Our Values and Principles

MSF’s work is primarily medical in nature and involves relief efforts for people in need. In many countries, health care systems are not functioning, whether because of war, natural or man-made disasters - or simply because of a lack of financial or logistic resources.

One of MSF's main goals, therefore, is to ensure that all people have access to basic health care. However, medical assistance encompasses more than basic care.

In the event of an acute crisis, other relief activities are sometimes needed in addition to medical care, such as water supply, food distribution, construction of emergency shelters or sanitation.

The medical field of activity includes mainly primary health care, but also surgery and the treatment of certain diseases that have a serious impact on public health. These include, for example, tuberculosis, especially its multi-resistant forms, but also the implementation of large-scale vaccination campaigns against measles, cholera, or diphtheria.

Thanks to significant technical resources, vast experience and ongoing presence in the field, MSF today also plays an important role in the research and development of drugs and vaccines for neglected diseases.

To ensure quality medical care even after crisis situations have been overcome, MSF has also specialized in areas such as the renovation and construction of health care facilities, medical education, and health care promotion.

Since the organization was founded, MSF has always linked freedom of action and freedom of expression. The French term "témoignage" plays a central role in this, as it literally means "to bear witness." Hence, MSF reserves the right to speak out to raise public awareness about populations in danger and to denounce atrocities it witnesses directly.

Helping people in need is made possible primarily through the work of our staff members in the countries of operation.  We consider it our duty to raise public awareness of crises and to report on the living conditions of our patients. 

The organization aims to improve the lives of people around the world and to give a voice to those who are not being heard. We will publicize and criticize human rights violations of international agreements, wherever these are identified by our teams, including forcible relocation of populations, displacement of refugees, genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes.

Public comment is a moral responsibility and has been an important tool for MSF since the 1970s. Reporting can also take on more discreet, but equally effective forms - such as lobbying to directly target policymakers at the highest levels. 

In exceptional cases and in the best interest of patients, MSF staff may choose not to inform the public or to report on circumstances without helping on site, for example, when humanitarian aid is misused or used against those in need.

Respect for medical ethics is the foundation of everything we do. This includes the duty not to harm anyone (either an individual or a group) through the treatment we provide, and to help any person in need in a humane and impartial manner, while respecting medical secrecy.

Professional duty and medical intervention are also protected by international humanitarian law, which governs that no person can be punished for providing medical assistance in compliance with the rules of professional conduct, no matter for whose benefit and under what circumstances the assistance was rendered.

It also states that persons performing medical work may not be compelled to act contrary to their professional duty.

MSF upholds the principles of human rights and international humanitarian law, which include:

• The duty to respect the fundamental freedoms of every individual, including the right to physical and mental integrity, as well as freedom of thought and the right to move freely, as stated in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• The right of those in need to receive assistance, as well as the right of humanitarian organizations to be able to provide this assistance under the following conditions: independent identification of needs, free access to the people concerned, control over the distribution of assistance, and respect for humanitarian immunity.

Intellectual independence is the basis for MSF's overall independence as an organization. It is the prerequisite for freedom of analysis and action, that is, for the impartial choice of missions, their duration, and the means to carry them out. This independence is evident at the level of the organization as a whole and among individual staff members.

MSF therefore pursues a policy of strict autonomy with respect to any institution or power - political, religious, economic, or otherwise - and refuses to be used by any government as an instrument of foreign policy.

Since this autonomy is also to be applied to finances, MSF strives to raise as much private funding as possible, and to achieve a wide dispersion of institutional donors. We reserve the right to reject funding that could jeopardize the independence of the organization in any way.

MSF staff, for their part, are required to exercise restraint and contribute to maintaining the autonomy of the organization through exhibiting a corresponding attitude.

Impartiality is the basis of MSF's work and inseparable from freedom of action. Equality and proportionality are the guiding principles of impartiality, i.e., equality in terms of political orientation, origin, religion, gender, etc.
We render assistance that corresponds to the urgency of needs, meaning that those who are most and most direly in need are on top of our priority list.

MSF does not take sides in armed conflicts and is committed to the principle of neutrality.

However, there are extreme cases, e.g., serious human rights violations, where our assistance is pointless and going public is the last resort to help affected populations. In such circumstances, we refrain from adhering to the strict interpretation of neutrality and report events in order to mobilize public opinion to stop abuse and improve the situation of the people affected.

MSF is committed to mobilizing all available means and resources for people in need.

The organization strives to maximize quality and efficiency, ensuring that the resources and skills provided are used in the best possible way and aid always remains under its direct control. Aid distribution is reviewed in a direct manner and its impact analyzed on a regular basis.

We provide open and clear information about our work to both the populations we support and to our donors.

MSF is based on voluntary work, which requires above all:

• An individual commitment to people in need. Every staff member must take on responsibility.
• Altruism, which underlines the charitable nature of the staff's commitment.

Volunteerism is a key factor in the fight against false compromises, routines, and institutionalization.

The commitment of MSF staff goes beyond individual dedication; it also includes active participation in the life of the organization as an association, and respect for the MSF charter and principles.

Within the MSF structure, each staff member has a say, which guarantees and expresses the social character of the movement.

We also strive to constantly integrate new staff members into the organization in order to ensure a certain spontaneity, innovation, and continuous critical evaluation of our activities.