Humanitarian aid: the challenge of funding and principles

Interview with Pauline Chetcuti, President of VOICE & Maria Groenewald, Director of VOICE.

© UNICEF Mauritania-Raphael Pouget, 2021

1. For the benefit of our readers, could you remind us who VOICE is, why it exists and what it does?

Maria: VOICE officially stands for ‘Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies’. We are the largest European network of humanitarian NGOs promoting effective and efficient humanitarian action. We have been in existence for over 30 years and we have around 90 member organisations.

For me, VOICE means above all the voice of humanitarian NGOs in Europe and beyond, who, with their international and local staff, do their best every day, often in volatile contexts, to work with the communities concerned. VOICE is the main NGO interlocutor with the European Union for emergency actions and promotes the values of its member organisations implementing actions based on humanitarian principles in all global humanitarian crises. Unfortunately, this number continues to rise due to natural disasters, climate change and armed conflicts. There are currently no fewer than 128 crises: Humanitarian crises around the world

2. The former European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Janez Lenarčič, said at the last European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels in March that the ‘humanitarian boat’ was in danger of sinking. How do you understand this statement?

Pauline: It’s a striking image, of course – the humanitarian, too small a lifeboat, not fit for purpose, facing an ocean of needs and a storm of challenges. This lifeboat isn’t sinking yet, but it’s overwhelmed by the challenges. Firstly, the increase in humanitarian needs, with more than 305 million people in need of humanitarian response: the crises are multiplying, including neglected crises that lack media visibility.

This image also highlights the imbalance of power and the lack of political will to prioritise humanitarian response over national economic interests. This boat could be a ship, if the political will allowed it: for example, total global military spending reached 2,443 billion dollars in 2023[1], while funding for the Global Humanitarian Overview 2023 totalled 21.8 billion dollars[2]. Military spending was 112 times higher.

Nevertheless, this lifeboat is fulfilling its purpose and continuing to save lives – and we must collectively support it.

Meeting between former Commissioner Lenarčič and Pauline Chetcuti on 19 July 2024 ©VOICE

3. In your opinion, what are the main challenges facing humanitarian aid today?

Pauline: The challenges we face are immense, and unfortunately far from new.

First of all, the general trend towards a reduction in the funding available for humanitarian aid is alarming.

The UN’s Global Humanitarian Appeal estimates that $47.4 billion is needed to meet the world’s growing humanitarian needs. And despite efforts to mobilise adequate funds, the gap between available funds and humanitarian needs continues to grow. By 2024, in the face of funding shortfalls, aid targeting targets had been reduced, resulting in a $6 billion reduction in the global appeal compared to 2023 and a drop of more than 56 million in the number of people targeted for aid. Despite this, only 45.5% of the appeal was funded in 2024, which suggests a similar or even worse scenario for 2025.

Traditional state donors are making drastic cuts to their international aid budgets, as in Sweden and the Netherlands. Germany, Europe’s largest donor, is planning to more than halve its humanitarian spending, from €2.23 billion in 2024 to €1.04 billion this year. France had already cut nearly €800 million from its Official Development Assistance by 2024, and is planning a further 18% reduction in funding between 2024 and 2025. The European Union’s budget is also shrinking: €2 billion will be cut from the development aid budget in 2024, and from 2025 to 2027, the Commission will reduce the funds it gives to the world’s poorest countries by 35%. The lack of available funding raises another challenge, that of priorities: with fewer funds, some projects will be cancelled, not renewed, or underfunded, jeopardising the continuity and quality of projects to the detriment of the populations who are the first to be affected by these budget cuts.

Secondly, what worries me enormously is the growing violation of international standards, in particular International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which governs the conduct of hostilities, but also the activities of humanitarian workers.

Despite political declarations in support of the international order based on international law. International law is regularly violated in a large number of conflicts. Violations are all too often committed with impunity, and the few decisions by international courts calling for them to be stopped are not implemented. Humanitarian workers have been warning of the erosion of respect for IHL for several decades, but what we are seeing in Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza today is not only an inability to ensure respect for IHL, but also an assumed double standard, or even an approach in which these violations are presented as legitimate behaviour in accordance with the law.

Civilians are unfortunately the first victims of these violations, which are increasingly accompanied by attacks on humanitarian workers. According to the UN[3], 2024 is now the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers, due to the war in Gaza.

Most of these victims are local humanitarian workers, whose proximity to the conflict makes them particularly vulnerable to abuse. This upward trend is a direct reflection not only of the increasing dangers they face, but also of a rise in misinformation leading to mistrust of UN agencies and humanitarian organisations.

In addition to the challenges inherent in humanitarian action, organisations now have to contend with the rise of populist and far-right policies that undermine the values of solidarity on which they are based. By fomenting fear of the other and stigmatising vulnerable populations, these discourses make it more difficult for us to reach people and hamper our ability to carry out our missions.

4. The budget, the very condition of relief, is one of the priorities of VOICE and its members. Can you give us an overview of the budget for 2025 and beyond?

Maria: The European Union’s humanitarian budget is indeed an important issue in our work. Many EU Member States have announced cuts in funding for humanitarian action, and this is a political signal that we, as a network of humanitarian organisations, must take very seriously because these cuts will have an impact on our partners in the South as well as on the communities affected.

As already mentioned, the gap between available funds and humanitarian needs has been growing for years. We welcome the European Commission’s initiatives to broaden the donor base. In this context, the European Humanitarian Forum (EHF) is also a good opportunity to draw attention to the urgent issue of funding for humanitarian action. With the EHF taking place next May, VOICE will once again be heavily involved before and during the Forum in order to draw attention to our priority themes, in particular that of financial resources for humanitarian work.

One of our messages to Member States is to devote 0.7% of their gross national income (GNI) to official development assistance (ODA) by 2030, including at least 10% for humanitarian action.

We must continue to fight to ensure that the democratic parties in the European Parliament do not lose sight of the importance of humanitarian work. Commitment to humanitarian aid is a question of political will. If the political will is there, the financial resources will follow.

5. Advocacy is a major component of humanitarian action today. Should advocacy be developed to make it more effective, while remaining true to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, which are key conditions for access to populations at risk?

Pauline: Advocacy is an integral part of the humanitarian response: if we don’t seek to change policies that are harmful to people and address the root causes of humanitarian crises, our actions run the risk of being repeated indefinitely without making a lasting positive impact, which is the opposite of what people want.

We must therefore ensure that we can continue to inform political decision-makers so that they can act in favour of populations affected by crises. As we have already seen, the civic space for NGOs is shrinking dramatically, both in the South and the North, including for NGOs in Europe. By way of example, a guidance note from the European Commission states that EU subsidies can no longer be used for civil society advocacy work when it targets European institutions. The role of NGO coordinations, such as VOICE, is essential here – it enables strong messages to be conveyed when some NGOs are unable to do so, for reasons of mandate or capacity.

The ability of humanitarian NGOs to defend the rights of all populations in need, without discrimination, is essential. VOICE undertakes to continue to support the efforts of its members in this direction.

Speech by Maria Groenwald at a meeting of the DEVE Commission on 26 September 2024 on humanitarian aid ©VOICE

6. What are VOICE’s strategic priorities for the new European Commission?

Maria: In VOICE’s new strategic plan for the next five years, we have identified three strategic objectives.

Firstly, humanitarian principles and respect for international humanitarian law. In the increasingly complex environments we face, it is essential to protect humanitarian space. The EU and its Member States must set an example by basing their decisions on humanitarian principles, but also by using their influence vis-à-vis other States, for example in terms of compliance with IHL.

In addition to defending these essential values, obtaining adequate and quality funding for European humanitarian programmes is a key priority for us, as explained above. One of our strengths is our ability to mobilise the support of all EU institutions, Member States and key humanitarian and civil society actors.

Given the increasing complexity and protracted nature of crises, it is essential for us to call for additional resources to tackle the root causes of protracted crises and to strengthen resilience in the face of climate change. Humanitarians have been sounding the alarm for years: they cannot be the only solution. Better coordination between DG ECHO, DG INTPA, the EEAS and the Member States is needed to meet these challenges.

Our strategy also highlights our role as a collective space for coordination and reflection for European NGOs working with crisis-affected communities. VOICE provides a platform for sharing expertise and knowledge, in order to nurture evidence-based advocacy and expertise.

7. Some observers fear that the very broad mandate of the new Commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, may be to the detriment of her humanitarian dimension. What are your views on this?

Pauline: Concerns about Hadja Lahbib’s mandate are understandable, given the breadth of her responsibilities. As Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality, she has many tasks in addition to coordinating emergency responses and humanitarian diplomacy.

At the launch of the Global Humanitarian Appeal in December 2024, Ms Lahbib stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and filling the humanitarian funding gap. She also expressed her commitment to working with global partners to strengthen the humanitarian system and address current challenges. These statements demonstrate her interest in humanitarian issues, and that she is a key partner in the defence of affected populations.

We will work to keep current humanitarian challenges on Ms Lahbib’s agenda. VOICE will of course continue to support and encourage DG ECHO to ensure that the humanitarian dimension remains a priority that is balanced with other responsibilities. The actions and decisions taken in the coming months will be crucial in assessing the impact of its expanded mandate on humanitarian action and the next EHF will be a key milestone in taking stock of this new agenda.

8. How would you like to conclude this interview?

Pauline: It’s difficult to start 2025 optimistically, because the challenges facing the humanitarian sector are so immense. But what people are going through in Sudan, the DRC and Gaza today forces us to remain active and vigilant, and to defend our principles and values with even greater fervour.

I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, and I hope that the people who have suffered the worst unimaginable atrocities for over a year will finally have access to the aid they need.

VOICE and all its members are determined to work together to overcome the obstacles and bring about lasting positive change. The commitment and coordination of all humanitarian actors to defend a response that meets the challenges will be key in the face of a hostile geopolitical context. Together, we can overcome the difficulties by putting forward our shared values of humanity, while respecting international law.

Maria: I couldn’t agree more with Pauline. We are stronger together. At a time when the space reserved for civil society is being drastically reduced and undemocratic parties are trying to stifle the voices of civil society, the voice of VOICE is more important than ever.

[1] https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2024/global-military-spending-surges-amid-war-rising-tensions-and-insecurity

[2] https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/world/global-humanitarian-overview-2023-december-update-snapshot-31-december-2023

[3] 2024 deadliest year ever for aid workers, UN humanitarian office reports | UN News

Pauline Chetcuti has been President of VOICE since June 2024. She is also Head of Humanitarian Campaigns and Advocacy for Oxfam International. Her experience working for UN agencies and national and international NGOs in various regions, including Palestine, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Myanmar, has given her solid expertise in humanitarian principles, the protection of civilians, climate and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. Her work is guided by the principles of feminist leadership, recognising the importance of a diversity of viewpoints, principles that she strives to put into practice as President of VOICE.

Maria Groenewald has been Director of VOICE since November 2021. With 20 years’ experience in the NGO sector, Maria began her career with the German organisation The Johanniter International, before joining Plan International Germany, where for ten years she held various positions, including that of Senior Resource Mobilisation Manager for DG ECHO and DEVCO (now INTPA). Since joining the VOICE secretariat, Maria has put her leadership and expertise in humanitarian action, programming, nexus and advocacy at the service of VOICE members.

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Water management issues on the Tibetan plateau

Organised by the Senate’s International Information Group on Tibet, the conference on 3 December 2024 focused on water management on the Tibetan plateau, bringing together three speakers: Palmo Tenzin, researcher and advocacy officer for the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) in Germany, Dechen Palmo, environmental researcher at the Tibet Policy Institute in India and head of the Tibetan government in exile, and Tenzin Choekyi, researcher for the NGO Tibet Watch. This is a summary of the conference.

Although often considered a Chinese province, Tibet is in fact a country annexed by China in 1950. Since then, China has pursued a large-scale policy of erasing Tibetan identity in a number of ways: destroying monasteries, sending Tibetan children to boarding school to learn Mandarin, monopolising their natural resources, etc. Tibet is a water reservoir for the whole of China.

A veritable water reservoir for the whole of South-East Asia, Tibet is regularly referred to as ‘the third pole’, and plays a strategic role in the region’s water balance. An estimated 1.8 billion people depend on water from Tibet. Yet this region is one of the most vulnerable to global warming, and the massive construction of dams by China could have serious repercussions for all the countries in the region in the years to come.

Tibet and the dangers of climate change

Often referred to as the ‘water tower of Asia’, Tibet is the source of eight of Asia’s major rivers, including the Brahmaputra, Yangtze, Mekong and Indus.

These rivers are fed by Himalayan glaciers, which have been melting at an alarming rate for several years. Tibet is experiencing temperature rises 2 to 4 times faster than the rest of the planet, considerably speeding up the melting of the Himalayan glaciers. It is estimated that 75% of these glaciers will have disappeared by 2100.

While these glaciers provide water resources for consumption and agriculture for 1.8 billion people, their rapid melting is leading to unprecedented climatic disasters such as flash floods or, conversely, severe droughts, even during the rainy season.

This vulnerability to climate change is further exacerbated by the massive construction of hydraulic dams by China and the intensive exploitation of water resources in Tibet.

The multiple consequences of China’s damming of Tibet

The International Campaign for Tibet’s report Chinese Hydropower: damning Tibet’s culture, community and environment, published on Wednesday 4 December 2024, gives us an overview of the scale of China’s dam construction in Tibet.

Since 2000, the Chinese regime has launched the construction of 193 hydroelectric dams on the Tibetan plateau. These hydroelectric dams can fulfil 2 functions: storing water in a reservoir for deferred release, or diverting water using turbines. The conclusions of the ICT report reveal that their development has never been so important in terms of scale, scope and speed. In fact, 80% of the projects studied are mega-dams. More than half (59%) are still at the proposal stage (38%) or the preparation stage ( %). If these 193 dams were brought into operation simultaneously, Tibet would have a hydroelectric capacity of more than 270 GW, equivalent to Germany’s energy production in 2022.

The costs of these dams are extremely high, but the Chinese government chooses to ignore or even conceal them.

From an environmental point of view, these constructions are vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides and floods, even increasing the risk of these phenomena. Several earthquakes have already destroyed hydroelectric infrastructure, causing dozens of deaths and irreversible damage to the environment and biodiversity. Dams also increase the human footprint and methane pollution in fragile and isolated ecosystems. They degrade water quality and flow, disrupt aquatic life, affect soils and block nutrient flows downstream.

In human terms, the construction of these dams is forcing many Tibetans from their homes and lands. Studies show that 121,651 people have already been evicted since 2000, and the ICT report estimates that 1.2 million people will be evicted if the 193 hydroelectric dams are built. In addition, many religious sites will be abandoned or even destroyed to make way for these projects.

A small Tibetan monastery with destroyed foundations still standing on the road from Shigatse to Mount Everest in 2009

Although Tibet has considerable hydroelectric potential, Tibetans have no say in how their resources are used. It is the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese energy companies who determine the exploitation of Tibetan energy and the distribution of costs and profits. In reality, the exploitation of Tibet’s water resources benefits the major Chinese cities almost exclusively, while disproportionately and irreversibly harming Tibetans and their environment.

Tibet’s water resources: a major geopolitical and strategic issue for China

The Chinese regime’s long-term objective is to turn Tibet into a powerful energy exporter, supplying not only central and eastern China but the whole of South-East Asia.

By controlling the Tibetan rivers, China is establishing itself as a world leader in the development of hydroelectricity, a strategic lever for increasing its regional and international influence. While China’s hydropower policy is essential to its industry, it also threatens food security in South-East Asian countries.

Xiaowan dam, Lancang River (Upper Mekong), China. © Guillaume Lacombe

The Mekong River is a prime example of the impact of dams on the countries of South-East Asia. This vital river provides water for around 60 million people, but the 11 dams built along the river by the Chinese government have led to a significant drop in water levels in the areas downstream from the dams. The consequences are irreversible: severe droughts even during the rainy season, a drop in fishing and aquaculture, etc. for the countries dependent on the Mekong, which are coming under increasing pressure from China.

According to Dechen Palmo, the countries of South-East Asia are currently dependent on China’s goodwill for their access to water. But as the situation worsens, they will soon be obliged to join forces to confront the Asian giant if they want to escape from this totally unequal balance of power. This imbalance could have disastrous consequences for the future stability of the region if the situation does not change quickly.

Fisherman in the Mekong Delta © Jean-Pierre Dalbéra

The unprecedented mobilisation of Tibetans for respect for their existence and their resources

Since February 2O24, demonstrations have been taking place in Tibet in opposition to the forthcoming construction of the Kamtok dam in Sichuan province. This mega-project will result in the expulsion of over 4,000 Tibetans from their villages and the destruction of 6 monasteries. Since the uprisings of 2008, which were violently repressed, and the 159 self-immolations of Tibetans that followed, protests in the region have become extremely rare. The current demonstrations therefore represent a strong act of resistance to the Chinese regime. Once again, the demonstrators have been severely repressed by the Chinese regime’s security forces. Videos have shown the seriousness of the situation: around twenty Tibetans, including elderly people and a dozen monks, were kneeling in front of CCP security forces, begging them to stop the construction of the dam, which would force them to flee. Many were arrested and some were beaten on suspicion of being the leaders of the demonstrations. Since then, military reinforcements have been sent in and no new images of the Tibetans concerned have been released.

While Tibetan exiles are fighting to raise the profile of their cause and alert the international community, many are wondering whether their action is having any real impact, given that there has been no real improvement and China is continuing with its construction projects. The law does not protect Tibetans but Chinese state-owned enterprises, and Tibetans continue to be arbitrarily arrested in their fight to denounce the illegal exploitation of Tibet’s water resources and the violations that ensue. The evidence they gather and disseminate on the internet and social networks is systematically censored.

If these dams are built, millions of people in Tibet and the rest of China will face catastrophic consequences in the years to come. Tibetans will be the first victims, but the people of mainland China will also feel the effects.

A woman carries a child in Barkhor, Tibet Autonomous Region © UNICEF-Palani Mohan

Possible cooperation?

Despite these challenges, and even if China is for the moment recalcitrant to cross-border governance, there is room for cooperation. Indeed, the IWRM approach could enable the water resources of Tibet to be shared equitably between the various countries of South-East Asia. As defined by the Global Water Partnership, ‘IWRM is a process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and associated resources, with a view to maximising the resulting economic and social well-being in an equitable manner, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems’[1].

This approach has already proved its worth in the management of the River Niger, which flows through 9 West African countries and stretches over 4,200km. Since 1964, the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) has brought together the states dependent on the river (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria) and coordinated water management policies with the aim of preventing conflicts and promoting socio-economic development. The various projects set up by the NBA also enable regional cooperation in the fight against drought, for access to drinking water, the preservation of fragile ecosystems, etc.

The challenges faced by NBA are very similar to those faced by the countries of Southeast Asia. The cooperation that these West African countries have been able to establish should therefore serve as an example for the creation of real cross-border governance between China and the countries of South-East Asia around the rivers that have their source in Tibet.

Recommendations from the speakers

Tibetans must be consulted on development projects, and their rights must be protected.
Renewable energies (solar and wind) should be favoured from now on, as they do not entail the environmental, climatic and social costs of hydroelectric power.
China should sign and accede to the 1997 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, in order to guarantee the fundamental principles of equitable and reasonable utilization and non-detriment in water management.
China should also engage in multilateral forums on transboundary water policy to establish a mutually beneficial management architecture by signing water-sharing agreements and scientific data.
France and Europe must support the international organisations that can act as discussion forums for negotiating these agreements.
France and Europe must put pressure on China and highlight the harmful consequences of these constructions.

[1] Global Water Partnership, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Integrated Water Resources Management 2000, TAC Background Papers No. 4, 65p., 04-integrated-water-resources-management-2000-english.pdf

India Hauteville

India Hauteville holds a first Masters degree in International Politics from Sciences Po Bordeaux and is currently studying for a Masters degree in Integration and Change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East at Sciences Po Grenoble. She is the current assistant to the founder of Solidarités International, Mr Alain Boinet.

She is particularly interested in the Syrian conflict and is currently writing a dissertation on the relationship between humanitarian principles and the realities on the ground in Syria, using the NGO Solidarités International as a case study.

I invite you to read these interviews and articles published in the edition :

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