Humanitarian Corridors

March 7, 2022

Humanitarian corridors are set up during the armed conflict by announcing temporary ceasefire.

About Humanitarian corridors

Humanitarian corridors are demilitarized zones, mainly set up to provide relief for civilians during an armed conflict. They are established in a specific area and for a specific time based on mutual agreement of both sides of an armed conflict.
Using these corridors, civilians can be evacuated. Food, medical aid and other necessary items can also be supplied to cities which are under siege. These corridors are extremely important because usually during war, people are cut off from basic food supplies, electricity and water.

Setting up of humanitarian corridors

Generally humanitarian corridors are negotiated by the United Nations. Local groups also take the initiative in some cases. However, all sides of the conflict need to agree to set up the corridors.
Parties to the conflict determine who will get access to the corridors. Generally, humanitarian organizations like Red Cross would get access. Parties also determine the area, duration of stay, and means of transport to be used.
In some cases, one of the parties to the conflict alone establishes humanitarian corridors. For example, USA’s airlift after the Berlin blockade by the Soviet Union in 1948-1949.

Abuse of humanitarian corridors

There is a risk of military or political abuse of the humanitarian corridors. For instance, weapons can be smuggled into conflict areas using the humanitarian corridors. Observers of the United Nations and journalists can also enter into conflict areas through humanitarian corridors

Russia-Ukraine war

Recently, humanitarian corridors were announced in Mariupol and Volnovakha to evacuate civilians. However, the Mariupol city administration postponed the evacuation for security reasons, as Russia continued bombing. But Russia denies these allegations. Negotiations to set up several other corridors in Ukraine were also not successful.

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