Devan Moore

3/10/20

There are many common misconceptions about humanitarian work in the world.
Many of these stem from modern media and stereotypes. While the notebook prompt
guides to search out other forms of research I found that just focusing on the
misconceptions of humanitarian work will be far more impactful toward my target
audience. Here are a couple misconceptions I would like to directly address; “If
humanitarian aid were effective, the problem would go away.” This is untrue due to
the fact that most poverty stricken countries and communities are facing extreme
negative political situations. So the simple act of humanitarian work will not instantly
solve those problems, while they can have a positive impact and example on the
community, at the end of the day those political problems will still exist. “Aid
organisations exist to… help build people’s resilience and reduce vulnerability.
Humanitarian aid does not solve the crisis but we can bring hope and show people that
they are not alone during an incredibly challenging time” (Verboom, 2019).

A second misconception I would like to address is, “Media and politics

determine who receives help.” Many people believe that humanitarian work is just a
feeble attempt at raising fame and fortune, when, in reality, this is a pitiful and blatant
lie, as well as a direct insult to the people trying their hardest to help other people. To
add another layer onto this misconception it is important to understand that some media
and politics can and do influence the humanitarian effort, however it does not
determine. “Many institutional donors—including the EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian
Aid (ECHO)—have made commitments to identify and fund “hidden” or less mediatised
emergencies. These commitments are an important step in the right direction to
reaching more people in need in remote and isolated areas” (Verboom, 2019) The press
and politics help these organizations gain a broader view of the bigger picture yet the
efforts are not directly determined by said platforms.

The final misconception and the one that directly focuses on my issue is, “Aid
just makes developing countries dependent on handouts.” This all stems from the
organization itself, and honestly, one of the biggest misconceptions about humanitarian
work out there. While this is hard for me to explain, the website, “Giving what we can,”
states it perfectly; “It is true that, for example, donating large quantities of food can
make it unprofitable to farm locally. However, many types of intervention simply do not
cause this sort of problem and have overwhelmingly positive effects. For example:
● The distribution of drugs to fight neglected tropical diseases not only improves health,
but leads to greater levels of education and wealth.
● Project Healthy Children helps governments to fortify staple foods with
micronutrients. Once the standards and processes are set up, there is no need for
any continued ‘handouts’.

This is an issue which we take into account in assessing charities, to ensure that the
ones we recommend improve lives in a sustainable and non-exploitative way”
(givingwhatwecan.org, 2020). This is something many humanitarian aid efforts are
perfectly aware of and are continually fighting to lay to rest.

As you can see, there are many false misconceptions about humanitarian work.
This is my social issue, I want to fight these stereotypes and work to lay all of the lies to
rest. The majority of humanitarian efforts that exist, strive to help others in third world
countries going through some sort of crises.

Works Cited:

Verboom, D. (2019, November 28). 7 Misconceptions About Humanitarian Aid - World.

Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/world/7-misconceptions-about-humanitarian-
aid
Myths About Aid and Charity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/get-
involved/myths-about-aid/#myth-6-aid-just-makes-developing-countries-dependent-on-
handouts