final Flashcards
The case study below highlights emergency response gaps and challenges in Yemen documented by Doctors without Borders in 2013. Read the case study and select three drivers of emergency response gaps from the options provided.
In late 2014, ongoing conflict between the Houthis and the Government of President Hadi left the Houthis in control of the capital, Sana’a, and Hadi resigning as president. To rescue the Hadi Government, a Saudi-led coalition of nine other Arab countries began air strikes on 25 March 2015. Most agencies (other than the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders) left in March 2015 after the UN decision to evacuate, only starting to return in June of the same year, failing to provide the appropriate humanitarian assistance at a critical time. Upon their return, the heavy dependency of International NGOs on the UN evacuations and security assessment mechanisms made them also dependent upon the UN for security management and risk analysis. The UN’s acceptance of Saudi funding for the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) caused controversy among humanitarian actors as it was seen to indicate political manipulation of the aid effort. The lack of strong and consistent Western pressure has given Saudi Arabia a free hand in its prosecution of the war. Overall, underfunding was not an issue in 2015 as a result of the donation from Saudi Arabia to the Yemen HRP.
Question options:
A) Lack of expertise and capacity in security management
B) Overstretched humanitarian sector
C)Insecurity
D) Competition among humanitarian actors
E) Lack of humanitarian assistance at a critical time.
F) Financial gaps
G) Dilution of humanitarian principles
C) Insecurity
A) Lack of expertise and capacity in security management
G) Dilution of humanitarian principles
The case study below highlights emergency response gaps and challenges in Niger documented by Doctors without Borders in 2015-2016. Read the case study and select three drivers of emergency response gaps from the options provided. Niger is characterised by chronic malnutrition, food insecurity, poor access to health services and displacements.
In May 2013, following a series of Boko Haram (BH) attacks, the Government in neighbouring Nigeria declared a state of emergency and launched a military offensive in three states in northeast Nigeria, including in Yobe and Borno, which borders Niger. As a direct result of this violence and further BH attacks, waves of displaced people began crossing the border into Niger. At the same time, many humanitarian organisations began to evacuate as a result of security concerns. The subsequent military counter-measures by the army of Niger left the area off limits to humanitarian responders. By the end of 2015, there were over 230,000 displaced people in Diffa state, including refugees, Nigerien returnees and Internally Displaced persons. Unlike other conflict-related emergencies, the crisis in Niger occurred in the context of a well-established but overwhelmed international aid infrastructure that was already delivering development and humanitarian programmes in Niger. There was a strong push for localised aid despite the widespread opinion across the humanitarian community that local actors in Niger did not have the capacity to manage emergency response work, despite decades of humanitarian assistance in the country and capacity-building initiatives. In spite of the acuteness of the crisis, there was continued pressure for International NGOs to engage in capacity-building partnerships from the Government.
Question options:
A) Insecurity
B) Lack of capacity and expertise
C) Overstretched humanitarian sector
D) Financial gaps
E) Competition among humanitarian actors
F) Lack of humanitarian aid at the right time
A) Insecurity
B) Lack of capacity and expertise
C) Overstretched humanitarian sector
Which of the following focuses on the consequences of disease interaction and the social, environmental, or economic factors that cluster with the diseases and shape their interaction
Question options:
a) Syndemics
b) Social agent
c) Social epidemics
d) Technological agent
a) Syndemics
During crisis, the population reached by assistance is often greater than the population affected by the crises.
Question options:
True
False
False
To make more palatable its military campaign against al-Qa’ida and its Taliban supporters in Afghanistan, the US sought to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of the people of Afghanistan and of the Islamic world initially by airlifting food packets into the country to stave off impending starvation. It was a public relations ploy, but it resulted in 2.5 million readymade meals being dropped into remote communities. For much of the humanitarian community and some local communities, however, this ‘dropping of food and dropping of bombs at the same time’ constituted a major deviation from humanitarian principles. The food aid was rejected by some local communities because of this. Further, two humanitarian NGOs performed a variety of functions including relief efforts, conflict mediation, and implementing development projects. These NGOs received funding from the US government.
The actions of the two humanitarian NGOs compromised which of the following principles of humanitarian action?
Question options:
a) Neutrality
b) Independence
c) Humanity
d) Impartiality
b
In country A, restrictions on free movement of people were strictly used for the purposes of slowing down disease transmission during COVID-19 and were proportionate to the level of risk. In country B, the government refused to grant permission to law enforcement agencies who wanted to reuse health data and information from the official COVID tracking app on people’s phones to track illegal migrants. In country C, emergency powers that allowed the government to spend money without parliamentary authorisation are expected to continue for five years after the COVID-19 pandemic. In country D, the government intends to keep and use blood samples collected during COVID-19 for another scientific research purposes.
Select the countries that engaged in the most inappropriate governance practice during the pandemic
Question options:
a) Country A
b) Country B
c) Country C
d) Country D
c) Country C
d) Country D
The application of the precautionary principle during a pandemic should be….
(Select all applicable options)
Question options:
a) not be based on the examination of potential benefits and costs of action or lack of action
b) non-discriminatory
c) subject to review as new evidence becomes available
b) non-discriminatory
c) subject to review as new evidence becomes available
Which of the following is not an example of social epidemic
Question options:
a) Obesity
b) Malaria
c) Opioid addiction
d) Suicide
b) Malaria
Common Source Epidemics include all the following except
Question options:
a) point source
b) continuous
c) intermittent
d) none of the above
d) none of the above
As the risk of transmission or fatality increases during a pandemic, the evidentiary threshold (i.e. the level and/amount of scientific evidence needed) for taking precautions or preventive measures is likely to
Question options:
a) Reduce
b) Increase
c) Remain
a) Reduce
During an emergency, the chief medical officer of province X argued that the premier does not require complete evidence of the efficacy of mandatory physical distancing or closure of provincial borders before implementing such measures. This argument is largely based on …
Question options:
a) the precautionary principle
b) concurrent epidemics
c) civil libertarianism
d) utilitarian values
a) the precautionary principle
HLTH 350 is an international NGO that leads humanitarian response during a civil conflict between government forces and rebels that support the opposition party in country X. HLTH engages in several actions that violate the principles of humanitarian action discussed in class. Select the most appropriate principle of humanitarian action violated by HLTH 350 in the scenario “While leading humanitarian response in country X, the country’s government tables a bill in parliament to prohibit state media from covering political events of the main opposition party. Because of HLTH 350 commitment to freedom of expression and assembly, it decides to challenge the constitutionality of the prohibition at the local court.” The action of HLTH violate which of the following principles of humanitarian action?
1. Independence
2. Impartiality
3. Humanity
4. Neutrality
- Impartiality
neutrality
impartiality
independence
HLTH 350 is an international NGO that leads humanitarian response during a civil conflict between government forces and rebels that support the opposition party in country X. HLTH engages in several actions that violate the principles of humanitarian action discussed in class. Select the most appropriate principle of humanitarian action violated by HLTH 350 in the scenario “Though the need for humanitarian assistance is greatest in the northern part of the country, most of the food aid and other items distributed by HLTH350 went to the southern part of the country. This is because HLTH 350 is a religious charity and most of the people in the southern part affiliate with HLTH350’s religious beliefs.” The action of HLTH violate which of the following principles of humanitarian action?
1. Independence
2. Impartiality
3. Humanity
4. Neutrality
- Impartiality
HLTH 350 is an international NGO that leads humanitarian response during a civil conflict between government forces and rebels that support the opposition party in country X. HLTH engages in several actions that violate the principles of humanitarian action discussed in class. Select the most appropriate principle of humanitarian action violated by HLTH 350 in the scenario “HLTH350 decides to accept financial donation from country Z, an interested party in the conflict. People believe Country Z is an interested party in the conflict because it actually donated vehicles to the opposition rebels.” The action of HLTH violate which of the following principles of humanitarian action?
1. Independence
2. Impartiality
3. Humanity
4. Neutrality
- Independence
