Humanitarian Guidelines and Systems → Civil military liaison

Civil military liaison

Shifting global politics and the scale and complexity of emergencies have contributed to increased military involvement in humanitarian response. Regular and effective liaison between humanitarian and military actors is essential in ensuring the needs and interests of the affected population are adequately addressed.

Humanitarian assistance has traditionally been carried out by UN agencies, the Red Cross Movement, NGOs, government and civil society. 

It differs from humanitarian interventions which involve international military or peace keeping forces protecting civilians from insurgent or state-supported violence and aggression e.g. genocide, forced displacement. Key actors include:
 

- UN Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO) e.g. UNMIS in Sudan
- NATO-led military forces e.g. in Afghanistan, Iraq
 

How humanitarian NGOs and military actors differ

• Mandate, interest and values – NGOs stem from civil society: military actors are political in nature.
• Skills, attributes and expertise – military strength in logistics and coordination: NGO strength in inclusion, advocacy and addressing rights/ needs/ vulnerabilities.
• Governance and decision-making – military have more formalized authoritarian structures.

Informed by Groupe URD research: Interaction between the humanitarian sector and the military © 2007

Challenges of civil military engagement

• In complex emergencies there has traditionally been a distinction between military and non-military operations, reflecting the principle of combatants and non-combatants, as set out in humanitarian law.
• Nowadays military forces are more involved in civil operations such as providing relief and basic services to disaster-affected populations.
• Humanitarian agencies face operational challenges, e.g. physical access, threats to staff security, at times requiring the support or protection of military forces.

This ‘cross-over’ in roles has led to:

- erosion in the separation between ‘humanitarian’ and ‘military’ space

- need for greater understanding between humanitarian agencies and military actors, including each other’s mandates, capacities and limitations

- need for a formalized process of civil-military coordination and liaison for humanitarian operations where military actors are also involved.

Principles to apply in using Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA)

• Only use as a last resort - for urgent needs and in the absence of a civilian alternative.
• Ensure that operations involving MCDAs (e.g. armed convoys) remain civilian in nature and controlled by the humanitarian agency (except the actual MCDAs).
• Ensure humanitarian work is undertaken by agency staff to maintain the distinction between humanitarian and military roles.
• Ensure the use of MCDAs is clearly defined in time, scale and with a clear strategy for how resources/functions will be replaced by a civilian alternative.
• Requests for MCDAs should be made through the UN Civil Military Coordination Officer (UN CMCord) or Humanitarian Coordinator
• Stress the need for adherence to humanitarian principles, the Code of Conduct and other International Guidelines.

Humanitarian space reflects the principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence.  It is the unimpeded space afforded to humanitarian organizations to assist those affected by conflict or disaster.