Life, Death and Aid

We present here in their original edition the volumes of the "Populations in Danger" collection, launched by MSF in 1992, at the initiative of François Jean. These collective works, designed as an annual MSF report "on major crises and humanitarian action", presented MSF members, and all those interested in humanitarian action, with the reflections of MSF members and researchers on the contexts in which MSF operated and on the evolution of international responses to crises. This period in the early 1990s was one of great upheaval, in connection with the new interventionism of the United Nations and the deployment of armed forces in crisis areas. These books thus enabled operational managers to benefit from assistance in thinking about their work environment.

Original presentation :

With the end of the Cold War came the hope of a "New World Order". yet the tragedies of war and famine continue to dominate our headlines. Humanitarian law is still violated every day. Emergency aid from the United Nations and donor governments remains inadequate and military interventions often fail to restore durable peace.

Life, Death and Aid highlights the ten most pressing humanitarian crises of the 1990s and examines the policies, actions and effectiveness of the United Nations, donor governments and relief organizations involved in emergency aid and peacekeeping operations.

This report, edited by François Jean, is issued as part of the MSF International Day for Populations in Danger.

You can download the EPUB and the PDF version of this book.