Certificate in Introduction to Humanitarian and Relief Work

The basic idea of humanitarian assistance—delivering medicine, food, and other supplies to relieve suffering and save lives—appears to be a simple one. Yet, there is a serious debate between different humanitarian organizations, official donors, governments, and the United Nations regarding the operational approach to the delivery of aid that ought to be adopted. In recent years, harmful side effects of humanitarian aid, such as the strengthening of the grip of armed groups over the population, various forms of aid diversion, and the fostering of dependency among beneficiaries, have been widely discussed. In the starkest cases, some humanitarian organizations have made the decision to withdraw from crises altogether because, in their judgment, continuing their operations on the ground in the particular political environment would do more harm than good to civilians in need. This online course is an essential introduction for anyone interested in a career in the humanitarian sector. You will learn first-hand experiences from individuals who have been involved in humanitarianism, learn about the nature of humanitarian relief, and look at the skills you have to bring to the sector.