More obstacles for humanitarian aid

We have joined the action of the Association for Development Policy and Humanitarian Aid (VENRO). As a civil society initiative providing humanitarian aid to crises and conflict regions around the world, we see that access to people affected by conflicts and disasters is becoming increasingly difficult. That help arrives often becomes more difficult, dangerous and costly.

In Ukraine, where arche noVa is providing emergency and reconstruction aid in the war zone in the east of the country, we have no access to areas that are not controlled by the government. But this is where the need is greatest. On both sides of the conflict the bureaucratic hurdles are high and the security situation hardly allows aid to reach the most affected areas close to the conflict line.

But when help for people affected by existential need can no longer be provided, the people on the ground are left alone. Their right to assistance is enshrined in international law. There is a right to minimum care and protection for the civilian population, regardless of which side of the conflict people live on. However, we have seen for years that in today's armed conflicts international law, created to protect the civilian population, is increasingly being undermined and deliberately disregarded. In Syria, for example, schools, hospitals and the civilian population are deliberately bombed. 

We call on the German government to support the protection of civil society worldwide. We do not accept that rapid humanitarian aid is prevented by arbitrariness, bureaucracy or threats to the aid workers.