Ethics and Morale in Global Mental Health Work

Humanitarian settings impose high expectations on the integrity of the GMH actions because the price of ethical indiscretions can be very high, increasing risks for the aid workers and recipients possibly leading to suspension of aid. In humanitarian settings, the code of conduct governs behavior, while morality is a prerogative of the norms imposed by society and personal convictions. Humanitarian ethics typically refer to navigating intractable dilemmas and establishing a frame of reference for practice and professional interactions consistent with professional and humanitarian values. Dilemmas in humanitarian situations often have no good solutions, and their negotiation can be emotionally and morally draining. Ethics offer professional grounding, set expectations, and guide GMH professionals through complex decision-making in ambiguous situations when one cannot decide which professional value is more professional and which moral value is more moral. The chapter offers examples and analyses of ethically questionable practices, such as trauma tourism and the White Savior Complex. It proposes two protocols for negotiating intractable ethical and moral dilemmas and provides case studies to practice using them.