Norwegian People's Aid

• Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity.
• Norwegian People’s Aid is a politically independent organisation.
• Norwegian People’s Aid maintains an independent standpoint in relation to its work tasks which, at any given time, are laid down in the organisation’s principles programme.
• Norwegian People’s Aid undertakes practical preventive and supportive work at home and abroad. The organisation’s value basis is laid down in the principles programme and in the vision “Solidarity in practice”. 
• Norwegian People’s Aid is governed by its members through elected boards and committees.

The organisation’s engagement centres on two strategic areas:

1. Just distribution of power and resources
2. Protection of life and health

Work is organised into four main activities:

• Long-term development cooperation (international)
• Mine- and explosives clearance (international)
• First aid and rescue services (in Norway)
• Refuge, asylum and integration work (in Norway)

Value basis:

Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity. Their goal is human worth and equal rights for all, irrespective of sex, disability, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual preference or social status.

The Norwegian People’s Aid vision is Solidarity in practice. The vision demands commitment and action to protect life and health, build democratic societies and strengthen people’s ability to master their own lives.

They show solidarity in supporting vulnerable groups such as indigenous peoples, poor farmers, women and youth, so that they may themselves have the opportunity to protect and promote their own interests. Their work is based on cooperation between equal partners, not on charity. Charity gives the giver control over the recipient whereas solidarity means respecting the partner’s integrity and their right to set their own conditions.

Norwegian People’s Aid is politically independent but not a politically neutral organisation. They take clear positions in important social debates and their goal of a more just world means that they often choose partners that may be opposed to, or in conflict with, those in power. Popular participation and organisation are important measures in securing human rights and giving people greater influence over their own lives and social development. Norwegian People’s Aid both supports and speaks on behalf of its partner organisations.