The Role of Intelligence in Humanitarian Response

(In recognition of World Humanitarian Day – 19 August)

World Humanitarian Day honours the people who risk their lives to help others in times of crisis. It was established in memory of the 22 humanitarian workers killed in the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad.

Each year, this day calls on the global community to support safe, effective, and principled humanitarian action, especially in complex, high-risk environments.

At IIP, we believe intelligence has a vital role to play in that mission.

When Lives Are on the Line, Insight Matters

Humanitarian response is often fast, high-stakes, and data-poor. Whether responding to armed conflict, climate-driven disasters, mass displacement, or disease outbreaks, decision-makers must act quickly, often with incomplete or conflicting information.

That’s where intelligence becomes essential.

Humanitarian intelligence supports:

• Early warning of emerging crises
• Situational awareness across dynamic environments
• Risk mapping for responders and vulnerable populations
• Resource prioritisation in limited-access areas
• Verification and counter-disinformation in contested spaces
• Coordination across agencies, governments, and local actors

Ethical, Localised, and Life-Saving

Unlike traditional national security intelligence, humanitarian intelligence must centre people, not power.

It must be:

• Ethical – grounded in humanitarian principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence
• Timely and adaptable – designed for shifting conditions and high-pressure decision-making
• Culturally informed – drawing on local knowledge, relationships, and language
• Shared responsibly – balancing access, protection, and collaboration across sectors

Without these safeguards, intelligence risks becoming extractive, incomplete, or harmful.

A Shared Responsibility

Intelligence in humanitarian settings doesn’t come from one source.
It is co-created by:

• Local communities
• Humanitarian field teams
• Analysts and researchers
• Governments and crisis coordination bodies
• UN agencies and NGOs
• Open-source investigators and tech platforms

Collaboration and coordination are essential. Shared intelligence enables faster, more equitable, and more accountable responses.

IIP’s Perspective

At the Institute for Intelligence Professionalisation (IIP), we believe humanitarian intelligence must:

• Be ethical and inclusive
• Bridge the gap between field insight and analytical rigour
• Support responders, not overshadow them
• Promote standards of practice that enable rapid, responsible decision-making across sectors

We are committed to equipping intelligence professionals, whether based in a field tent, policy unit, or coordination hub, with the tools, ethics, and networks they need to support crisis-affected communities.

Let’s Talk

• How have you seen intelligence support humanitarian response—or fall short?
• What does ethical intelligence look like in high-pressure environments?
• How can we ensure local voices shape the insight that drives humanitarian decisions?

We’d love to hear your reflections in the comments.