Our Mission
The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) is a university-wide center involving multiple entities within the Harvard community that provide expertise in public health, medicine, social science, management, and other disciplines to promote evidence-based approaches to humanitarian assistance.
The mission of the Initiative is to relieve human suffering in war and disaster by advancing the science and practice of humanitarian response worldwide. HHI fosters interdisciplinary collaboration in order to:
- Improve the effectiveness of humanitarian strategies for relief, protection and prevention;
- Instill human rights principles and practices in these strategies;
- Educate and train the next generation of humanitarian leaders.
Issue in Focus
HHI Responds to Earthquake Devastation in Haiti
In response to the Haiti earthquake disaster, the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) is playing a lead role in supporting the coordination of the Harvard-wide response including that of the Harvard-affiliated hospitals within Partners Health Care System. By leveraging HHI’s unique position as an academic and research center with long-standing ties to leading medical and public health personnel, HHI has been able to facilitate the deployment of more than 70 surgeons, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists and nurses to Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.
To read more about HHI’s response to the Haiti earthquake, please visit our Earthquake in Haiti page.
To find out how to volunteer, visit our Volunteer in Haiti page.
Homepage News
Want to Volunteer in Haiti?
Visit HHI's Volunteer in Haiti page to find out if volunteering with HHI is right for you.
HHI in the media: responding to Haiti
See articles about HHI's relief efforts in Port-au-Prince.
Homepage Events
Burden of Surgical Disease
Led by Fellow Kelly McQueen, the 3rd annual Working Group Meeting will be held March 10-12 at Vanderbilt University.