Syrian Displaced Children Go Hungry, Stunting Their Growth

Children in northern Syria are suffering from hunger, illness, and malnutrition as a result of poverty, poor living conditions for most families, and the collapse of purchasing power amid the soaring prices of all essential food commodities. Displacement and a lack of job opportunities make this worse.

69 Years of Development in Gaza Erased by Israel-Hamas War

The second of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza has yielded relative success, as so far more than 420,000 children have been vaccinated since the second round of immunizations began one week prior. This exception stands out as the uptick in airstrikes and sustained blockages of aid give humanitarian organizations cause for concern for the deterioration of Gaza, especially in the north.

UN Announces Embargo on Arms in Haiti

On October 19, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously voted to expand an arms embargo in an effort to combat the high levels of gang violence that plagues Haiti. Armed groups have taken control of the majority of Port-Au-Prince, the nation’s capital, leading to numerous clashes with the local police. Humanitarian organizations hope that this embargo will prevent Haitian gangs from accessing illicit weapons and munitions unchecked.

Aid Blockades Signal Trouble for Gaza Ahead of Winter

On October 15, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the beginning of the second round of Gaza’s polio vaccination campaign. Over the last week, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, in partnership with WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), has managed to vaccinate over 181,000 children under the age of ten in Gaza.

Attacks on Aid Personnel in Lebanon Impede Relief Efforts

In the midst of Israel’s ground incursion of southern Lebanon, frequent airstrikes have demolished civilian infrastructure, which is only contributing to the increasing rates of civilian casualties and displacement. Humanitarian organizations fear that conditions in Lebanon will soon resemble those of Gaza if a ceasefire isn’t reached soon.

The Health of Gaza is Dependent on Humanitarian Pause

The next round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, a major undertaking for health partners, began on October 14, as continuous attacks and strains whittle down the healthcare and humanitarian systems.

Haitians Blame Government After Massacre in Pont-Sondé

Last week, on October 3, a violent gang attack on the residents in the central Haitian city Pont-Sondé resulted in 115 deaths and spread fear among communities. This attack was described as one of the deadliest massacres in recent history in Haiti. Pervasive gang violence threatens to destabilize Haiti as the environment grows more dangerous by the day.

Death Toll Rises During Israel’s Siege in Lebanon

One week has passed since the beginning of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Over the past three weeks, Lebanon has seen a considerable uptick in hostilities from the Israeli armed forces. Routine bombardments have resulted in significant civilian casualties as well as the failure of several critical infrastructures. The United Nations warns that displacement continues to grow as shelters approach maximum capacity.

The Future of Civic Freedoms: Lessons from My Time at CIVICUS

When I joined CIVICUS in 2019, I came in with two decades of work on influencing and monitoring public policies through grassroots and global activism. Joining CIVICUS as Secretary-General felt familiar, like returning home after a period of separation. My first international role in 2006 – as Campaign Director of the Global Call to Action against Poverty – was initially hosted by CIVICUS. One of my most memorable campaign endeavours, The World We Want 2015, was conceptualised in the basement of CIVICUS House in 2011.

Continued Hostilities in Gaza Threaten the Second Round of Polio Vaccinations

Over the past two months, the polio epidemic in Gaza has slowly mitigated due to response efforts by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). The first round of the polio vaccination campaign has been largely successful, with around 506,000 children having been immunized. If the Israel authorities allow for further humanitarian pauses, the second round is expected to begin on October 14. However, health officials are concerned that this will be more difficult than expected due to the continuance of deadly attacks in the past few weeks.

May Teacher Voices Echo Around the Globe

We must build a new social contract for education – a contract based on equality, equity, and universal human rights. At the center of our global efforts to ensure education for all, we must put teachers first in everything we do. They are frontlines heroes who deliver every day to educate children, cultivate young talent, and build a strong society. They are the substitute parents, the mentors and the ones who contribute to shaping the identify of a child in war, in refuge or in climate change.

Dominican Republic Orders the Expulsion of Thousands of Haitian Migrants

Over the past few months, the escalation of gang violence and mass displacement in Haiti have been of great concern for humanitarian organizations. Severe levels of armed violence have resulted in significant instability, with food insecurity, sexual violence, civilian casualities, and restricted freedom of movement plaguing the nation. Displacement cases have risen sharply, to the extent that the Dominican Republic has ordered the return of thousands of Haitian migrants.

Education Cannot Wait Interviews UNICEF Representative in Egypt Jeremy Hopkins

 
Jeremy Hopkins is half Kenyan and half British and graduated with a MA in Arabic and Social Anthropology (Edinburgh) and a MSc in Development Studies (SOAS – University of London). He started his career with WFP in Somalia and then moved to UNICEF also in Somalia as a Child Protection specialist but with an overview on Youth, HIV and C4D portfolios. He worked again as a child protection specialist in Mozambique after which he was a Deputy Representative in Central African Republic, Yemen and Somalia (again!). He has been acting Representative in South Sudan for a short while, Representative in Burundi and is currently Representative in Egypt. Outside the professional realm Jeremy enjoys music, travelling, surfing and photography.

Human Toll on Lebanon Under Threat of Israeli Invasion

On September 23, Israel began launching a barrage of airstrikes on Lebanon, targeting the Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah. According to statements from the Israeli Defense Force (IDP), approximately 3,600 sites have been struck, making this the deadliest aerial campaign on Lebanon in the last 20 years.

Goodbye to Large Families in Latin America

Large families are already a relic of the past in Latin America and the Caribbean, as a result of modernisation and the growth of the economy and the labour force. Now, the region faces an ageing population and migratory movements.

Flooding and Armed Conflict Aggravates Sudan’s Cholera Epidemic

Sudan has been plunged into a deadly cholera outbreak in the midst of the Sudanese Civil War. Sudan is currently home to an approximate 15 million people, many of which have had to bear the brunt of hostilities between warring parties, widespread food insecurity, mass displacement, and extreme weather anomalies. Flooding, in particular, has been very damaging, leading to the collapse of critical infrastructures that ensure sanitation. This has caused the cholera outbreak to become a national concern.

UN Moves De-Escalate Israel and Lebanon Conflict

Yesterday, Israel launched a series of bombardments across Southern Lebanon, killing over 500 people and injuring over 1,800, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. This has been described as the deadliest day for the country since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. Furthermore, this is only the latest of a series of conflicts between Israel and Lebanon since the eruption of the Israel-Hamas War in October of last year.

Violence, Displacement, and Hunger Plagues Somalia

Somalia is currently in the midst of a dire humanitarian crisis that threatens to destabilize the nation’s security. This crisis is a result of the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. Altercations between clan-based operations have caused a host of issues over the years, including over 596 civilian casualties, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Tensions have greatly intensified in 2024, with levels of internal displacement and food insecurity increasing rapidly.

Amid Great Challenges, Hope Reigns As More Children Reached with Education Support

Amid unprecedented global challenges and a growing list of countries in crisis, there is an existential threat to decades of development gains—with the global community marked by intensified armed conflict, forced displacements, and the debilitating effects of climate crises.

Nagorno-Karabakh: One Year After the Ethnic Cleansing

It has been 12 months since Hayk Harutyunyan, a 22-year-old photographer from Nagorno-Karabakh, cleaned his house for the last time and closed the door behind him for good.

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Worsens While Polio Vaccine Campaign Succeeds

Today, the chief of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, confirmed that the first round of Gaza’s polio vaccination campaign had ended successfully, reaching 90 percent coverage. The second round of this campaign is set to begin by the end of September, delivering Gaza’s children with a critical second dose of the polio vaccine.