- Date
- Friday 2 Oct 2026, 09:30 - 17:00
- Type
- Conference
- Spoken Language
- English
- Room
- Aula B
- Location
- International Institute of Social Studies
- Ticket information
Unfortunately, we have reached capacity for this event. Please email humanitarianstudiescentre@iss.nl if you would like to join the waitlist.
About the conference
As is well-documented, the global geopolitical milieu for humanitarian action in all forms is increasingly challenging. State funding for formal humanitarian action is at its lowest for decades, there is a growing disregard for International Humanitarian Law in various conflict contexts, and (poly-)crises derive from interlocking environmental hazards, socio-economic vulnerabilities and ongoing hybrid and protracted conflicts across the world.
These pressures are not only operational challenges. They bring to light issues of legitimacy, effectiveness and relevance, requiring deeper reflections around the sufficiency of current approaches and the need for alternatives. The need for alternatives specifically has been articulated in recent calls for humanitarian justice: a 'lived need of crisis-affected people for fair, transparent, inclusive and respectful humanitarian responses that are rooted in principles of dignity, solidarity, care and shared responsibility for people, nature and the planet, and that respect International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights'.
You can read the full declaration on Humanitarian Justice here.
How can humanitarianism, as an expression of humanity and solidarity, continue to alleviate suffering under these circumstances? To what extent do existing humanitarian structures reproduce or mitigate injustice? In what ways do non-traditional humanitarian actors, including networks of (affected) people, work to try and reduce disaster risk?
And what role can Humanitarian Justice play as both a critique of, and a pathway for, transforming contemporary humanitarian action?
Let’s take stock together and look at the state of the humanitarian system.
Keynotes
The keynotes for this edition will be given by Jennifer Doherty (Senior Researcher, ALNAP) on the ‘State of the Humanitarian System’, and by Mihir Bhatt (Director, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute) on ‘Humanitarian Justice’.
Keynote panel with KUNO
Between 16:00-17:00 (Aula B), the closing session will feature a ‘keynote panel’ hosted by KUNO and moderated by Corinne Lamain (Coordinator, KUNO), on the theme of the One-Day Conference. Joining the panel:
- Eleni Diker, Oxfam Novib
- Marije Balt, Researcher and Chief Science Officer, Dutch MFA
- Joyeeta Gupta, University of Amsterdam
- Jennifer Doherty, ALNAP
Full programme
| Time | Title | Location | Info |
| 09:30-10:00 | Walk-in w/ Tea & Coffee | ISS Lobby/Atrium | |
| 10:00 - 11:00 | Welcome and keynote | Aula B | |
| 11:00 - 12:00 | Presentations round 1 | Aula A, Aula B, 2.01, 3.01, 3.14 | 15 min presentations x 3 with 15 min Q&A |
| 12:00 - 13:00 | Lunch | ISS Canteen | |
| 13:15 - 14:15 | Presentations round 2 | Aula A, Aula B, 2.01, 3.01 | 15 min presentations x 3 with 15 min Q&A |
| 14:15 - 15:15 | Presentations round 3 | Aula A, Aula B, 2.01, 3.01 | 15 min presentations x 3 with 15 min Q&A |
| 15:15 - 16:00 | Coffee break | ISS Atrium | |
| 16:00 - 17:00 | Closing and keynote panel | Aula B | |
| 17:00 - 17:45 | Borrel | Butterfly Bar |
- More information
About The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre
Hosted at ISS, The Hague Humanitarian Studies Centre is an open organisation, committed to continued learning and the co-creation of knowledge around Humanitarian Studies from diverse sources and scholars.
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