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NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner

Red Lines and Grey Zones: Exploring the Ethics of Humanitarian Negotiation

Alternative title: Røde linjer og gråsoner: en utforskning av humanitære forhandlingers etikk

Awarded: NOK 11.9 mill.

Humanitarian action relies on negotiations with political authorities and armed groups for protection, access and programming at local, national and international levels. These negotiations are filled with ethical dilemmas like compromising on the humanitarian principles, cooperating with war criminals and repressive regimes or putting the lives of staff at risk. Starting from consultations with humanitarian practitioners, this project maps out these problems and examines them through a set of case studies and theoretical perspectives. The cases are from relief distribution in Syria, refugee management in Bangladesh, assistance to contained communities in Colombia, handling of international aid after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean, and resolutions on cross-border aid to Syria in the UN Security Council. The project also develops online university courses at MA and PhD levels and professional trainings, and interact with policymakers, practitioners and civil society through a range of online and offline activities with a global reach. The project is hosted by Peace Research Institute Oslo in association with the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. It includes research partners from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá; Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu; University College Dublin; Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, University of Oxford; and Inland Norway University. The Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation - a collaboration between the ICRC, UNHCR, WFP, MSF among others –are actively involved in consultation and training activities. The university courses will be offered in collaboration with the Research School on Peace and Conflict and the Joint Master's Degree of the University Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA). So far, we have conducted literature reviews and an online survey, as well as multiple follow-up interviews with survey respondents. We have composed a diverse group of leading international experts that has participated in consultations and a three day project workshop. In this manner, we have achieved the first project objective, of mapping out the dilemmas to explore through case studies and philosophical analysis. We are now working on the case studies, and fieldwork has been conducted in Colombia, Nepal and Bangladesh, plus interviews in the remaining cases. The expert group has also been involved in the exploratory phase of these case studies. In 2023, two new NCHS papers and a book chapter were published, and project members presented their work in various conferences. The project leader was a visiting researcher at the Oxford Centre for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict for six months. Moreover, a webinar series exploring the ethics of humanitarian action was disseminated as videos and as episodes in the podcast Talking Humanitarianism, and several blog posts were produced. Finally, a public seminar was organised for Norwegian organisations.

Humanitarian action relies on negotiations with counterparts at local, national and international levels. These negotiations are filled with ethical dilemmas like cooperating with war criminals and repressive regimes, striking deals that favour certain social groups and accepting agreements that put the lives of local staff at risk. Yet, these dilemmas remain to be studied as ethical problems in negotiations. Starting from consultations with humanitarian practitioners, this project maps out these problems and cross-examines them through a set of case studies and theoretical perspectives. The cases are from Syria, Bangladesh, Colombia, Nepal, the Mediterranean and the UN Security Council. Findings will be presented in scholarly articles, a journal forum and special issue, as well as in related policy briefs, blog posts, podcasts and webinars. The project team will also develop online university courses at MA and PhD levels and professional trainings with a global reach. The research team will engage with policymakers, practitioners and civil society through a range of online and offline activities, including in Bogotá, Dublin, Geneva, Kathmandu and Oslo. The project is hosted by Peace Research Institute Oslo in association with the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. It includes research partners from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana: Tribhuvan University; Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA), University College Dublin; Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict, University of Oxford; and Inland Norway University. The Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation - a collaboration between the ICRC, UNHCR, WFP, MSF and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue – will be actively involved in the consultation and training activities. University courses will be offered in collaboration with the Research School on Peace and Conflict and the NOHA Joint Master's Degree in Humanitarian Action - involving 10 European and 14 global partner universities.

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Funding scheme:

NORGLOBAL2-Norge - global partner