Humanitarian action in situations of conflict or natural disasters is guided by the humanitarian imperative and the principles of impartiality and neutrality. It should be strictly needs-based and serves to protect civilians and non-combatants and to prevent and alleviate human suffering. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and its Humanitarian Team is responsible for implementing the Sida Strategy for Humanitarian Assistance 2008-2010

Humanitarian assistance is given to save lives and alleviate suffering in direct relation to disasters, natural or man-made, and is always neutral, independent and needs-based. The Humanitarian Team ascertains that all humanitarian decisions respect the humanitarian principles, and are in line with the above mentioned Strategy. In some major countries, responsibility for monitoring and follow-up belongs with the Country Teams, but in other countries, the Humanitarian Team is responsible for the entire programme cycle.

Other major tasks of the Team include contributing towards developing methods, improving the needs-based approach and strengthening the international humanitarian system. Humanitarian policy issues are handled by the Department for Human Security. The department is primary responsible for issues involving peace, security and reconstruction, as well as conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

Read more about the Swedish Government Humanitarian Aid Policy and Sida's Policies and Guidelines for Humanitarian Assistance in various sectors.

Please find more information About Sida and its new organisation, implemented in October 2008.

The Advanced Training Program on Humanitarian Action (ATHA) was initiated in 2005 at the Humanitarian Team at Sida together with HPCR as a program whose goal is the methodological development of humanitarian actions in complex environments. The primary objective of the Advanced Training Program on Humanitarian Action (ATHA) is to enhance the knowledge of NGOs and other relevant actors operating in the humanitarian field, and to create greater awareness of the relationship between development cooperation and humanitarian operations in complex political emergencies. The program aims to build a foundation of insightful and continuous dialogue on humanitarian issues among relevant stakeholders.