Imaging Humanitarianism: NGO Identity and the Iconography of Childhood

TLDR

The iconography of childhood conveys humanitarian values such as humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and solidarity, while also serving as a paradoxical symbol that can be interpreted as both a colonial metaphor and a marker of humanitarian identity. The study investigates how NGOs use child imagery in their codes of conduct and whether accompanying political texts can counter the contradictory messages inherent in that iconography. The study finds that child imagery and shared codes of conduct jointly enable development and relief NGOs to present themselves as rights‑based organisations.

Abstract

Abstract: This paper asks how images of children are used by prominent signatories to NGO codes of conduct. The answer is that images of childhood and shared codes of conduct are both means through which development and relief NGOs produce themselves as rights‐based organisations. The iconography of childhood expresses institutional ideals and the key humanitarian values of humanity, neutrality and impartiality, and solidarity. Images of children are useful for NGOs in reinforcing the legitimacy of their ‘emergency’ interventions as well as the very idea of development itself. But the dominant iconography is also inherently paradoxical, as the child image can be read as both a colonial metaphor for the majority world and as a signifier of humanitarian identity. The question then for NGOs using this image in social justice campaigns is whether overtly political accompanying texts can nullify the contradictory subliminal messages that emanate from the iconography of childhood.