Read the policies, reports, and plans on how we address issues like racism and reduce our carbon footprint, ensuring our actions align with the highest ethical standards.
In more than 70 countries, Médecins Sans Frontières provides medical humanitarian assistance to save lives and ease the suffering of people in crisis situations.
MSF Access pushes for access to, and the development of, life-saving and life-prolonging medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for people in our programmes and beyond.
Based in Paris, CRASH conducts and directs studies and analysis of MSF actions. They participate in internal training sessions and assessment missions in the field.
Based in Geneva, UREPH (or Research Unit) aims to improve the way MSF projects are implemented in the field and to participate in critical thinking on humanitarian and medical action.
Based in Brussels, MSF Analysis intends to stimulate reflection and debate on humanitarian topics organised around the themes of migration, refugees, aid access, health policy and the environment in which aid operates.
This logistical and supply centre in Brussels provides storage of and delivers medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.
This supply and logistics centre in Bordeaux, France, provides warehousing and delivery of medical equipment, logistics and drugs for international purchases for MSF missions.
This logistical centre in Amsterdam purchases, tests, and stores equipment including vehicles, communications material, power supplies, water-processing facilities and nutritional supplements.
BRAMU specialises in neglected tropical diseases, such as dengue and Chagas, and other infectious diseases. This medical unit is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Our medical guidelines are based on scientific data collected from MSF’s experiences, the World Health Organization (WHO), other renowned international medical institutions, and medical and scientific journals.
Providing epidemiological expertise to underpin our operations, conducting research and training to support our goal of providing medical aid in areas where people are affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or excluded from health care.
Evaluation Units have been established in Vienna, Stockholm, and Paris, assessing the potential and limitations of medical humanitarian action, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our medical humanitarian work.
MSF works with LGBTQI+ populations in many settings over the last 25-30 years. LGBTQI+ people face healthcare disparities with limited access to care and higher disease rates than the general population.
The Luxembourg Operational Research (LuxOR) unit coordinates field research projects and operational research training, and provides support for documentation activities and routine data collection.
The MSF Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff, policy makers and academia to exchange ideas, align efforts, inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field.
The MSF Foundation aims to create a fertile arena for logistics and medical knowledge-sharing to meet the needs of MSF and the humanitarian sector as a whole.
A collaborative, patients’ needs-driven, non-profit drug research and development organisation that is developing new treatments for neglected diseases, founded in 2003 by seven organisations from around the world.
Noma is a preventable and treatable neglected disease, but 90 per cent of people will die within the first two weeks of infection if they do not receive treatment.
The GeoMSF platform is a dynamic one-stop-shop website for all of MSF's GIS related services and products. Access maps and applications through the catalogue, request geographical support, or produce a map on GeoMSF.
Sexual violence affects millions of people, brutally shattering the lives of women, men and children. It is a medical emergency, but there is often a dire lack of healthcare services for victims.
No statistics on sexual violence provide a complete picture of the problem or its prevalence. Shame, fear, stigmatisation and many other obstacles prevent an unknown number of victims from receiving, or even seeking, treatment. And yet getting immediate medical care after sexual assault is critical in order to limit the potential consequences. In 2024, our teams treated over 73,800 victims of sexual violence; 11,600 more than the year before.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is given to victims of rape within 72 hours to prevent HIV in case of exposure. Emergency contraception should also be given promptly to be most effective. Antibiotics are given to prevent sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis and gonorrhoea, and vaccinations for tetanus and hepatitis B. The treatment of physical injuries, and psychological support are also part of the package of care.
Sexual violence against men and boys includes rape, sexual torture and sexual slavery. Men and boys are even less likely to report sexual violence than women for fear of stigmatisation and because of the enormous taboo around the topic. As a result, sexual violence committed against men remains particularly invisible and under-reported, and how to adequately meet the needs of male victims poses a particular challenge for us.
Rape and other forms of sexual violence are often widespread in conflict settings, where they can be used to humiliate, punish, control, injure, inflict fear, and destroy communities. They may also be used to reward or remunerate combatants, to motivate the troops. But millions of people living in stable contexts are also affected by sexual violence. In these cases, the perpetrators are often acquaintances or family members of the victims.
Medical care is crucial in the 72 hours following rape to prevent the transmission of HIV and an unwanted pregnancy. Stigma, fear of the aggressor and of others finding out are some of the reasons victims may hesitate to seek care and often do not pursue follow-up care. The prevention and management of unwanted pregnancy is often their biggest concern, and is part of the care MSF provides. Emergency contraception is allowed in almost all countries; however, termination of pregnancy is – for a variety of reasons – more complicated.
An estimated 99 per cent of women who die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications live in developing countries. Most of these deaths are preventable.
Political instability, an earthquake in August 2021, a fuel crisis and chronic violence have pushed the healthcare system in Haiti to its limits as needs are on the rise.
Egypt is a key transit and destination country for African and Middle Eastern refugees and migrants, many of whom have been subjected to violence or persecution in their countries.
In DRC, MSF runs some of its largest medical relief operations, working in 17 of 26 provinces, responding to diseases outbreaks, conflict and displacement, and tackling health problems such as HIV/AIDs.
Medical Resource
MSF Field Research
We produce important research based on our field experience. So far, we have published articles in over 100 peer-reviewed journals. These articles have often changed clinical practice and have been used for humanitarian advocacy. All of these articles can be found on our dedicated Field Research website.
