Date April 17, 2024
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The Evolving Challenges of Humanitarian Relief

By Carl Dimitri

For the 25th annual Dr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Barnes, Jr. Lecture, Dean Ashish Jha was joined by Dr. Michael VanRooyen for a conversation on providing aid during conflict and the changing landscape of humanitarian work, with a focus on the crisis in Gaza.

On April 16, the Brown University School of Public Health hosted the 25th Annual Dr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Barnes, Jr. Lectureship in Public Health at the Providence Public Library. Dr. Craig Spencer, associate professor at Brown, introduced Dean Ashish K. Jha and keynote speaker, Michael VanRooyen, M.D., MPH, a prominent figure in global humanitarian efforts.

The event centered on a conversation between Jha and VanRooyen on the nature of humanitarian work, emphasizing the need for adaptability, professionalization and sustained public and political engagement in addressing humanitarian crises. They specifically highlighted the complexities of humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza.

VanRooyen, who founded the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, brought a wealth of experience from his leadership roles in over 30 conflict and disaster zones, including Rwanda, Somalia, Bosnia, Palestine and Ukraine, as well as domestic crises like Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2012, he established the Humanitarian Academy at Harvard to further professional development for leaders in this field.

Raised in a large family with a mother who battled cancer, VanRooyen spent much of his childhood in hospitals where he kindled a commitment to aiding vulnerable populations. His early work as an emergency physician during the Somali Civil War highlighted the needs and professional shortcomings in humanitarian efforts. This experience motivated him to integrate public health with medicine and focus on training the next generation of humanitarian workers.

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During the lecture, Jha asked VanRooyen about the skills needed for physicians in humanitarian roles. VanRooyen emphasized the importance of managing basic needs such as food, housing and sanitation, alongside medical care—areas typically outside traditional medical training. He also stressed the importance of understanding humanitarian structures and coordination.

Addressing the crisis in Gaza, VanRooyen said, “My position as a physician and aid worker is not controversial. No matter what side you’re on, my role is clear: the lives and livelihoods of people trapped in the conflict in Gaza–both Israelis and Palestinians–are all critically important.”

The crisis in Gaza is primarily an access issue, he went on to say, affecting the distribution of aid and leading to neglected trauma, malnutrition, illness and death. Addressing this requires the ability to navigate a complex conflict and provide necessary services to civilians.

“ In those earlier days, you could put on a white t-shirt with the name of your NGO and you could pass through checkpoints without obstruction because they knew that you were helping civilians. Today, humanitarian workers are actually being targeted. ”

Michael VanRooyen MD, MPH Founder, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

In a poignant reflection on the state of humanitarian spaces—areas where aid workers should have access to civilians with minimal obstruction—VanRooyen noted a troubling shift over the decades, attributing it to blurred lines between military and humanitarian efforts.  

“I’ve been in the field for 30 years,” he said. “In those earlier days, you could put on a white t-shirt with the name of your NGO and you could pass through checkpoints without obstruction because they knew that you were helping civilians. Today, humanitarian workers are actually being targeted.”

Throughout the lecture, VanRooyen emphasized that while effective humanitarian response saves lives, it is ultimately a temporary solution. “The real remedy is diplomatic,” he said, requiring conflict resolution through negotiation rather than military intervention.

VanRooyen’s advice to students who want to engage in humanitarian relief work is to be bold in their commitments and push for professionalization within the field. “It’s crucial not only to act but also to advocate for policy changes to address these complex challenges effectively.”

The Dr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Barnes, Jr. Lectureship in Public Health was endowed through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. James S. Zisson ’74, in memory of Norma and Miles Zisson ’38.

A recording of the lecture will be made available here as soon as it is available.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tRcbs72nWFc

2024 Barnes Lecture

 

Watch the full event video

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