Protecting aid workers

What challenges do aid workers from your organization face?

Just like many other humanitarian organizations, the dangers that we face are sometimes the lack of security guarantees and the misperceptions that weapon bearers have of humanitarian workers. These are issues and challenges that we face on a daily basis.

You talk of perceptions, could you explain what these perceptions are?

The most important aspect for us is the fact that we work in a neutral, impartial manner in order to provide assistance to the victims of armed conflict. Now we can see through the different conflicts that sometimes there is a blurring of the lines between military, political and humanitarian activities which pose a real threat to humanitarian action and workers. Humanitarian workers try to work in close proximity to the people they are helping and we depend on being perceived as neutral and impartial.

What sort of protection do aid workers receive under international law and how does this work out in practice?

International humanitarian law protects humanitarian aid workers and volunteers. The international humanitarian law has been agreed upon by all states and it's something that must be applied. It's one thing to have the law, it's another to put it into practice. There is always the danger of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but when you reach instances where aid workers are directly and deliberately targeted, it becomes a real issue. All parties to a conflict have to respect the law and do the outmost to protect the aid workers.

Are these risks you have been talking about scaring people from volunteering for humanitarian work?

They can, but at the same time, humanitarian aid workers have this will and courage to expose themselves to risks in order to help save lives, to help protect the people who are in need. This is something which is absolutely admirable. Unfortunately more and more of them are paying the price with their lives in order to save lives. It's clear that whenever we are in such situations, we take all the necessary security precautions that we can. It's important that we are also able to protect ourselves, because otherwise we won't be able to bring the help which is much needed. It is scary, but we are all aware of the risks.

Thomas Glass is a humanitarian worker and a public relations officer with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Interview: Asumpta Lattus