Civil-Military Interaction in Conflicts: Best Practices and Perceptions

Keywords: Civilian-Military Coordination; Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Response; international aid

Abstract: Little evidence-based research has been conducted into the ways that militaries and humanitarian actors coordinate during different types of emergencies. What best practices and solutions have been implemented to overcome the coordination barriers between civilian and military actors during humanitarian operations?; and what are the relative perceptions held by affected populations interacting with and/or receiving assistance from militaries, security forces, and humanitarian agencies?

This study draws on 175 interviews with humanitarian actors, military/security personnel, and crisis-affected communities across three contexts: an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); a forced displacement crisis on the Jordan-Syrian border; and a natural disaster and COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. This study documents best practices for overcoming coordination barriers between actors during humanitarian operations and offers recommendations.