| Part of Speech | Definition | |
| Noun Plural | 1. Plural inflection of the noun humanitarian.[Eve - graph theoretic] | |
| Adverb Base (humanitarianly) | 1. Rarely used adverbial inflection of the adjective humanitarian.[Eve - graph theoretic] | |
| Noun Base (humanitarian) | 1. Someone devoted to the promotion of human welfare and to social reforms.[Wordnet]. 2. An advocate of the principles of humanism; someone concerned with the interests and welfare of humans.[Wordnet]. 3. One who denies the divinity of Christ, and believes him to have been merely human.[Websters]. 4. One who limits the sphere of duties to human relations and affections, to the exclusion or disparagement of the religious or spiritual.[Websters]. 5. One who is actively concerned in promoting the welfare of his kind; a philanthropist.[Websters]. | |
Sources: compiled from various sources, (under license) copyright 2008. | Top | |
Date "HUMANITARIANS" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1866. (references) |
Specialty Definition: HUMANITARIANS
| Domain | Definition | ||
| Literature | Humanitarians Those who believe that Jesus Christ was only man. The disciples of St. Simon are so called also, because they maintain the perfectibility of human nature without the aid of grace. Source: Brewer's Dictionary. | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
Common Expressions: humanitarian
| Expressions | Definition | ||
| Attacks on humanitarian workers | Humanitarian aid workers belonging to UN organisations, PVOs / NGOs or the Red Cross / Red Crescent have traditionally enjoyed both international legal protection, and de facto immunity from attack by belligerent parties. However, attacks on humanitarian workers have occasionally occurred, and became more frequent in the 1990s and 2000s. This is attributed to a number of factors, including the increasing number of humanitarian workers deployed, the increasingly unstable environments in which they work, and the erosion of the perception of neutrality and independence. (references) | ||
| Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award | The Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award is an award presented annually by Africare to recognize those whose work has made a significant impact on raising the standard of living in Africa. The award is named after John T. Walker, former Episcopal Bishop of Washington and Africare board member. (references) | ||
| Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs | The Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs (CSDHA) was the division of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), responsible for coordination of all issues related social policy within the United Nations system. It was based at the UN Office in Vienna, Austria (UNOV) until the 1990s. (references) | ||
| Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize | The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize is the largest humanitarian award in the world. It is equal in monetary value to the Nobel Prize. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian aid | Humanitarian aid is assistance given to people in distress by individuals, organisations, or governments to relieve suffering. The term often carries an international connotation, but this is not always the case. Many full time, professional humanitarian aid organisations exist, both within government (USAID, DFID, ECHO), and as private voluntary organizations (or non-governmental organisations, e.g. Oxfam, CAFOD, Mercy Corps). The International Committee of the Red Cross is unique in being mandated by international treaty to uphold the Geneva Conventions. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian crisis | A humanitarian crisis or (in the language of history) a humanitarian disaster is a health or otherwise natural disaster which mortally threatens a very large number of people. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian interference | The idea of humanitarian interference appeared during the Biafran War (1967-1970). The conflict lead to a famine which caused great suffering, widely covered in western press outlets but totally ignored by government leaders in the name of neutrality and non-interference. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian perspective | The humanistic perspective is part of 5 different approaches to psychology. These are: behaviorism -which concentrates on the understanding of groups and seeing society as one- there is the cognitive perspective which compares the human mind to a computer, also we have the biological approach, a study of the brain, and lastly there is the learning theory approach emphasizing on the importance of nurture. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake | The humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was prompted by one of the worst natural disasters of modern times. On 26 December the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, struck off the northwest coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, spawned a tsunami that wreaked havoc along much of the rim of the Indian Ocean. Particularly hard-hit were the countries of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Over 280,000 people were killed, tens of thousands more were injured and over one million were made homeless. (references) | ||
| Humanitarian Service Medal | The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was created in 1977 by order of President Gerald Ford. The medal is awarded to any member of the United States military (including Reserve and National Guard members) who distinguish themselves by meritorious participation in specified military acts or operations of a humanitarian nature. (references) | ||
| International Humanitarian Law | International Humanitarian Law (IHL), also known as the law of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus "comprised of the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Regulations, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." [http://www.ihlresearch.org/ihl/ihl_info.php] It defines the conduct and responsibilities of belligerent nations, neutral nations and individuals engaged in warfare, in relation to each other and to protected persons, usually meaning civilians. (references) | ||
| Iraqi Council for Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organisations | The Iraqi Council for Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organisations is one of the electoral coalitions that participated in the January 30, 2005 National Assembly legislative election in Iraq. Their leader was Jabbar Me'taff Hassoon. (references) | ||
| LDS Humanitarian Services | LDS Humanitarian Services is part of the LDS Foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The organization's humanitarian aims are to aid impoverished families worldwide in becoming self-reliant, healthy, and educated as well as provide aid in emergency situations caused by wars or natural disasters. (references) | ||
| Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs | The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is a organisation under the United Nations which was formed in December 1991 with the General Assembly Resolution 46/182. The resolution was designed to strengthen the UN response to complex emergencies and natural disasters by creating the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA), and replaced the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator, which had been formed in 1972. OCHA was the result of the 1998 reorganisation the DHA and was designed as the UN focal point on major disasters. The OCHA mandate was expanded to include the coordination of humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy. (references) | ||
| Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator | The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator is a high level position in the United Nations that heads the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The title Emergency Relief Coordinator was created by UN resolution on December 1991 to coordinate the efforts of the special representatives of the United Nations Secretary-General to complex, man-made emergencies and the tasks of the UN Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO), who handles natural disasters. Shortly thereafter the Secretary-General gave the Emergency Relief Coordinator the status of Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs and the corresponding administrative support. The position is sometimes erroneously called the Coordinator of Humanitarian Affairs. (references) | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
Specialty Expressions: humanitarian
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| European Community Humanitarian Office | Law | A temporary shipping insurance branch located at Lorient (France). Source: European Union. (references) | |
| Humanitarian and civic assistance | Military | (DOD) Assistance to the local populace provided by predominantly US forces in conjunction with military operations and exercises. This assistance is specifically authorized by title 10, United States Code, section 401, and funded under separate authorities. Assistance provided under these provisions is limited to (1) medical, dental, and veterinary care provided in rural areas of a country; (2) construction of rudimentary surface transportation systems; (3) well drilling and construction of basic sanitation facilities; and (4) rudimentary construction and repair of public facilities. Assistance must fulfill unit training requirements that incidentally create humanitarian benefit to the local populace. Also called HCA. See also foreign humanitarian assistance. (references) | |
| Humanitarian and civil affairs | Business | Assistance to the local populace provided by predominantly US forces in conjunction with military operations and exercises. (references) | |
| Humanitarian Assistance (HA) Projects | Administration | In FY 96 the Department of Defense began using the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA) funds to fund the deployment of U.S. military teams for specifically humanitarian projects. The program has been expanded to include the use of contractors, under some form of DoD oversight, in cases, which the deployment of U.S. military personnel is not operationally feasible, or politically advisable. Projects include refurbishing medical facilities, constructing school buildings, digging wells, improving medical facilities, and training host-country personnel in refugee repatriation operations. Humanitarian Assistance projects funded by OHDACA must be "stand-alone" or be unconnected to military exercises and benefit the host-nation civilian population. (references) | |
| Humanitarian assistance coordination center | Military | (DOD) A temporary center established by a geographic combatant commander to assist with interagency coordination and planning. A humanitarian assistance coordination center operates during the early planning and coordination stages of foreign humanitarian assistance operations by providing the link between the geographic combatant commander and other United States Government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international and regional organizations at the strategic level. Also called HACC. See also foreign humanitarian assistance; interagency coordination. (references) | |
| Humanitarian Assistance Program-Excess Property (HAP-EP) | Administration | This program provides non-lethal DoD excess property such as medical equipment and supplies, construction equipment, trucks and other vehicles, school supplies, tents, blankets and clothing to promote democratic development, avert humanitarian crises and help countries recover from conflict. Program property must be serviceable without limitations or with minor limitations only. The Department of Defense transports the excess property using either the Funded Transportation Program or space-available shipment under the Denton Amendment. (references) | |
| Humanitarian Civic Action (HCA) | Administration | This program is similar to the HA program above, but it is funded by the Department of Defense operations and maintenance (O&M) account. While both programs assist the host-nation and serve broader DoD interests, HCA projects are conducted in conjunction with planned exercises, while OHDACA-funded projects are separate from U.S. military exercises. For HCA projects, the humanitarian benefits are secondary to the training benefits to both U.S. and host-nation forces, while for OHDACA projects, humanitarian benefits are paramount. (references) | |
| Humanitarian Demining | Administration | The objective of this program, funded by the Department of State and conducted by Department of Defense personnel (Special Forces), is to remove landmines that are interfering with civilian commerce, civilian movement and civilian safety. United States personnel do not physically remove landmines, but assist the recipient nation in developing its own local and regional capacity to remove mines and develop a training program. Nations that desire to participate in this program must demonstrate need to United States Embassy representatives. If the Department of State approves participation, United States regional military commands coordinate with the recipient nation to provide the trainers and equipment. (references) | |
| Humanitarian demining | Military | (DOD) Department of Defense and Department of State program to promote the foreign policy interests of the United States by assisting other nations in protecting their populations from landmines and clearing land of the threat posed by landmines remaining after conflict has ended. The humanitarian demining program includes training of host nation deminers, establishment of national demining organizations, provision of demining equipment, mine awareness training, and research development. (references) | |
| Humanitarian operations center | Military | (DOD) An interagency policymaking body that coordinates the overall relief strategy and unity of effort among all participants in a large foreign humanitarian assistance operation. It normally is established under the direction of the government of the affected country or the United Nations, or a United States Government agency during a United States unilateral operation. The humanitarian operations center should consist of representatives from the affected country, the United States Embassy or Consulate, the joint force, the United Nations, nongovernmental and international organizations, and other major players in the operation. Also called HOC. See also operation. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
