World: EU humanitarian action: MdM calls for concrete implementation

Country: World Source: Médecins du Monde MdM network welcomes the European commission communication on humanitarian action as an important political sign that humanitarian aid remains a strategic priority for the European Union but warns against shortcomings and calls for concrete implementation and predictable financing. The European Commission adopted today its Communication on EU Humanitarian Action , a significant policy framework document intended to guide the EU’s approach to humanitarian engagement over the coming years. Médecins du Monde – Doctors of the World welcomes the European Commission’s Humanitarian Communication as an important policial signal that humanitarian aid remains a strategic priority for the European Union at a time of erosion of respect for international humanitarian law, shrinking funds and humanitarian space, and rising conflicts and fragility. One of the most substantive contributions of the Communication is its clear definitional framing of humanitarian diplomacy and its unambiguous emphasis on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the protection of humanitarian workers. In a period marked by alarming rates of attacks on aid workers and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian access, this political reaffirmation is most welcomed. The Communication includes a notably strong commitment to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in humanitarian settings — an area that has been subject to significant political pressure globally, including from the current US administration. The introduction of the SHIELD initiative (Sexual and Reproductive Health in Emergencies and Life in Dignity) is a concrete and welcome development. We also welcome the reaffirmation of EU engagement in fragile and conflict-affected settings . Additionally, references to simplified reporting requirem...

Original source: Relief Web