Humanitarian workers need more than neutrality to survive

A protester being rescued by Kenya red red cross after being hit by teargas canister during anti- government demonstrations in Nairobi on July 16th 2024. (Collins Oduor, Standard)

When Kenya’s youth-led Gen Z protests began in mid-2024, Nairobi’s streets saw widespread demonstrations and heightened tension. Throughout this period, the Kenya Red Cross Society provided emergency care, treated the injured, offered psychosocial support, and evacuated the wounded. However, humanitarian service providers faced attacks, with ambulances targeted, volunteers harassed, and the principle of neutrality challenged.

Kenya’s experience is part of a global trend where civil unrest increasingly places the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement at the centre of political tension, exposing two critical limitations of traditional humanitarian models that endanger neutrality: The challenge of maintaining impartiality amid polarised political landscapes and the vulnerability to misinformation that puts trust at risk.