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Our values
At Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), we help all people in need without discrimination and irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation. We are completely independent of any political, economic, or religious influence. We are wherever our patients need us most.
We are impartial, independent and neutral
Impartiality
We provide medical care to all people who need it. It doesn't matter where they are from, what their religion is, or what their political preferences are. What matters is that they are people in need.
Independence
Most of our funding comes from small donations, and 98 percent of the money we raised globally in 2024 came from individual donors and private institutions. This makes us financially independent and ensures that our aid cannot be misused for political or military purposes.
In an emergency, such as a natural disaster, we don't have to wait for grants from government funding. We are ready to intervene immediately, wherever help is needed.
Neutrality
In conflict situations, we do not take sides. We are always where medical care is needed. Weapons and hostility remain outside the door.
We communicate with the local communities and all parties to a conflict
Wherever we help, we make sure that local communities understand that we are politically neutral and provide care to all those in need without discrimination. We meet with everyone from government officials and local military leaders to community representatives and community groups.
Their support is essential for our work to be accepted by local communities. It also makes it possible for us to operate in conflict and fragile settings, such as in Afghanistan or the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We are transparent and accountable
We are accountable to both our patients and donors. The people we treat are always at the center of our humanitarian and medical aid. We also keep our donors regularly informed about our activities.
We know that silence kills
In addition to providing medical assistance, we speak out about what we witness on behalf of our patients. We draw attention to injustices and crises — the consequences of which we help to alleviate.
We act as witnesses to the suffering of vulnerable people around the world and speak openly about it. Our goal is to alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and act with respect for people and fundamental human rights.
As former MSF president, Dr. James Orbinski, said in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech: “We are not sure that words can always save lives, but we know that silence can certainly kill.”
The MSF Charter
All of its members agree to honour the following principles:
Médecins Sans Frontières provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed or political convictions.
Médecins Sans Frontières observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.
Members undertake to respect their professional code of ethics and maintain complete independence from all political, economic or religious powers.
As volunteers, members understand the risks and dangers of the missions they carry out and make no claim for themselves or their assigns for any form of compensation other than that which the association might be able to afford them.
