Unlocking access to people in conflict
Having been an MSF project co-ordinator in several conflict areas, Karsten Noko understands implicitly that demonstrating through our actions the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality enables us to access the people who need care the most. Here, he explains why.
Photo: © Cornel Van Heerden
In a conflict, you have to imagine warring parties with certain interests. When MSF arrives, the majority of people involved have picked a side. There’s pressure to be either for or against someone, but MSF tries to be independent of any interests and remain neutral.
We’re aware that people are fighting, but we are literally saying we don't care about any of those things that you're fighting for. Our priority is to assess medical needs and to respond to people who are most vulnerable. And that's when impartiality kicks in, because we also don't care who this person is or what they believe, if they need assistance, we’ll help them.
It’s extremely difficult because you become an exception to the rule. People struggle to believe that you don’t have some sort of vested interest. Which brings us to independence. One of the most popular questions we receive is, “Where do you get your money from?” MSF is financially independent and does not take money from governments for our work in conflict settings, which means that we don't have to convince someone to give us money for an intervention. This also allows us to be extremely reactive to evolving situations and medical needs, and we can be impartial with our care because of our independence.
These principles help us gain access to difficult areas, but once you do, the principles become even more important because you have to show that you abide by them and retain trust.For me, this is what is at the core of humanitarian assistance, and it is essential because we do more than provide life-saving care.
“What we do is restore the ability of people to cope with their problems and their lives. What is most important is not just delivering paracetamol to treat pain but helping people make sense of what just happened.”
When you seek care you find someone from MSF who will listen to you and take time to understand what happened to you, ask what happened to the rest of your family. It is these questions that help to restore the humanity of people. It’s an act of solidarity.
Karsten Noko is from Zimbabwe and has worked for MSF in Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Nigeria
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