security Risk Management’. The webinar launches GISF’s new paper of the same title, and features engaging discussion on opportunities and challenges of communications technology in humanitarian delivery from Imogen Wall (the paper’s co-editor) and Rory Byrne (Founder and CEO of Security First).

18 Dec 2014 News

Webinar – Communications Technology and Humanitarian Delivery: Challenges and Opportunities for Security Risk Management

GISF teamed up with DisasterReady.org to host a webinar entitled ‘Communications Technology and Humanitarian Delivery: Challenges and Opportunities for Security Risk Management’. The webinar launches GISF’s new paper of the same title, and features engaging discussion on opportunities and challenges of communications technology in humanitarian delivery from Imogen Wall (the paper’s co-editor) and Rory Byrne (Founder and CEO of Security First).

17 Dec 2014 Blog