Joint Operating Principles: Ensuring the Delivery of Principled Humanitarian Action in Northwest Syria Revised between May and July 2024 (Endorsed by HLG in August 2024) [EN/AR/TR]

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The humanitarian community operating in northwest Syria (NWS) recognize the necessity of applying the Joint Operating Principles (JOPs) and recommended actions for the collective benefit of effective humanitarian action that serves the most vulnerable people. Adherence to these principles, along with applicable international laws, is crucial for ensuring humanitarian access to all affected populations, the effective and efficient delivery of humanitarian assistance, and the safety of civilians and humanitarian staff. As such, the humanitarian community agrees that the principles outlined in this document reflect well-established international practices and form the foundation of interactions between humanitarian organizations, authorities, and relevant stakeholders in their areas of operation. The JOPs are formulated in collaboration with humanitarian partners operating in NWS, establishing joint thresholds or 'ground rules' for the humanitarian community's operations and are applicable to all humanitarian actions.

Humanitarian actors commit to a general spirit of accountability and when possible, to hold each other, as well as their subcontractors, suppliers, and those they engage for programming-related services, accountable to these joint operating principles.

CORE HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES

Abiding by core humanitarian principles is crucial for effective humanitarian operations. The document outlines the core humanitarian principles—humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence—based on international normative frameworks such as international humanitarian law (IHL). These principles are detailed in Annex A.

The Northwest Syria JOPs reaffirm existing commitments rooted in established normative frameworks that humanitarian organizations are already committed to upholding. These JOPs do not override or limit the obligations of conflict parties under IHL, Human Rights Law, Refugee Law, or other legal commitments, and are in fact derived in varying degrees from these normative frameworks, and part of organizational codes of conduct and mission statements.