Humanitarian aid

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(Redirected from Aid worker)

Image:Durres airport supplies.jpg Humanitarian aid is aid provided for humanitarian purposes, typically on an urgent basis as a form of emergency management in response to a humanitarian crisis. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity. It may therefore be distinguished from development aid, which seeks to address the underlying socioeconomic factors which may have led to a crisis or emergency. Image:Subdistribution point.jpg Humanitarian aid is delivered by governmental and non-governmental aid agencies which are funded by donations from individuals, corporations, governments and other organisations. The funding and delivery of humanitarian aid is increasingly being organised at an international level to facilitate faster and more effective responses to major emergencies affecting large numbers of people (eg. see Central Emergency Response Fund). The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinates the international humanitarian response to a crisis or emergency pursuant to Resolution 46/182 of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Humanitarian Charter of the "Sphere" coalition of leading private voluntary organisations lists the following as principles of humanitarian action: