Ukraine Humanitarian Notification System (HNS) SOPs and Guidelines (Last update 31 January 2024)

Purpose

The Humanitarian Notification System (HNS) was established in 2015 at the request of the humanitarian community in Ukraine to inform the parties to the conflict of humanitarian movements, overland and waterborne, and static humanitarian sites for parties to the conflict to factor this information into any kinetic military operations planning in view to avoid harm to civilians and civilian objects by attacks and incidental effects of attacks under International Humanitarian Law (IHL)1. Independent of any humanitarian notification system, all parties to the armed conflict are obliged under IHL not to direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including humanitarian staff, facilities, and assets, as well as civilian infrastructure that is indispensable for the survival of the civilian population.

Using the HNS is voluntary, and its non-use does not remove protection under IHL. Under IHL, it is for the parties to a conflict to positively identify what is being attacked are legitimate military targets and to assess the risk of incidental civilian harm. With respect to the use of the HNS for humanitarian mission movement, the HNS neither confers humanitarian access nor is it a negotiation tool.

OCHA has established and overseen the HNS in Ukraine since 2015, with clear procedures, roles, and responsibilities. In April 2022, OCHA launched an online Ukraine HNS Portal to facilitate the implementation of the notification system for humanitarian partners.

There is no IHL requirement for a humanitarian organization to obtain the parties’ approval for each individual humanitarian facility, activity, or movement. The HNS is not a mechanism for parties to the armed conflict to approve or deny specific humanitarian operations, movements, nor activities.

The HNS does not constitute a legally binding agreement and does not guarantee the safety of personnel, facilities, sites, or ground movement.