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	Protection of Humanitarian Action: On Speaking Out by Harvard Humanitarian Initiative   Deliberate violence against humanitarian practitioners and operations poses an increasingly critical challenge to the humanitarian sector as humanitarian needs continue to grow in many regions of the world.   While maintaining access to populations in need, engaging with communities, and delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance, organizations must also take care to protect the safety and security of their staff, and to prevent and mitigate instances of targeted violence.   When attacks do occur, however, humanitarian practitioners and organizations often face a difficult tension between the inclination to condemn these violations on the one hand, and the imperative to protect staff and maintain operations and access to affected populations, on the other.   For some agencies, advocacy and denunciation provide a central component of work, of testimony and bearing witness. For others, advocacy and campaigning may represent a risk to operations, to ensuring access, or to maintaining critical relationships on the ground.   In this context, we speak with practitioners about the risks and rewards of speaking out against targeted attacks, versus not doing so, and how to better equip organizations and professionals to make such difficult decisions.   What hinders organizations from engaging in advocacy efforts on the protection of humanitarian action? What does appropriate and effective advocacy look like? What are the risks and rewards of speaking out when attacks on aid workers occur? How can humanitarian organizations balance between speaking out against attacks, and protecting affected persons and programs? Besides affected organizations, who else can or should advocate on behalf of the humanitarian community? What is the most appropriate or effective means of reasserting the protection of humanitarian action, whether individually or collectively?   Listen to Pauline Chetcuti, Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Policy, Action Contre La Faim (ACF) - France; Diederik Lohman, Acting Director, Health and Human Rights Division, Human Rights Watch, and Gareth Price-Jones, Senior Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, CARE International discuss thir experiences. Visit the related web page
	Leaders must reject politics of fear and division by Amnesty International, Oxfam, agencies   January 2017   As political and business leaders gather at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, the heads of six of the world’s largest campaigning organizations have called on them to immediately and urgently repudiate narratives of fear, division and blame, and recommit themselves to working together towards a free, just, sustainable and equitable world.   In a joint statement released days before Donald Trump is inaugurated as President of the United States, the leaders of Amnesty International, Avaaz, Greenpeace International, International Trade Union Confederation, Oxfam International, and Transparency International have strongly condemned the new climate of permissiveness for hate crimes and discrimination which has arisen in numerous countries. They stressed that those who peddle the politics of fear and scapegoating are offering the wrong remedies to social and economic grievances.   The statement signed by, among others, Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International, reads:   At a time when justice and human rights face a deeply uncertain future in so many parts of the world, we, the undersigned heads of some of the world''s major campaigning organisations, call on world leaders immediately and urgently to repudiate narratives of fear, division and blame and recommit themselves unambiguously to working together towards a free, just, sustainable and equitable world.   We strongly condemn the growing use of hate speech and deeply irresponsible casting of collective blame onto minority groups for real or perceived social and economic ills. The new climate of permissiveness for hate crimes and discrimination which has arisen in numerous countries is deeply alarming, and needs to be tackled urgently and deliberately.   At the same time, we recognise that self-styled "anti-establishment" or "populist" politicians and leaders have tapped into a deep sense of disillusionment among people which is often rooted in social and economic grievances and anger over gaping inequality, massive corruption, the decent work deficit, impunity, and the unaccountable exercise of power.   However, we believe that those who peddle the politics of fear and scapegoating have offered absolutely the wrong remedies to these grievous ills.   The solutions lie instead in policies which seek to ensure social justice, accountability, transparency, decent work, and the fulfilment of all human rights, including economic, social, labour, and environmental rights.   We also protest strongly at the trend whereby countless organisations and individuals working for justice and human rights face a constant barrage of criticism, threats and violence, which for some has been a matter of life and death, with little or no redress. This is abhorrent and must be brought to an end.   As hundreds of the most influential political and economic leaders of the world gather at Davos this week, our message to world leaders who do not respect human rights is clear: our organisations and the millions of people who stand behind us and the wider movement for human rights and social justice are watching you. We will resist any unjust action every step of the way and make sure you are held to account. http://bit.ly/2iPm4Q8   * WEF: Human Rights in a Multipolar World (External link): http://bit.ly/2jUAfQ6   The Global Economy is Broken. (Oxfam)   Eight billionaires own the same wealth as half the world’s population. That’s right – eight individuals own as much as the poorest 3.6 billion people. Meanwhile, every day 1 in 9 people go to bed hungry.   Such extreme inequality is outrageous. Families living in poverty around the world are forced to suffer impossibly low wages, inhumane working conditions, and a total lack of even the most basic public services like water, education and healthcare. Governments are doing too little to help. And all the while, the usual suspects make billions from a system bent in their favour.   It doesn’t have to be this way. We can choose another future. A future where governments act to help everyone, where people are put before profits, and everyone is given a fair chance. We can help end poverty, and the rich and powerful need to play their part. Send billionaires a message: help build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.   http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases/2017-01-16/just-8-men-own-same-wealth-half-world http://actions.oxfam.org/international/davos-international/petition/ http://www.oxfam.org/en/research/making-tax-vanish http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/16-12-16-worlds-worst-tax-havens-are-state-denial http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/16-09-07-tax-justice-are-victims-inequality-global-table http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/17-02-21-its-not-really-about-oxfams-shocking-inequality-stat-is-it http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blogs/1859 Visit the related web page
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