Humanitarianism in Africa

Humanitarianism in Africa is humanitarian effort in the continent of Africa. Reasons for humanitarian aid are attributed but not limited to poor living conditions, overbearing poverty, and natural disasters. Sources for humanitarianism in African countries can be domestic or an act of foreign aid.

Media coverage of current events in Africa result heavily influences public opinions in Western societies. Africa is often portrayed as a continent plagued with extreme poverty and genocidal warfare. However, it is also portrayed as a nation on the brink of becoming “civilized” if only more developed foreign nations would intervene. Media is often criticized as failing to report positive movements within African countries. As a result, foreign nations often view Africa as one of the two extremes. While the media depicts these extremes, it fails to report the success of local governments and domestic efforts by African countries to aid themselves.

Humanitarianism in Africa faces several challenges to date. Several western governments have introduced legislation that criminalizes terrorist organizations. While this is beneficial, it inadvertently ends up causing complications for humanitarian aid organizations because the anti-terrorist legislation does not make a difference between intentional and unintentional support to terrorist groups. Any commodities that end up in terrorist hands causes the people responsible for its distribution to be held criminally liable. This poses a large problem for humanitarian aid organizations that work in war-torn areas – specifically those areas which are oftentimes ruled by terrorist organizations as most organizations cannot say that 100% of their commodities get distributed to the original demographic it was meant for. The only exemption from criminal prosecution is medical assistance. Unfortunately some aid organizations do not bother to negotiate access to regions where terrorist groups have a strong presence. Consequently those who need this aid are the ones forced to pay the consequences. War-torn regions such as Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan have had villages attacked in response to their receiving aid from organizations because it was aimed at attaining allegiance. Aid in this regard can also then be seen as a tool or weapon of war. A prime example of this can be demonstrated through the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Paradoxes of Humanitarianism in Africa.

Since 9/11 many humanitarian organizations have directed their aid with western political agendas – this can be seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is not new however – aid was similarly distributed during the cold war. However there are other organizations such as Al qaida that in 2011 used aid to win the hearts and minds of the Somalian population. It can be seen then that the best interests of the population receiving aid is not always the reason for distribution of aid from organizations but rather to influence the vulnerable. Aid should be given only on the basis of our shared humanity.

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