The annual meeting for the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies (NCHS) Research Network on Humanitarian Efforts will take place 4 December 2020, and will be organized digitally.

Providing protection is one of the most challenging tasks for humanitarian actors. On the one hand, many of those who need assistance live in areas with violent conflict and need protection. On the other hand, violent conflict represents a threat to the security of humanitarian actors themselves. In this seminar, we will discuss the challenges facing humanitarian actors in providing protection to vulnerable civilians in situations where their own security is at risk. How do humanitarian actors deal with this challenge? What are the main problems and how can they be addressed?

Program

10:00 – 10:05 Welcome and introduction, Stein Sundstøl Eriksen (NCHS Co-Director)

10:05 – 10:10 The annual activities of the NCHS, Maria Gabrielsen Jumbert (NCHS Director)

10:10 – 10:50 Annual Lecture: Humanitarian needs and protection of civilians, Ole Solvang (Policy Director at the Norwegian Refugee Council)

10:50 – 11:00 Q&A

11:00 – 11:45 Panel on security challenges in humanitarian crises

Moderator: John Karlsrud (NUPI)

Panelists: Larissa Fast (Manchester University), Robert Forster (CMI) and Ole Solvang (NRC)

11:45 – 12:00 Q&A