Warning:  This is a long read at 3900 words and with numerous hyperlinks.   “It seems obvious that relevance should be a basic test of humanitarian assistance. If people don’t receive what they really need in a crisis, something is going wrong.”  —Sophia Swithern, Background paper for #alnap32   The relevance question Thoughts on being a more ‘relevant’ as a humanitarian worker Being a humanitarian worker frequently involves navigating between many cultures all while responding to the needs of people experiencing some form of extreme crisis. It is tough work, in part because dealing with ‘other’ people demands intellectual and emotional effort focused on the critical goal of maintaining relevance. Critical questions related to relevance include: Are my actions appropriate, ethical, and addressing the real needs of the affected communities? Are the actions of my organization appropriate, ethical, and addressing the real needs of the affected communities? Are the actions of the … Continue reading The relevance question