Migrants’ Perspectives: Building Trust in Humanitarian Action

Abstract

In the context of migration, trust in humanitarian organisations is critical given the vulnerabilities and risks many migrants face throughout their journeys – including an absence of community support networks, language barriers, irregular status, xenophobia and risks of abuse, violence and violations of their safety and dignity. Trust is also important in the context of the increased securitisation of migration and the conflation of border and migration control policies with humanitarian aid.

Despite growing evidence and concern of a breakdown in trust between migrants and humanitarian organisations, little is known about who migrants trust when accessing humanitarian assistance and protection, and why, and how trust or distrust impacts migrants’ ability and willingness to seek help at different stages of their journeys.

To gain further insight into migrants’ perspectives of – and trust in – humanitarian organisations, the Red Cross Red Crescent Global Migration Lab together with the Movement, undertook research with migrants in the Americas, Africa, the Asia Pacific and Europe. The rationale for the research is that by listening and responding to the thoughts, fears, doubts, and concerns of migrants about their situations and the humanitarian assistance and protection they receive, humanitarian organisations can better build, maintain – and, where needed, repair – trust.