Humanitarian Workers and Practitioners, Between Humanity and Professionalism
By Yuniarti Wahyuningtyas
For some people that know me well, I am not a typical kind of person who stay working in the same organization for quite some time, instead I keep changing organizations and designations. For others, they might think "she did not get satisfying salary and benefit or she probably involved in internal conflict and unable to cope with the working environment"...Well, they can judge and preassume a lot things about me, but 1 thing for sure and I would like to highlight about this "I keep my idealism high by trying to avoid into conflicts, personal interest and try to do my very best to keep honesty as part of works".
Working in Humanitarian Sector is definately temptating for most people, imigine how much salary and benefit that they receive, also opportunity for self development, travel outside province or oversea, also a lot doors of happiness and joy are open for them through career development that they build years. But honestly speaking, I notice that more and more of these humanitarian workers or practitioners start to lose their humanity, instead they hide behind the term of "professionalism" to gain more and more money for their own pockets. Even there was a time when 1 of these workers and/or practitioners taught me how to play or game the system or literary speaking abusing the power or authorities to benefit the others in order to secure our jobs or position and also smoothing the project. Or in other word, using criminology term it refers to Fraud or Manipulation.I would say that it was actually shocking me realizing how actually people in line of my work can become so greedy sometimes. Even, this person also explained that it is a professional thing to do paying for other INGOs or UNs workers for their skills and knowledge contribution instead of having the same efforts to build the vision and mission to improve the capacity, reduce risks and other objectives that we, as part of the humanitarian agencies want to achieve them for our beneficieries or in the name of people safety and welfare.
As time goes by and I have the opportunity to extend my network and socialize with different groups, I realize that person, is not the only deviant that exist in humanitarian sector, many people are considered as the new players begin to destruct the humanitarian system and even violate the code of conduct, for instance gaining members support to support the existing party with hidden for the sake of improving the government political concern in one of development sector initiatives. For some people who came from local community development root, where they build their career from a very lower level, it does really frustating and somehow immediate change your perception about the means of humanitarianism. If we look into the definition of humanitarianism, as I quote "it is an ethic of kindness, benevolance and sympathy extended universally and imparsially to all human beings", which by all means that these acts should be applied by all humanitarian actors, include workers and practitioners without questioning about what would they get as in return.
Universally, the humanitarianism began in between 18 to 19 centuries, when it main objectives were to improve the condition of labor and protection againts slavery, also to provide medical services for the wounded soldiers and people who were affected by war. These objectives were then developed to put more attention to development issues and social welfare, such as poverty, food insecurity, education, water and sanitation, and disasters. Moreover, humanitarian was no longer government business instead it becomes everyone business. Starting from the establishment of Red Cross to Voluntary Movement, more people engage and contribute in improving the work of humanitarian sector.Historical record shows that at least there were 9 global events that shaped humanitarian sector, which were: The Battle of Solferino (1859), The World War II (1945), The Biafran Airlift (1967), The Euthopian Famine and Sudanese War (1983), The Rwanda Genocide (1994), The Canal Hotel Bombing (2003), The Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004), and The Haiti Earthquake (2010). Within these period of time, the first 3 humanitarian agencies established; Red Cross, CARE, and MSF, which then triggered the establishment of other humanitariab agencies.
By understanding the basic concept of humanitarianism and its historical timeline above, humanitarian agencies began to establish across the countries all around the world, particularly in Europe in order to deliver the humanitarian service accordingly and for better management of the aid relief itself. Some agencies are born through volunteering group of people that gather their money and provide social servica based on each of individual capacity, skill and knowledge. Other agencies came from a philantrophy group or charity foundation.In those days, we hardly recognize the people as humanitarian workers or practitioners or even professionals. Most of them consider them as volunteers or social or charity workers, some of the humanitarian actors pioneer, such as Henry Dunant, Florence Nightingale, and Mahatma Gandhi.these are referring to persons who are freely take part in organization to do some tasks without paid. In someways, the concept of humanitarian worker is shifted when organizationsrt to offer them some fees for their meals and transportation.
Due to the high demand for volunteers or social or charity workers and limited number of people that were able to share their time for social humanitarian activities due to their priorities of works and occupations, the organizations began to look for fully committed personel that enable to spend most of their time to deliver the social services and the organization's asks to meet with the output that was identified at that time was to serve more people or target groups, by alleviating their suffering and fulfilling their basic needs and protecting their rights.Right now, humanitarian workers are easy to find across the countries, yet not all have a good qualification and morality as humanitarian actors or practitioners. Some of them work for helping others and passionate with the concept of humanity and voluntarism, and most of them only work to pursue the high salary, good image and chances to travel around countries. If people ask to me, what would be the qualifications that are required by someone to work as humanitarian workers? I would say; sincerity, passion, honesty, and commitment. By sincere in doing the humanitarian works, all burden and obstacle can be managed. Through our passion, we can trigger others to do kindness. Honesty can set us as an example to others to avoid potential crimes, and commitment can be our strength in receiving supports from others.
As I have worked with many people across agencies, I notice that some people in humanitarian sector have lost their moral and humanity, I have heard many of them complaining about their salary, benefit and feeling insecure with their contract work. I understand that they earn their living by working in humanitarian organizations or agencies, like myself, but still it is not a justification for them to be greedy, cheat or imposter. If only they realize that what they are doing by helping others is a noble and graceful thing to do for the sake of humanity. Eventually God will protects them and their family and ahow them the way to goodness, without no more complaining regarding to their works. Hence, I remember in St Angela Merici'footsteps " Take a look around you. Instead of just driving or walking without paying attention today, open your eyes to the needs you see along the way. What people do you notice who need help but who are not being helped?what are their true needs?make a commitment to help them in some way". In the end, I hope for those humanitarian workers out there to have more dignity to their self and people that they assist, without selling the misery, tears and suffers of these people for their own benefit.
Due to the high demand for volunteers or social or charity workers and limited number of people that were able to share their time for social humanitarian activities due to their priorities of works and occupations, the organizations began to look for fully committed personel that enable to spend most of their time to deliver the social services and the organization's asks to meet with the output that was identified at that time was to serve more people or target groups, by alleviating their suffering and fulfilling their basic needs and protecting their rights.Right now, humanitarian workers are easy to find across the countries, yet not all have a good qualification and morality as humanitarian actors or practitioners. Some of them work for helping others and passionate with the concept of humanity and voluntarism, and most of them only work to pursue the high salary, good image and chances to travel around countries. If people ask to me, what would be the qualifications that are required by someone to work as humanitarian workers? I would say; sincerity, passion, honesty, and commitment. By sincere in doing the humanitarian works, all burden and obstacle can be managed. Through our passion, we can trigger others to do kindness. Honesty can set us as an example to others to avoid potential crimes, and commitment can be our strength in receiving supports from others.
As I have worked with many people across agencies, I notice that some people in humanitarian sector have lost their moral and humanity, I have heard many of them complaining about their salary, benefit and feeling insecure with their contract work. I understand that they earn their living by working in humanitarian organizations or agencies, like myself, but still it is not a justification for them to be greedy, cheat or imposter. If only they realize that what they are doing by helping others is a noble and graceful thing to do for the sake of humanity. Eventually God will protects them and their family and ahow them the way to goodness, without no more complaining regarding to their works. Hence, I remember in St Angela Merici'footsteps " Take a look around you. Instead of just driving or walking without paying attention today, open your eyes to the needs you see along the way. What people do you notice who need help but who are not being helped?what are their true needs?make a commitment to help them in some way". In the end, I hope for those humanitarian workers out there to have more dignity to their self and people that they assist, without selling the misery, tears and suffers of these people for their own benefit.
