We are committed to the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality. We remain independent from political, economic, military or other non-humanitarian objectives, and abstain from taking sides in hostilities or engaging in political, religious, racial or ideological debates and controversies. Our goal is to alleviate and prevent continuous suffering where we work, to protect life and to ensure respect for people. We develop and implement programmes without discrimination, give priority to the most urgent needs, and avoid exposing people to further harm.

We are a rights-based organization that recognizes the universality of human rights and are committed to non-discrimination in all aspects of humanitarian work. We recognize individuals as rights holders with legal entitlements to protection and assistance. We encourage actors with responsibility – duty bearers – to respect and protect the rights of displaced and vulnerable people as set out in domestic and international law. Recognizing that we cannot assist all individuals, our programme interventions prioritize those most in need, in proportion to their vulnerabilities and capacities.

A commitment to protection is at the core of our mission and underlies all our activities. We reduce the risk of harm and rights abuses – such as violence, coercion, exploitation and deliberate deprivation and neglect – and we actively promote the rights of people affected by displacement. We integrate protection principles, objectives, and approaches across all HRO programmes and core competencies, at every stage of our interventions.