Paper details
| Paper authors | Puspita Hossain, Alice Misana, Salim Sohani, Isabel Munoz, , Ilja Ormel, Faiza Rab, Lisa Schwartz, Matthew Hunt |
| In panel on | Ethical Exits and Future Trajectories: Reimagining Closure, Localisation and Humanitarian Practice |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
Integrating the concept of ethical closure into humanitarian operations presents both conceptual and operational challenges. Exit strategies typically emphasize handover and sustainability but often overlook the complex dilemmas faced by staff during the end phase of a response. Translating ethical closure into practical tools requires rethinking how programs are designed, implemented, and concluded. This includes embedding ethical reflection throughout the project cycle and developing clear guidance for engaging communities and local stakeholders meaningfully during the closing stages.
Although various tools for data collection, engagement, and evaluation exist, there is a lack of a structured, holistic approach and awareness that guide implementers through the ethical dimensions of closure. This presentation will reflect on these limitations and challenges and present a humanitarian ethical closure toolkit specifically designed for practitioners. This toolkit is designed to support ethically robust decision making related to program closures and handovers across the project phases, helping implementers navigate complex choices. This toolkit integrates the existing literature, data extracted from reports of programs supported by the Canadian Red Cross and from focus group discussions with staff members working in disaster response. Embedding ethical closure in humanitarian practice can strengthen community trust, reinforce accountability, and uphold the dignity of all involved, ensuring that the end of aid is respectful, transparent, and just.
