Volunteering in Conflict and Emergencies Theme Paper 1: Everyday Humanitarianism

This paper, the first of six preliminary working papers of Volunteering in Conflict and Emergencies (ViCE) initiative, explores the challenges faced by local volunteers as they negotiate and apply the Fundamental Humanitarian Principles in concrete operational settings. The paper argues that local volunteers are at the heart of negotiating between the local contexts and broader humanitarian principles; seemingly neutral humanitarian principles are often interpreted differently in diverse cultural settings; given their critical role, local volunteers’ voices and experiences need to be brought into debates on humanitarian principles and practice.