The IDHUS Institute is an organisation focused on analysis, consultancy, projects and dissemination on development cooperation. Our aim is to provide information and collaborate with actors involved in development cooperation in communities and regions around the world, as well as with policy makers and Spanish-speaking organisations involved in solving the problems at work in areas with multiple needs for the survival of the population. We aim to give visibility and support to those actively working to help improve the lives of the millions of people living in so many unstable and complicated parts of the world.

As the basis of our activity, we focus on studying, analysing, creating and disseminating information about the reality and events taking place in areas where there are humanitarian crises or where we are actively working to promote the development of the most disadvantaged and under-resourced places.

We try to make known what is happening within the historical, social and geopolitical context of these areas, so that the aid on the ground to the population of these regions of the planet is effective, and so that there is a basis of understanding of what is happening that can be used by the different actors involved in humanitarian assistance, by international organisations working in these countries and communities and by the heads of companies and organisations that have some kind of relationship with the affected regions.

Origin, mission and raison d’être of the IDHUS

The embryo of our organisation began to take shape after the 2004 tsunami, caused by a powerful undersea earthquake that struck at 07:58 local time on Sunday, 26 December 2004, with its epicentre off the coast of Banda Aceh. Two of our founding members helped rebuild the damaged area three years later, as part of two of the dozens of NGOs and organisations that poured in for more than a decade to help in the aftermath of the disaster.

Since then, the IDHUS team began working on the development of an NGO called RESPECT Refugees for International Cooperation which, over the years, led to the creation of the current IDHUS Institute, as a means of seeking ways to improve existing information in humanitarian crisis zones, and to assist in the international response to natural disasters or crisis situations triggered by conflict.

Principles, values and vision for our work

Underpinning everything we do is the following set of values that define the way we approach the challenge of contributing to the solution and improvement of the situation in the regions we study, analyse and hope to contribute to their development.

All human beings have a set of basic rights that cannot be taken away or denied. Even in conflict zones and where there is armed confrontation between different combatant groups, the civilian population must be respected, safeguarded and assisted. We will work to denounce and make visible any violation of these rights, any denial of these rights, any abuse of these rights by any group or actor involved in these acts and in the regions we analyse and monitor.

All the information we publish must be oriented towards making known in the most neutral, reliable and complete way the complex reality of the crisis regions and places we monitor, so that people, organisations, companies and international bodies can have the most complete vision possible of what is happening in the region, who is doing what, what processes are underway at a geopolitical, humanitarian, social and economic level, and what are the repercussions on the civilian population of everything that is happening in the area.

Collaboration with other actors, organisations, researchers and analysts, journalists, civilian and local actors in countries experiencing conflict, humanitarian crises or emergencies is a priority for the IDHUS. They are the ones who are often directly immersed in the dynamics we analyse and they are the ones who can give a direct voice to those people who are involved in humanitarian crises in their region. Working with our local partners, giving them a voice and visibility and supporting them is a priority for us.

Our logo and brand

Our logo is a symbol of the evolution of humanity. Like each ring on the trunk of a tree that each year adds experience, knowledge and wisdom to its evolutionary process, IDHUS shares this philosophy of helping society to grow and evolve, and, in continuous learning, constant change and growth, learn from all that it has experienced to create a better humanity with each cycle.