Humanitarian access

A jeep struggles to pass a water-logged road
During the rainy season roads can easily flood an cut villages off from markets and health facilities in Maniema Province, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 80 per cent of roads are inaccessible by car. The pooled fund financed 14 labour-based road rehabilitation projects for US$10.9 Million to improve access of humanitarian actors to vulnerable populations. 135km of roads were rehabilitated. OCHA/Gemma Cortes

During a crisis, it’s essential that we can reach people in need and that they can access humanitarian assistance and services.

Humanitarian access is a principled and negotiated endeavour. Under GA resolution 46/182, the Emergency Relief Coordinator arranges for operational organizations to access people in crisis-affected areas and provide them with emergency assistance. This access can be obtained by establishing temporary relief corridors, days/zones of tranquility and other modalities, but all with the agreement of parties concerned. 

Resolution 46/182 and subsequent resolutions have affirmed that UN humanitarian assistance must be provided in accordance with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. Compliance with these principles helps humanitarians gain trust and acceptance, which, in turn, helps them negotiate with State and non-State entities to reach people in need. If a humanitarian organization is perceived to be aligned with any political and military objective, this can put aid workers’ lives at risk and further restrict their access.

There are often multiple constraints to humanitarian access, including: 

  • Bureaucratic measures that delay, stall, or interfere with humanitarian operations
  • Misinformation and disinformation discrediting humanitarian actors.
  • Sanctions and counter-terrorism measures that impede payments of fees, purchases of commodities or supplies of goods.
  • Intensity of hostilities and explosive ordnance that impede humanitarians’ movement .
  • Attacks on humanitarian personnel and facilities, and theft of assets.


OCHA develops tools and provides guidance to Humanitarian Coordinators and Humanitarian Country Teams on how to address access-related issues, including humanitarian engagement with non-State armed groups and adherence to humanitarian principles. We have also developed an Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework, including a database and handbook, based on a classification of access constraints for better data collection and analysis, and to inform policy and access in responses on the ground.