Conducting humanitarian action in complex compliance environments
In the past decade the UN, the EU and states autonomously have increasingly resorted to sanctions to achieve a variety of policy objectives. Very frequently sanctions have been adopted in relation to contexts where humanitarian actors are operating. This requires humanitarian organisations to understand applicable restrictions and the measures they must take to comply – but not over comply – with sanctions.
This course builds capacity, raises awareness and fills knowledge gaps among professionals who must navigate and increasingly complex compliance environment.
The course provides a practical introduction to contemporary sanctions. It presents the types of restrictions that are most likely to adversely affect humanitarian response, and the range of safeguards that exist. It also provides a grounding on the challenge of financial sector de-risking.
The course also presents policy developments and makes suggestions of possible measures that humanitarian organisations could take to comply – but not over comply - with applicable sanctions.
What you’ll learn:
What are sanctions and who adopts them?
What sanctions must my organisation comply with?
What challenges can sanctions pose to my organisation’s capacity to operate in accordance with humanitarian principles and as foreseen by international humanitarian law?
What safeguards exist for humanitarian action?
What challenges do sanctions-related requirements in funding agreements pose?
How can financial sector de-risking affect humanitarian actors?
This workshop is practical. We make use of a variety of teaching tools, including case studies, group exercises and interaction with experienced practitioners and experts. Participants who successfully complete the workshop will receive a certificate of participation.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is designed for representatives of humanitarian and development organisations, and those working in related fields. It is also suitable for professionals from a variety of sectors working on sanctions (including government, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, financial institutions and other private sector actors) researchers in academia and think tanks, legal practitioners, journalists, the tech community, and students preparing for a career in humanitarian action or sanctions.
We offer discounts for multiple participants from the same organisation.
We also offer five subsidised places in each of our workshops to applicants from the Global South. Contact us below if you are interested in applying for a subsidised place in this workshop.
Meet the trainer
Dr Emanuela-Chiara Gillard is a Consulting Fellow in Chatham House’s International Law Programme and a Senior Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict. Emanuela has over two decades’ experience in the field of international law and humanitarian action. In the past decade a particular focus of her work has been the interplay between sanctions, counterterrorism measures and humanitarian operations. She has addressed these issues from operational, policy and academic perspectives. She regularly advises humanitarian actors on sanctions issues affecting their operations and participates in policy discussions on how to minimise the adverse impact of sanctions on humanitarian action. Emanuela holds B.A, LL.M. and Ph.D. degrees in law from the University of Cambridge. She is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.
What do past participants say?
“This certification further enhances my expertise in understanding the complexities and challenges faced by organizations working in humanitarian contexts. It empowers me to develop proactive measures to ensure compliance and mitigate risks, while ensuring the vital work of humanitarian actors continues unimpeded. I am immensely grateful to Erica Moret for her invaluable work in this important field of studies on sanctions and for being one of the leading experts in this area. Her guidance and expertise have been instrumental in shaping my understanding and honing my abilities.” - Shirin Golkar, Iran-Switzerland Chamber of Commerce
"After taking the Sanctions Training for Humanitarian Actors I had an even better understanding of how sanctions impact the delivery of humanitarian aid. Erica Moret is an excellent trainer, with extensive knowledge and experience working on different sanctions regimes, and as a practitioner I found that the course provided valuable and useful insights that were very applicable to my work." - Willem Cant, International Rescue Committee, Kenya & Somalia
