U of U Global Health Alliance (UUGHA)

10 Principles of International Humanitarian Work

Guiding Principles of the University of Utah Global Health Alliance

  1. Exchange of education is more beneficial than providing individual care or providing supplies, equipment of medications. A primary function of international exchange programs should be to create opportunities to learn and share information with a host site. Providing supplies, equipment or medications is a secondary function that can best be done for specific needs agreed upon by the exchange sites.
  2. Responding to a need from the host country is better than responding to a need from the visiting country. The desire to help by the Utah participants will accomplish more when the host site is able to communicate specific projects that can be addressed during an exchange.
  3. Working in conjunction with host country counterparts is better than establishing an independent project. Host country experts are often already involved in projects proposed by visiting countries. The likelihood of success increases if counterparts are identified and a supportive, cooperative venture results.
  4. Prolonged or repeated visits to the same site are better than a single, short visit. With development of longstanding relationships comes better communication and recognition of ways to enhance an exchange program. It would be unusual for a single short visit to provide substantive change at a host site.
  5. An evaluation and follow-up of the visit is better than leaving without knowing the good or bad that had been accomplished. This once was a criticism of surgical programs that provided life changing surgical procedures and then left the area without knowing the complication rate of their work. Ongoing evaluation must be a part of any exchange program.
  6. Appropriate expertise should be present from the visiting country rather than making this a training mission or assigning untrained personnel to technical projects. When students or other trainees are part of an exchange program, they should act within the scope of their training and work under the direction of an experienced supervisor.
  7. Knowledge, procedures and medication should be consistent with what is available or can be sustained in the host community rather than those that will not be available after the exchange. Taking technology, supplies or medication that is not sustainable may make a good impression…until it is gone. It is difficult to live in a country with limited resources and even more difficult when improvement is only temporary.
  8. Every attempt should be made to learn and respect cultural factors in the host country rather than assuming that the visiting country is accepted or superior. Experiencing another culture is part of the learning benefit to visiting country participants. Respecting that culture provides a basis for the cooperation and friendship that should result from an international exchange.
  9. The service is applicable to a large group or community rather than a single or small group of individuals. It is not unusual for a person to make a request that would benefit him/her individually. Exchange programs should evaluate such requests carefully.
  10. The service should result in an independent improvement of the host country rather than a dependency on the visiting country. One or both members of an exchange that is based on a dependent relationship eventually opt out. Ongoing evaluation of an exchange program will help identify and correct unhealthy and/or unsustainable dependency.