At Relief Across Borders, we are dedicated to providing aid and support without expectation of return, in alignment with global commitments such as the Leave No One Behind pledge and the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability. Our assistance is based solely on need, without discrimination.

Much of our work takes place in fragile, conflict-affected, or rapidly changing environments. In such settings, humanitarian interventions may have unintended consequences, and it is our responsibility to minimise any negative impact.

Our ‘Do No Harm’ commitment outlines our approach to safeguarding those we serve and ensuring our programs adhere to the highest standards of accountability and ethical practice. It applies to all of our projects and programmes worldwide and serves as a guide for our team and partners.

Relief Across Borders is committed to ensuring that its work does not cause harm to: 

• The individuals, families, and communities we support—particularly in terms of their safety, dignity, and rights.

• Social cohesion, including relationships within and between communities and broader governance structures.

• The environment.

• Local economies and livelihoods.

In this context, "harm" refers to both the prolongation or exacerbating pre-existing harmful situations or vulnerabilities as well as introducing new or additional negative impacts.

We will always strive to support and develop local or national services and governance structures, and minimise displacement or substitution of services to avoid undermining the social contract between duty bearers and rights holders.

We are also committed to adopting a context-sensitive approach to its work. This is the ability to understand the context in which we operate and the effects our interventions have on the context and vice versa.

Our Approach to Responsible Humanitarian Aid

To uphold our Do No Harm principle, we are committed to:

1. Understanding the wider context: Conducting thorough assessments that consider political, social, economic, and environmental factors, ensuring that our interventions do not unintentionally disrupt local dynamics.

2. Identifying way to minimise negative impacts: Identifying and addressing potential risks to prevent tensions or unintended harm within communities.

3. Maximising positive impacts: Fostering trust and cooperation by working closely with local communities and stakeholders.

4. Ensuring Transparency: Clearly communicating our objectives and activities to the communities we serve and responding promptly to concerns or complaints.

5. Adapting when necessary: Adjusting or discontinuing programs if they are found to be causing unintended harm.

6. Regular risk assessments: Regularly reviewing and improving our risk management frameworks, policies, and procedures.

7. Monitoring and Reporting: Tracking and evaluating the intended and unintended effects of our work, with a commitment to accountability.

8. Evaluating Impact: Assessing the effectiveness of our interventions, including any unforeseen consequences.

9. Maintaining Ethical Conduct: Upholding professionalism and ensuring that our work does not exploit or reinforce power imbalances that our work sometimes confers on us.

10. Continuous Improvement: Committing to learning from our experiences to improve the quality and effectiveness of our work.

Guided by Humanitarian Principles

Our work is grounded in internationally recognised humanitarian values:

• Humanity: Upholding the dignity of all individuals and working to alleviate suffering.

• Impartiality: Providing aid based on need, without bias or discrimination.

• Neutrality: Acting without preference for one group or another in conflict.

• Independence: Ensuring that our humanitarian efforts remain free from external influences, including political and military agendas.