Paul Bouvier

Paul Bouvier is a Lecturer at the Universities of Geneva and Fribourg, affiliated with the Institute of Global Health. He holds expertise in Paediatrics and Child Public Health, with an MSc from the University of London. His career includes extensive work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), where he served as Senior Medical Advisor until retiring in 2019. He has conducted research on child health in West Africa, adolescent health in Switzerland, and ethics in humanitarian action. He chairs the ICRC’s advisory group on ethics and coordinates the Health Emergencies in Large Populations (HELP) courses. His current focus includes violence, trauma, resilience, and humanitarian ethics.

• Education: Medical studies in Geneva, Swiss Boards in Paediatrics, MSc in Community Paediatrics (University of London).
• Key roles: ICRC Senior Medical Advisor (1997–2019), Director of Children and Youth Health Services in Geneva (1997–2007), Coordinator of HELP courses (2011–present).

Research interests span humanitarian ethics, public health in crises, and resilience in vulnerable populations. He has advised ICRC leadership on health and ethical issues and contributed to WHO and AO-Foundation ethics committees. His work emphasizes ethical dilemmas in humanitarian emergencies and the integration of compassion into action.

Advising and grants: Involved in research projects on violence, trauma, and humanitarian responses. Teaching focuses on ethics in public health and humanitarian action. The HELP courses he leads train professionals in crisis response, combining public health, ethics, and practical decision-making.

Labs/teams: Active in the Institute of Global Health, leading ethics discussions and collaborating with global institutions like WHO and schools of public health.