Moral Injury in Humanitarian Work
In humanitarian work, we expect to face difficult situations. We know resources will be stretched and decisions will be hard.
But there’s a different kind of harm, one that cuts deeper than stress or burnout. It’s the harm that happens when our work forces us to act (or stay silent) in ways that violate our deepest values. This is moral injury.
What Moral Injury Is…and Isn’t
Moral injury isn’t just “feeling bad” about a tough day at work. It’s the lasting psychological, emotional, and sometimes spiritual harm that happens when we:
Participate in actions that conflict with our ethics.
Witness wrongdoing and can’t stop it.
Feel betrayed by systems we trusted.
This isn’t about personal weakness — it’s about profound breaches in our moral framework.
Recognition That Matters
In a meaningful and long-overdue step, moral injury has now been formally acknowledged in the latest update of the DSM-5, the manual used by mental health professionals to classify and understand psychological conditions. This doesn’t turn moral injury into a new diagnosis, but it does recognize that the pain people feel when their moral compass is shaken or betrayed deserves attention, care, and language of its own.
For so many in our sector, that recognition matters deeply. It validates what countless humanitarians, peacebuilders, and caregivers have felt for years…that the distress we carry after witnessing or participating in ethically compromising situations isn’t weakness or burnout. It’s a wound to our sense of what’s right, to our belief in the systems we serve, and sometimes to our sense of ourselves. Naming it doesn’t pathologize our experience, it humanizes it. And it opens the door for better understanding, healing, and support in the spaces where this pain so often goes unseen.
Why It Hits Humanitarians Hard
Our work is deeply tied to identity, values, and purpose. When those are compromised, the impact can feel personal and devastating.
Examples might include:
Being forced to withhold aid due to political pressure.
Seeing staff safety deprioritized for operational goals.
Watching harmful decisions made in the name of expediency.
These moments can leave scars that no amount of rest or resilience training can heal on their own.
The Silence Around Moral Injury
In many workplaces, moral injury isn’t discussed. People may fear being seen as “emotional” or “unprofessional.” But silence compounds the harm. Without space to acknowledge and process it, moral injury festers…eroding trust, engagement, and even a person’s will to stay in the sector.
Addressing Moral Injury at Every Level
For individuals:
Name it - recognizing moral injury is the first step.
Seek trusted spaces to process the experience.
Reconnect with values through personal reflection or restorative practices.
For organizations:
Acknowledge the reality of moral injury in high-stakes work.
Build ethical decision-making processes that prioritize integrity.
Offer support that goes beyond standard mental health services.
Why This Matters for the Future of the Sector
Moral injury doesn’t just harm individuals - it weakens organizations. It drives talented people away, damages morale, and undermines mission integrity.
Addressing it is not just an act of care, it’s a necessity for sustainability.
Holding space with care and solidarity — here’s to staying whole, together,
~ Kate
Thanks for reading The Olive Pages: Fieldnotes on care, clarity, and staying whole
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KRC provides coaching, psychosocial support, and organizational consulting to humanitarian professionals and mission-driven organizations worldwide. Based in lived experience and trauma-aware care, our work helps clients navigate burnout, moral injury, organizational change, and career transitions — while staying human in the process.