It is the first in a series of interviews IRIN will be publishing over the coming months. You take over at a time of crisis in the humanitarian community. There is something of a crisis. Lack of awareness leads to accusations of abuse, misuse and blunders. The criticism should be taken seriously, but not exaggerated.
Humanitarian action can convey the impression it's above criticism.
We are of course accountable in the same way any other form of human action is. In my view however, the criticism is sometimes based on an overestimation of the role humanitarian agencies play in conflict dynamics and an underestimation of the freedom of action they have in specific field situations. What humanitarian agencies can achieve and the constraints they face needs to be better explained. I see this as an essential part of my advocacy role. I hope also to address some of these issues through the formulation of rules of engagement and disengagement, which we have highlighted as a priority for this year.