World Humanitarian Summit Submission from the Global Justice Center: Serving the Needs of People in Conflict by Guaranteeing the Rights Specific to Conflict
As the World Humanitarian Summit’s (WHS) scoping paper on Serving the Needs of People in Conflict (“Scoping Paper”) identifies, “because humanitarian needs in conflicts are specific, we need specific and relevant ways to respond to them.” In modern conflicts, the increasing targeting of civilians, including the strategic use of sexual violence as a tactic of war, necessities that humanitarian action be tailored to respond to their specific needs. This includes comprehensive and non-discriminatory health services (including sexual and reproductive health), psychosocial, legal, and livelihood support, and other multi-sectoral services for survivors.
Importantly, the specific needs of these victims of war need to be met in accord with their rights under international humanitarian law. As the Scoping Paper points out, “conflicts are regulated by a specific body of international law, namely, international humanitarian law (IHL).” Under IHL, victims of armed conflict are provided legal protections not available to victims in other emergency settings, which humanitarian action must reinforce and respect.
This submission focuses on the three pillars of action identified in the Scoping Paper: (1) Principles and Professional Standards that Must Guide Humanitarian Action in Conflict; (2) The Particular Needs of People Affected by Conflicts; and (3) How Humanitarian Action Should Look to Better Meet the Needs of People.