Detrimental Impacts: How counter-terror measures impede humanitarian action

Humanitarian organizations navigate a complex web of laws, policies, funding requirements, and enforcement mechanisms. Whether unintended or not, global counter-terror (C.T.) efforts create real barriers and consequences for humanitarian action. These range from criminal charges incurred by aid workers and organizations if they try to deliver life-saving assistance; to donor governments limiting which organizations can operate where; to suspended contracts and punitive fees with strict zero-tolerance provisions.

States regularly call on humanitarian organizations to show evidence that C.T. measures impact humanitarian actors and operations. A strong body of research outlining impacts already exists, but it remained scattered across the public domain. To address this gap, InterAction undertook a review to catalog and make accessible available relevant sources that capture C.T. impacts on humanitarian activities