Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people in need. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need belong homeless, refugees, victims of natural disasters, wars and famines. The primary purpose of humanitarian aid is to save lives, reduce suffering and respect to human dignity. Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for
humanitarian purposes, typically in response to
humanitarian crises including
natural disasters and
man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate
suffering, and maintain
human dignity. It may therefore be distinguished from
development aid, which seeks to address the underlying
socioeconomic factors which may have led to a crisis or emergency.