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Mode of operation
Humanitarian aid is carried out rapidly. The victims of conflicts, crises and catastrophes depend on quick help, protection and safety.
It is specific. Those most vulnerable - women and children, the ill, the old, the poor and the handicapped - need the most urgent support.
Humanitarian aid is innovative. New forms of crises and complex emergency situations call for adaptable and suitable procedures as well as innovative solutions. Humanitarian aid
must be able to react to new crises flexibly at any given time.
Humanitarian aid is participative. Sound and sustainable solutions can only be found together with those involved. Humanitarian aid respects the needy as partners and by doing so
promotes confidence in its own capabilities. Humanitarian aid means helping people to help themselves.
Humanitarian aid functions in a coordinated manner. The growing number of needy worldwide calls for high quality performance and good coordination of support with other political sectors such as the peace movement, safety, migration, development and human rights.
Humanitarian aid is concentrated. Despite a worldwide mandate, Swiss humanitarian aid must concentrate its forces. It repeatedly assesses and reviews its actions, adapts them to
changed conditions and when necessary shifts its main emphases.
Humanitarian aid is designed to be efficient. Support must not only be quick and well-aimed but must effectively help people out of their acute state of need and with its first steps
should pave the way for a more optimistic future.
And it is efficient. Humanitarian aid carefully uses its available resources according to strict rules and implements its programs with the appropriate time and effort.