Introduction: Preventing Humanitarian Emergencies — Asking the Questions

Abstract

A complex humanitarian emergency (CHE) is a man-made crisis, whereby large numbers of people die or suffer from war, physical violence (often by the state), or displacement (Väyrynen 2000a). This volume identifies mechanisms for preventing CHEs. The focus is on the less-developed countries (LDCs) of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern and Central Europe, where virtually all CHEs take place (Nafziger et al. 2000).