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PHAP publishes articles by selected member contributors on current challenges related to humanitarian action. All opinions expressed are the authors' own.

If you are interested in contributing an article, please contact the PHAP Secretariat. We are happy to hear from you even if you are not currently a member of PHAP. You can read more about membership in PHAP online and apply today.


Re-balancing the civil-military dialogue toward the humanitarian side
Gloria Martinez
28 March 2013
Working in civil-military affairs for the humanitarian sector, I have come to witness the progress that has been made in the way donors approach peace and stability operations. We often refer to the politicization of foreign policy and aid and there is also, arguably, a process of militarization...
Private security companies: Regulation efforts, professional identities, and effects on humanitarian NGOs
Kateri Carmola
7 March 2013
The rise of private military and security companies (PMSCs) in conflict zones and humanitarian spaces worldwide has had profound effects on how humanitarian work is conducted. As providers of the entire spectrum from unarmed security and risk reduction services to different kinds of armed services...
Autonomous weapons: Potential advantages for the respect of international humanitarian law
Marco Sassòli
2 March 2013
Autonomous weapons are able to decide whether, against whom, and how to apply deadly force based on a pre-established computer program. “Intelligent weapons”, in addition, may even be able to learn from past experience. These weapons do not base the use of force on ad hoc human decisions. I argue...
Women in humanitarian action
Kate Sutton
1 February 2013
This is not an article about gender – it is an article about women. We know that women and girls are affected by disasters and conflict differently from men and boys, and that despite this knowledge humanitarian responses frequently fail to consider their needs in assessments and programming. We...
Syria’s refugee crisis: The unseen end of the tunnel
Elie Abouaoun
24 January 2013
Syria has been in turmoil since early 2011. However, the escalation witnessed in the last weeks indicates a change in the nature of the military actions, with considerable and overt implications for civilians. Not only is the geographical area affected by the conflict larger now, but also more...