In this episode of 'A Matter of Priorities,' as the sector as a whole looks at a 'humanitarian reset,' our host Alice Obrecht delves into the definition of a humanitarian need with Hugo Slim and how these boundaries might be redefined.

The episode features insights from Hugo Slim, a senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, who discusses the need to redefine humanitarian needs through six theoretical approaches and three core questions that agencies should address.

The conversation further explores the ethical dilemmas of prioritising short-term emergency aid over long-term recovery efforts, with practical examples such as displacement scenarios in South Sudan. The discussion underscores a shift towards focusing on vital interests and necessary programming over broader, optimal life improvements to better address urgent humanitarian crises.

Guests:
Katie Rickard, Impact Initiatives
Hugo Slim, Senior Research Fellow at the Las Casas Institute for Social Justice at Blackfriars Hall at the University of Oxford.

Hosts:
Alice Obrecht, Head of Research & Impact, ALNAP

Resources

How should we define and prioritise humanitarian need? An ethics-based perspective for impact initiatives

ALNAP’s A Matter of Priorities: a podcast on tough choices in humanitarian funding

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