They protect human rights in providing services for health and well-being. And they promote human rights in that they restore human dignity. Where human dignity is threatened, the notion of and respect for human rights will inevitably erode. However, in dealing with food aid, health care and shelter, and by that defending human rights, the Federation and other members of the humanitarian community are faced with problems which relate not only to scarce resources, logistics and security, but also to policies imposed by this world organisation. I refer here to UN sanctions.
Sanctions are a legitimate tool of diplomacy.
By that logic, sanctions are like unarmed warfare. As in International Humanitarian Law the end does not justify any means in warfare, so also, in the view of the Federation the end does not justify any means when sanctions are imposed. Equally, the principle of proportionality suggests that harm inflicted by sanctions to achieve change should not be out of proportion to the anticipated gains. They also frequently impoverish most those who are already vulnerable whilst in the worst case actually creating the possibility of greater wealth for those who find ways to exploit the situation through crime and smuggling. In short, sanctions are a blunt instrument, damaging most those who are powerless to affect the political change the international community demands.