Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members
Abstract Background Despite frequently providing non-military services in times of crisis, little systematic research has examined the perspectives of crisis-affected community members on the role of armed actors responding to humanitarian crises and public health emergencies. Methods To address thi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2024-04-01
|
| Series: | Conflict and Health |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00593-6 |
| _version_ | 1797199392854245376 |
|---|---|
| author | Samuel T. Boland Alexandria Nylen Madison Bates Maria Carinnes Alejandria Rob Grace Zein Tayyeb Adam C. Levine |
| author_facet | Samuel T. Boland Alexandria Nylen Madison Bates Maria Carinnes Alejandria Rob Grace Zein Tayyeb Adam C. Levine |
| author_sort | Samuel T. Boland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite frequently providing non-military services in times of crisis, little systematic research has examined the perspectives of crisis-affected community members on the role of armed actors responding to humanitarian crises and public health emergencies. Methods To address this research gap, 175 interviews were conducted (2020–2021) amongst humanitarian and public health practitioners; armed actors; and crisis-affected community members across three country and four crisis contexts. Specifically, this effort included an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a refugee crisis on the Jordanian-Syrian border; and a volcanic eruption and COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines. Data was analysed using grounded theory principles. Results Crisis-affected community members held diverse views. Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and government armed actors were characterised as antagonists by some but supportive by others; gender issues were central to perceptions of armed actors, in ways that were both prejudicing and favourable. Overall perception was most closely linked to armed actor roles rather than the relative amount of conflict in a given area. Conclusions Findings nuance the relevant literature characterizing NSAGs as disruptive agents, and also the relevant literature that does not fully consider the nuances of gender and armed actor roles as deeply relevant to crisis-affected community perspectives on armed actors. These findings have important implications for both policy and academic discourse on militarization and localization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:15:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44384b3ada5d43e9a5856be2d2bd478f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-1505 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:15:02Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conflict and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-44384b3ada5d43e9a5856be2d2bd478f2024-04-21T11:20:45ZengBMCConflict and Health1752-15052024-04-0118111410.1186/s13031-024-00593-6Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community membersSamuel T. Boland0Alexandria Nylen1Madison Bates2Maria Carinnes Alejandria3Rob Grace4Zein Tayyeb5Adam C. Levine6Chatham HouseBrown UniversityBrown UniversityUniversiti Brunei DarussalemBoston UniversityBrown UniversityBrown UniversityAbstract Background Despite frequently providing non-military services in times of crisis, little systematic research has examined the perspectives of crisis-affected community members on the role of armed actors responding to humanitarian crises and public health emergencies. Methods To address this research gap, 175 interviews were conducted (2020–2021) amongst humanitarian and public health practitioners; armed actors; and crisis-affected community members across three country and four crisis contexts. Specifically, this effort included an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; a refugee crisis on the Jordanian-Syrian border; and a volcanic eruption and COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines. Data was analysed using grounded theory principles. Results Crisis-affected community members held diverse views. Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and government armed actors were characterised as antagonists by some but supportive by others; gender issues were central to perceptions of armed actors, in ways that were both prejudicing and favourable. Overall perception was most closely linked to armed actor roles rather than the relative amount of conflict in a given area. Conclusions Findings nuance the relevant literature characterizing NSAGs as disruptive agents, and also the relevant literature that does not fully consider the nuances of gender and armed actor roles as deeply relevant to crisis-affected community perspectives on armed actors. These findings have important implications for both policy and academic discourse on militarization and localization.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00593-6 |
| spellingShingle | Samuel T. Boland Alexandria Nylen Madison Bates Maria Carinnes Alejandria Rob Grace Zein Tayyeb Adam C. Levine Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members Conflict and Health |
| title | Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members |
| title_full | Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members |
| title_fullStr | Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members |
| title_full_unstemmed | Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members |
| title_short | Armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises: examining perspectives of crisis-affected community members |
| title_sort | armed actor interventions in humanitarian and public health crises examining perspectives of crisis affected community members |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00593-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samueltboland armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT alexandrianylen armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT madisonbates armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT mariacarinnesalejandria armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT robgrace armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT zeintayyeb armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers AT adamclevine armedactorinterventionsinhumanitarianandpublichealthcrisesexaminingperspectivesofcrisisaffectedcommunitymembers |