Humanitarian Protection: Views from the Field

Announcement

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for an off-the-record briefing on the operational challenges of protecting civilians in the context of humanitarian crises.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the world today is facing a state of humanitarian crisis not seen since the Second World War: more than 128 million people are affected by conflict, displacement, natural disasters and profound vulnerability. Aid organizations around the world, guided by principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence, seek to provide these millions of people with urgent life-saving services as well as longer-term support to maintain dignity and facilitate a return to normalcy.  

But increasingly, civilians already caught up in humanitarian crises are facing additional, unprecedented dangers. They may be living in areas that come under assault, or facing treacherous journeys, or be targeted for assaults, gender-based violence, forced recruitment or other forms of harm.  

The panelists, coordinators of NGO humanitarian networks in Iraq, Myanmar and Syria, will discuss the on-the-ground operational challenges they face in protecting civilians in the midst of humanitarian crises, and provide recommendations for meeting these challenges.   

This briefing will be open to members of Congress, congressional staff and the interested public. The briefing is closed to media. For any questions, please contact Kimberly Stanton (for Mr. McGovern) at 202-225-3599 or Kimberly.Stanton@mail.house.gov or Jamie Staley (for Mr. Hultgren) at 202-226-1516 or Jamie.Staley@mail.house.gov.  

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