Local Responses to Global Humanitarian Crises

Grassroots and Mutual Aid Perspectives

  • Ruben Kleeb University of Bern
Keywords: Humanitarianism, Crisis, Grass-root, mutual-aid

Abstract

With the increasing intensity of humanitarian crises, the efficient implementation of humanitarian responses becomes more challenging. While humanitarianism is enacted through the guiding principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence, organisations often still become entangled in bureaucratic, political, and economic constraints influencing how, where, and what aid is introduced. This paper examines how grassroots organisations navigate the broader humanitarian system; how they address needs that larger institutions often overlook and overcome the limitations of institutionalised humanitarian frameworks. Through community-driven initiatives, humanitarian discourse is shifted towards more need-based humanitarianism. Findings suggest that grassroots networks challenge the traditional top-down humanitarian model and ensure that aid efforts are rooted in the actual needs of the affected. This underscores the importance of inclusive, bottom-up strategies to reshape humanitarian discourse and ensure aid that is both relevant and equitable.

Published
2024-12-03