Supporting those who protect human dignity

Supporting those who protect human dignity

Published August 31, 2026

Humanitarian organisations, voluntary groups and community organisations often provide the first point of support for persons facing poverty, illness, disability, homelessness, displacement or other difficult circumstances. Their work can make the difference between rights existing formally and those rights being experienced in practice.

In recent observations on the role of humanitarian organisations, the Human Rights Ombudswoman of Slovenia, Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek, highlighted an important principle that extends well beyond humanitarian assistance itself: civil society can complement the State in protecting human dignity, but it cannot replace the State’s responsibility to secure fundamental rights.

Humanitarian organisations are often particularly well placed to identify hardship that might otherwise remain unseen. Through direct contact with communities, they can identify gaps in services, barriers to access and situations where persons struggle to obtain the support to which they are entitled. Their role therefore extends beyond providing immediate assistance. They can also serve as an important source of information about systemic shortcomings and the realities experienced by vulnerable persons.

This contribution is particularly important where persons have difficulty navigating public administration or making their voices heard. Organisations working directly with affected communities can help identify recurring problems and draw the attention of public authorities and oversight institutions to situations requiring wider administrative or policy responses.

At the same time, their contribution should not result in public authorities transferring responsibilities that properly belong to the State.

Access to essential services, social protection, healthcare, adequate living conditions and other fundamental rights cannot depend solely on charitable assistance or on the availability of volunteers. The State retains the responsibility to ensure that these rights are delivered systematically, fairly, promptly and without discrimination.

This distinction is important.

Humanitarian and voluntary organisations can fill temporary gaps, provide specialised support and respond rapidly to particular needs. They can also contribute expertise and practical experience to the development of public policy. However, where voluntary action repeatedly becomes necessary to compensate for structural weaknesses in public services, this should prompt authorities to examine the causes rather than regard such assistance as a substitute for reform.

For this reason, effective cooperation between public authorities and organisations working with vulnerable persons is essential. Such cooperation should be based on genuine consultation, transparency and mutual respect. Organisations should also be able to raise concerns and identify shortcomings without this affecting their independence or their ability to continue their work.

The observations made by the Slovenian Ombudswoman also draw attention to the conditions in which such organisations operate. Growing and increasingly complex social needs require professional expertise, continuity, adequate resources and coordination between different services. Predictable and transparent support can therefore contribute not only to the sustainability of organisations but also to the quality and accessibility of the assistance provided.

The same principles apply worldwide.

Humanitarian and healthcare workers operating in areas of conflict frequently carry out their responsibilities in extremely dangerous conditions. Their protection is not merely a matter of recognition or goodwill but arises from obligations under international humanitarian law. Safe access to humanitarian assistance and the protection of humanitarian and medical personnel remain essential to safeguarding human dignity in the most difficult circumstances.

These observations also reflect a broader point made recently by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, when considering whether human rights can remain strong in a society where persons do not care. He observed that human rights are not simply legal concepts but social commitments whose effectiveness depends on their recognition and application in everyday life.

As the Parliamentary Ombudsman stated, human rights endure where they are “valued, defended, and lived”. Institutions provide indispensable safeguards, but a culture of rights also requires awareness, empathy, responsibility and concern for the dignity of others.

Humanitarian organisations and volunteers are an important expression of that culture. Their work can bring rights closer to persons who might otherwise remain excluded or unheard. Their contribution should be recognised and supported, while remaining clear that the ultimate responsibility for securing fundamental rights rests with the State and its institutions.

A rights respecting society therefore requires both. It needs effective public institutions capable of meeting their obligations, and an active civil society that can assist, question, identify shortcomings and ensure that the experiences of vulnerable persons are not overlooked.