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Building Resilience Amid Growing Humanitarian Needs | Wilson Quarterly
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from-default-from-gradient to-default-to-gradient h-full w-full"><p class="text-sm uppercase font-poppins tracking-wide">Fall<!-- --> <!-- -->2024</p><h1 class="text-5xl font-julius max-w-3xl">Building Resilience Amid Growing Humanitarian Needs</h1><p class="text-sm uppercase font-poppins tracking-wide">– Lauren Herzer Risi and Syed Imran Ali, PhD</p></div></div><div class="flex flex-col items-center w-full space-y-6 bg-gray-200 pb-36 content-wrapper "><div class=" w-full max-w-3xl text-center font-bitter text-lg italic font-semibold tracking-wider leading-relaxed text-summary-color pt-8 "><p>In the face of climate change and protracted conflict, humanitarian crises are growing in number and frequency—and complicating the delivery of assistance.</p></div><div class=""><div class=" flex justify-center items-center flex-row space-x-8 "><button><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="fill-current h-5 text-gray-700" viewBox="0 0 30 33"><path d="M6.764 10.851H.93c-.26 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.47-.228.47-.51V11.362c0-.282-.21-.51-.47-.51zM3.85.694C1.727.694 0 2.574 0 4.886 0 7.2 1.727 9.08 3.85 9.08c2.121 0 3.847-1.881 3.847-4.194C7.697 2.575 5.971.694 3.85.694zm17.757 9.65c-2.344 0-4.076 1.098-5.127 2.346v-1.327c0-.283-.21-.511-.468-.511h-5.588c-.26 0-.469.228-.469.51v20.432c0 .283.21.511.469.511h5.822c.259 0 .469-.228.469-.51v-10.11c0-3.406.848-4.733 3.027-4.733 2.372 0 2.56 2.127 2.56 4.908v9.934c0 .283.21.511.47.511h5.824c.259 0 .468-.228.468-.51V20.586c0-5.065-.886-10.243-7.457-10.243z"></path></svg></button><button><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="fill-current h-5 text-gray-700" viewBox="0 0 1200 1227"><path d="M714.163 519.284L1160.89 0h-105.86L667.137 450.887 357.328 0H0l468.492 681.821L0 1226.37h105.866l409.625-476.152 327.181 476.152H1200L714.137 519.284h.026zM569.165 687.828l-47.468-67.894-377.686-540.24h162.604l304.797 435.991 47.468 67.894 396.2 566.721H892.476L569.165 687.854v-.026z"></path></svg></button><button><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="fill-current h-5 text-gray-700" viewBox="0 0 17 35"><path d="M.58 18.637h3.508v15.74c0 .312.231.563.516.563h5.948c.285 0 .516-.251.516-.562V18.71h4.033c.262 0 .482-.214.512-.498l.613-5.795a.596.596 0 00-.128-.439.498.498 0 00-.385-.188h-4.645V8.158c0-1.095.541-1.65 1.608-1.65h3.037c.285 0 .516-.252.516-.562V.626c0-.31-.23-.562-.516-.562h-4.185a3.765 3.765 0 00-.192-.004c-.726 0-3.25.155-5.244 2.154-2.21 2.216-1.902 4.87-1.829 5.33v4.247H.581c-.286 0-.517.252-.517.563v5.72c0 .311.231.563.517.563z"></path></svg></button><button><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="fill-current h-8 text-gray-700" viewBox="0 0 64 64"><path d="M55.14 16a2.52 2.52 0 01.48 0L34.14 34.45a4.16 4.16 0 01-4.28 0L8.38 16a2.52 2.52 0 01.48 0zM58 45.18A2.83 2.83 0 0155.14 48H8.86A2.83 2.83 0 016 45.18V18.82a2.83 2.83 0 01.42-1.47l22 18.85.13.1a6.39 6.39 0 006.8 0l.13-.1 22-18.85a2.83 2.83 0 01.52 1.47z"></path></svg></button><button><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="fill-current h-6 text-gray-700" viewBox="0 0 32 32"><path d="M7 11V4.997C7 3.895 7.894 3 8.997 3h15.005c1.107 0 1.997.894 1.997 1.997V11h-19zM6 27H4.994A2.996 2.996 0 012 24.001V15a2.998 2.998 0 012.994-2.999h23.011A2.996 2.996 0 0130.999 15v9.001A2.998 2.998 0 0128.005 27h-1.006v-8h-21v8zm1-7h19v8c0 1.112-.894 2-1.997 2H8.998a1.996 1.996 0 01-1.997-2v-8zm18-3a1 1 0 100-2 1 1 0 000 2zM9 23v1h15v-1H9zm0 3v1h15v-1H9z"></path></svg></button></div></div><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">As I write this, Hurricane Milton is hurtling towards Tampa, Florida. With no time to catch their breath after Hurricane Helene, those in the path of the storm find themselves in a trap laid by climate change—unable to recover from one extreme weather event before the next one hits. Despite massive mobilization of US military and federal personnel, extensive relief efforts, and significant resource distribution by FEMA and other agencies, the US—the world's richest country—is struggling to keep pace with the escalating frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events. </em></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">But the storm clouds over Florida are just the tip of the iceberg. Across the globe, climate change is not only intensifying weather patterns but is also fueling conflicts in vulnerable countries. Through a vicious cycle, armed conflict erodes communities' ability to withstand climate stressors like drought and flooding, while climate-induced resource scarcity and economic instability fuels tensions and creates fertile ground for armed groups to recruit desperate individuals. The </em><em class=""><a class="" href="https://www.rescue.org/report/2024-emergency-watchlist" title="null" target="_blank">International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist</a></em><em class=""> paints a grim picture: 14 out of 20 countries on their radar are battling both climate disasters and armed conflicts. These nations, which house a mere 9% of the world's population, shoulder a staggering 69% of global humanitarian needs. </em></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">What do these mounting pressures mean for the future of humanitarian assistance? I asked Dr. Syed Imran Ali, an experienced aid worker and engineering researcher who leads the </em><em class=""><a class="" href="https://www.yorku.ca/dighr/project/humanitarian-water-lab/" title="null" target="_blank">Humanitarian Water Lab</a></em><em class=""> at York University’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. With a blend of systems thinking and real-world experience, Dr. Ali tackles the tough questions head-on: How can aid systems adapt to this new reality? What role can innovation and technology play? How can we bridge the gap between immediate relief and long-term development in protracted crises?</em></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">As climate change reshapes our world, Dr. Ali's interview serves as a clarion call for policymakers, aid workers, and donors, reminding us that in the face of unprecedented challenges, our greatest assets may be human ingenuity, collaboration, and the untapped potential of local communities. </em></p><h3 id="lauren-herzer-risi"><em class="">—Lauren Herzer Risi</em></h3><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Lauren Herzer Risi: How can humanitarian assistance adapt to meet today’s needs and those challenges we see on the horizon—particularly in the context of climate change and protracted conflict?</strong></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Syed Imran Ali:</strong> Today, climate chaos and conflict are driving an unprecedented global humanitarian crisis. More than 310 million people today need <a class="" href="https://humanitarianaction.info/" title="null" target="_blank">urgent humanitarian assistance</a> and more than 120 million people (over 1.5% of the world’s population) are <a class="" href="https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends-report-2023" title="null" target="_blank">forcibly displaced</a>—the highest levels ever recorded. In the face of such overwhelming numbers, it becomes easy to lose sight of the human reality. We need to remember that each one of these numbers is a person with stories of loss, struggle, and resilience. We need to remember that people only leave their homes when there is no other choice, when to stay means they may not survive.</p><blockquote><p data-label="Pullquote" class=" relative text-left undefined ">In the face of the scale and widening reach of this crisis, the standard centralized model of humanitarian response is increasingly unfit for purpose.</p></blockquote><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">The places that people flee to then are, necessarily, on the edges of survivability—a unit of geographic distance between living and not living. Today, the margins of survivability are being pushed into ever greater swathes of the global population as more and more people are forced into precarious situations by mounting pressures of climate change, conflict, and social and economic dislocation.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">In the face of the scale and widening reach of this crisis, the standard centralized model of humanitarian response—driven by international institutions, donors, and organizations based in the minority world—is increasingly unfit for purpose. To address the growing frequency and distribution of emergencies, we need a humanitarian system that is equally well distributed with strong local standing capacities.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">Localization has been on the agenda since the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, yet entrenched structures continue to prevent local humanitarians from building the readiness and capacity needed to lead responses in their own communities. A fundamental <a class="" href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-023-00139-0" title="null" target="_blank">barrier</a> is the reluctance of traditional donors and institutions to decentralize funding and decision-making, which ultimately undermines local partners’ autonomy and ability to respond effectively to crises. An <a class="" href="https://www.ifrc.org/document/study-localization-humanitarian-action-red-cross-red-crescent" title="null" target="_blank">evaluation</a> of national Red Cross/Red Crescent development efforts in five countries revealed a persistent pattern of fragmented, short-term support that prioritizes the short-term goals of donors and existing institutions over the long-term organizational development and sustainability of local responders.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">The future of humanitarian assistance amidst accelerating climate change and growing conflict lies in cultivating a highly distributed and ready humanitarian network—one that empowers local actors and fosters mutual support among neighboring countries to face the widening progression and reach of the contemporary global humanitarian crisis.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Lauren Herzer Risi: How can we balance the need to reform traditional systems and approaches to humanitarian assistance with innovation and the deployment of new tools/technologies?</strong></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Syed Imran Ali:</strong> I don’t think there necessarily has to be a tension between humanitarian reform and investing in innovation. In fact, innovation in tools, technologies, and approaches can enhance local capacities if it is guided by the principles of localization and integrated thoughtfully into broader reforms.</p><blockquote><p data-label="Pullquote" class=" relative text-left undefined ">Technology cannot solve the structural challenges facing the humanitarian sector, so it must complement broader reforms—not replace them.</p></blockquote><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">One way this can happen is by empowering local responders to develop solutions to the challenges they face daily. Local responders are closest to the issues, with deep knowledge of the context and what potential solutions could look like. By providing them with the necessary support—financial, technical, and otherwise—for research and development and response planning, their capabilities can be enhanced while generating solutions that are tailored to local conditions and highly fit for purpose.</p><figure data-id="figure-19" data-node="{"type":"figure","attrs":{"position":"center","size":"large"},"content":[{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FAP24275476999839_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}},{"type":"figcaption","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"A firefighter tries to extinguish the flames during a third day of a wildfire, in Sofiana village, about 142 kilometers (88 miles) west of Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris."}]}]}" data-size="large" data-position="center" class=" flex flex-col items-center relative mb-8 py-8 w-full sm:w-128 xl:w-10/12 xl:max-w-screen-lg+ "><img class=" w-full overflow-y-visible object-cover " data-node="{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FAP24275476999839_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}}" src="https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FAP24275476999839_resized.jpg"/><figcaption data-type="caption" class="text-left w-full "><em class="">A firefighter tries to extinguish the flames during a third day of a wildfire, in Sofiana village, about 142 kilometers (88 miles) west of Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris.</em></figcaption></figure><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">Technology can also play a transformative role in generating operational insights from existing monitoring and reporting processes. Anyone who has worked in the humanitarian sector knows how much data is collected for reporting to headquarters or donors. This data contains potentially life-saving information—on how well things are working, where the problems lie, and how operations could be improved—much of which remains hidden and underutilized.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">If we can figure out how to unlock this life-saving information from the data, we can close the loop between monitoring and operations—helping both international and local humanitarian responders get the maximum value out of the programs and the monitoring data they already spend considerable time and resources implementing and collecting.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">Technology cannot solve the structural challenges facing the humanitarian sector, so it must complement broader reforms—not replace them. Investing in new technologies is only effective when combined with efforts to decentralize decision-making, secure long-term resources for local organizations, and strengthen local capacities, including on R&D and response planning.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Lauren Herzer Risi: Share an example that illustrates where you see a need/opportunity for innovative approaches—what is working and where?</strong></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Syed Imran Ali:</strong> There are some outstanding initiatives empowering local responders to develop solutions to the challenges they face. One example is <a class="" href="https://humanitariangrandchallenge.org/" title="null" target="_blank">Creating Hope in Conflict</a>, a funding platform that has supported more than 70 life-saving innovations aimed at reaching the most vulnerable populations in conflict settings—many of them developed by local organizations. Many large international humanitarian organizations have also launched innovation labs (such as Doctors Without Borders' <a class="" href="https://msf-transformation.org/" title="null" target="_blank">Transformational Investment Capacity</a> and the UN Refugee Agency’s <a class="" href="https://www.unhcr.org/innovation/refugee-led-innovation-fund/" title="null" target="_blank">Refugee-Led Innovation Fund</a>)<strong class="">,</strong> aimed at enabling local communities and field staff to develop solutions that address immediate, context-specific challenges. These initiatives all aim to unlock the creativity of those closest to crises.</p><blockquote><p data-label="Pullquote" class=" relative text-left undefined ">One of the harder things to do in humanitarian response is meaningfully engage and center crisis-affected communities in the design and implementation of responses to health crises.</p></blockquote><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">One significant unmet need in the humanitarian sector is the effective use of data for decision-making. While tools like <a class="" href="https://www.kobotoolbox.org/" title="null" target="_blank">KoboToolbox</a><strong class=""> </strong>have revolutionized quantitative data collection; qualitative data, which captures richer, contextual insights, remains underutilized due to the time-intensive nature of its collection and analysis. Innovations in natural language processing, such as Kobo’s <a class="" href="https://www.kobotoolbox.org/blog/improving-qualitative-data-collection-kobotoolboxs-advanced-features-for-transcription-translation-and-analysis" title="null" target="_blank">efforts</a> to incorporate speech-to-text transcription, machine translation, and large language models are beginning to address this gap, making qualitative data more accessible and actionable at scale.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">In humanitarian crises, access to clean water is one of the most critical public health needs. The <a class="" href="http://www.safeh2o.app/" title="null" target="_blank">Safe Water Optimization Tool</a>, developed by my research lab, addresses this by using machine learning to optimize water chlorination and ensure that water remains safe to drink at the household level—where it matters most for public health. This tool transforms routine water quality data into actionable insights, helping humanitarian responders maintain safe water supplies for vulnerable populations.</p><figure data-id="figure-28" data-node="{"type":"figure","attrs":{"position":"center","size":"large"},"content":[{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fshutterstock_2135454041_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}},{"type":"figcaption","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"Volunteers distributing blankets and other donations to refugees on the Ukrainian border. Shutterstock."}]}]}" data-size="large" data-position="center" class=" flex flex-col items-center relative mb-8 py-8 w-full sm:w-128 xl:w-10/12 xl:max-w-screen-lg+ "><img class=" w-full overflow-y-visible object-cover " data-node="{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fshutterstock_2135454041_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}}" src="https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fshutterstock_2135454041_resized.jpg"/><figcaption data-type="caption" class="text-left w-full "><em class="">Volunteers distributing blankets and other donations to refugees on the Ukrainian border. Shutterstock.</em></figcaption></figure><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">One of the harder things to do in humanitarian response is meaningfully engage and center crisis-affected communities in the design and implementation of responses to health crises. An organization doing remarkably innovative work in this domain is <a class="" href="https://www.seechangeinitiative.org/" title="null" target="_blank">SeeChange</a>, whose CommunityFirst Framework enables the co-design of humanitarian response strategies to health crises by affected communities and humanitarian organizations. SeeChange has worked with Doctors Without Borders to demonstrate their community co-design approach in Peru, Sierra Leone, and Venezuela. It is through this kind of innovative path-breaking work that progress on the localization agenda can be accelerated.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">Ultimately, innovations like these—whether through data-driven insights, surfacing local solutions, or community-based co-design frameworks—demonstrate the critical role that affected communities and frontline responders have in advancing humanitarian response. By continuing to invest in locally-driven solutions that can reach everyone in need, the humanitarian sector can become more fit for purpose and respond more effectively to contemporary crises.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Lauren Herzer Risi: How can cooperation be strengthened among humanitarian, development, and peace and security actors, recognizing the protracted nature of many of today’s disasters, weather or conflict-related?</strong></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><strong class="">Syed Imran Ali:</strong> Protracted crises, whether driven by conflict or increasingly, climate-related disasters, pose a significant threat to the long-term resilience of both built infrastructure and human systems. A good example of this is the gradual degradation of urban water supply systems in protracted conflicts. Over time, repeated shocks erode system resilience, turning once-functioning water infrastructure into potential sources of public health risks. This <a class="" href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.12546" title="null" target="_blank">erosion</a> can extend beyond physical systems to human systems—degrading social cohesion and community stability, further undermining the functioning of socio-technical systems.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left ">Humanitarian responders need to actively engage with development and peace-building professionals to mitigate these cumulative effects and ensure essential services—such as water and sanitation infrastructure and healthcare systems—can withstand future shocks. This is well understood in the humanitarian sector, and there are considerable efforts underway to ensure that disasters are <a class="" href="https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/Final_RCCC-Anticipatory-action-for-climate-sensitive-infectious-diseases-1.pdf" title="null" target="_blank">anticipated</a>, and risks <a class="" href="https://www.undrr.org/implementing-sendai-framework/sendai-framework-action/humanitarian-action" title="null" target="_blank">reduced</a>. But the ability of the humanitarian sector to quickly respond to acute crises should not be deprioritized in favor of long-term developmental thinking—a <a class="" href="https://www.msf.org/sites/default/files/msf-whereiseveryone_-def-lr_-_july.pdf" title="null" target="_blank">risk</a> that has been borne out in several emergencies in the past decade. Focusing on building long-term resilience is important to do at the right moment, when the acute needs have been met, excess loss of life and disease have been brought under control, and the situation has been stabilized enough.</p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class=""> </em></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">Lauren Herzer Risi is the director of the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program. Syed Imran Ali, PhD, is a global health and humanitarianism research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at York University in Toronto, Canada, where he directs the Humanitarian Water Engineering Lab.</em></p><p data-label="Paragraph" class=" relative text-left "><em class="">Cover photo: A woman with a child on her back walks past a house which had collapsed due to flooding in the Nakhu river caused by heavy rains in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha.</em></p></div></div><div data-label="Next Up" class="w-full flex flex-col items-center space-y-8 lg:space-y-0 lg:flex-row lg:items-start lg:justify-center bg-gray-200"><p class="w-full lg:w-1/3 font-bitter font-bold text-center text-base lg:text-xl"><span class="bg-white px-8 py-4 text-accent-red font-poppins">Up next in this issue</span></p><div class="w-full mb-12 lg:w-2/3 lg:-mt-12 lg:mr-8"><div class="w-full h-auto" data-layout="wide"><a href="/quarterly/confronting-unprecedented-humanitarian-needs/human-dignity-and-legal-duty-make-the-case-for-enforcing-the-laws-of-war" rel="noreferrer" class=" w-full flex flex-col-reverse md:flex-row md:h-auto " target="_self"><div class="flex flex-col space-y-2 w-full p-4 md:h-auto md:w-5/12 md:px-6 justify-center text-gray-800 bg-white "><p class=" font-julius text-xl md:text-2xl md:pb-4 ">Human Dignity and Legal Duty Make the Case for Enforcing the Laws of War</p><p class="font-bitter md:pb-4 ">– Fabrizio 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With no time to catch their breath after Hurricane Helene, those in the path of the storm find themselves in a trap laid by climate change—unable to recover from one extreme weather event before the next one hits. Despite massive mobilization of US military and federal personnel, extensive relief efforts, and significant resource distribution by FEMA and other agencies, the US—the world's richest country—is struggling to keep pace with the escalating frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events. "}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"But the storm clouds over Florida are just the tip of the iceberg. Across the globe, climate change is not only intensifying weather patterns but is also fueling conflicts in vulnerable countries. Through a vicious cycle, armed conflict erodes communities' ability to withstand climate stressors like drought and flooding, while climate-induced resource scarcity and economic instability fuels tensions and creates fertile ground for armed groups to recruit desperate individuals. The "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.rescue.org/report/2024-emergency-watchlist","title":null}},{"type":"em"}],"text":"International Rescue Committee's Emergency Watchlist"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":" paints a grim picture: 14 out of 20 countries on their radar are battling both climate disasters and armed conflicts. These nations, which house a mere 9% of the world's population, shoulder a staggering 69% of global humanitarian needs. "}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"What do these mounting pressures mean for the future of humanitarian assistance? I asked Dr. Syed Imran Ali, an experienced aid worker and engineering researcher who leads the "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.yorku.ca/dighr/project/humanitarian-water-lab/","title":null}},{"type":"em"}],"text":"Humanitarian Water Lab"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":" at York University’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. With a blend of systems thinking and real-world experience, Dr. Ali tackles the tough questions head-on: How can aid systems adapt to this new reality? What role can innovation and technology play? How can we bridge the gap between immediate relief and long-term development in protracted crises?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"As climate change reshapes our world, Dr. Ali's interview serves as a clarion call for policymakers, aid workers, and donors, reminding us that in the face of unprecedented challenges, our greatest assets may be human ingenuity, collaboration, and the untapped potential of local communities. "}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":3},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"—Lauren Herzer Risi"}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":3}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"}},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Lauren Herzer Risi: How can humanitarian assistance adapt to meet today’s needs and those challenges we see on the horizon—particularly in the context of climate change and protracted conflict?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Syed Imran Ali:"},{"type":"text","text":" Today, climate chaos and conflict are driving an unprecedented global humanitarian crisis. More than 310 million people today need "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://humanitarianaction.info/","title":null}}],"text":"urgent humanitarian assistance"},{"type":"text","text":" and more than 120 million people (over 1.5% of the world’s population) are "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.unhcr.org/global-trends-report-2023","title":null}}],"text":"forcibly displaced"},{"type":"text","text":"—the highest levels ever recorded. In the face of such overwhelming numbers, it becomes easy to lose sight of the human reality. We need to remember that each one of these numbers is a person with stories of loss, struggle, and resilience. We need to remember that people only leave their homes when there is no other choice, when to stay means they may not survive."}]},{"type":"pullquote","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"In the face of the scale and widening reach of this crisis, the standard centralized model of humanitarian response is increasingly unfit for purpose."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The places that people flee to then are, necessarily, on the edges of survivability—a unit of geographic distance between living and not living. Today, the margins of survivability are being pushed into ever greater swathes of the global population as more and more people are forced into precarious situations by mounting pressures of climate change, conflict, and social and economic dislocation."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"In the face of the scale and widening reach of this crisis, the standard centralized model of humanitarian response—driven by international institutions, donors, and organizations based in the minority world—is increasingly unfit for purpose. To address the growing frequency and distribution of emergencies, we need a humanitarian system that is equally well distributed with strong local standing capacities."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Localization has been on the agenda since the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit, yet entrenched structures continue to prevent local humanitarians from building the readiness and capacity needed to lead responses in their own communities. A fundamental "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s41018-023-00139-0","title":null}}],"text":"barrier"},{"type":"text","text":" is the reluctance of traditional donors and institutions to decentralize funding and decision-making, which ultimately undermines local partners’ autonomy and ability to respond effectively to crises. An "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.ifrc.org/document/study-localization-humanitarian-action-red-cross-red-crescent","title":null}}],"text":"evaluation"},{"type":"text","text":" of national Red Cross/Red Crescent development efforts in five countries revealed a persistent pattern of fragmented, short-term support that prioritizes the short-term goals of donors and existing institutions over the long-term organizational development and sustainability of local responders."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"The future of humanitarian assistance amidst accelerating climate change and growing conflict lies in cultivating a highly distributed and ready humanitarian network—one that empowers local actors and fosters mutual support among neighboring countries to face the widening progression and reach of the contemporary global humanitarian crisis."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Lauren Herzer Risi: How can we balance the need to reform traditional systems and approaches to humanitarian assistance with innovation and the deployment of new tools/technologies?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Syed Imran Ali:"},{"type":"text","text":" I don’t think there necessarily has to be a tension between humanitarian reform and investing in innovation. In fact, innovation in tools, technologies, and approaches can enhance local capacities if it is guided by the principles of localization and integrated thoughtfully into broader reforms."}]},{"type":"pullquote","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Technology cannot solve the structural challenges facing the humanitarian sector, so it must complement broader reforms—not replace them."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"One way this can happen is by empowering local responders to develop solutions to the challenges they face daily. Local responders are closest to the issues, with deep knowledge of the context and what potential solutions could look like. By providing them with the necessary support—financial, technical, and otherwise—for research and development and response planning, their capabilities can be enhanced while generating solutions that are tailored to local conditions and highly fit for purpose."}]},{"type":"figure","attrs":{"position":"center","size":"large"},"content":[{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FAP24275476999839_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}},{"type":"figcaption","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"A firefighter tries to extinguish the flames during a third day of a wildfire, in Sofiana village, about 142 kilometers (88 miles) west of Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris."}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Technology can also play a transformative role in generating operational insights from existing monitoring and reporting processes. Anyone who has worked in the humanitarian sector knows how much data is collected for reporting to headquarters or donors. This data contains potentially life-saving information—on how well things are working, where the problems lie, and how operations could be improved—much of which remains hidden and underutilized."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"If we can figure out how to unlock this life-saving information from the data, we can close the loop between monitoring and operations—helping both international and local humanitarian responders get the maximum value out of the programs and the monitoring data they already spend considerable time and resources implementing and collecting."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Technology cannot solve the structural challenges facing the humanitarian sector, so it must complement broader reforms—not replace them. Investing in new technologies is only effective when combined with efforts to decentralize decision-making, secure long-term resources for local organizations, and strengthen local capacities, including on R\u0026D and response planning."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Lauren Herzer Risi: Share an example that illustrates where you see a need/opportunity for innovative approaches—what is working and where?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Syed Imran Ali:"},{"type":"text","text":" There are some outstanding initiatives empowering local responders to develop solutions to the challenges they face. One example is "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://humanitariangrandchallenge.org/","title":null}}],"text":"Creating Hope in Conflict"},{"type":"text","text":", a funding platform that has supported more than 70 life-saving innovations aimed at reaching the most vulnerable populations in conflict settings—many of them developed by local organizations. Many large international humanitarian organizations have also launched innovation labs (such as Doctors Without Borders' "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://msf-transformation.org/","title":null}}],"text":"Transformational Investment Capacity"},{"type":"text","text":" and the UN Refugee Agency’s "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.unhcr.org/innovation/refugee-led-innovation-fund/","title":null}}],"text":"Refugee-Led Innovation Fund"},{"type":"text","text":")"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":","},{"type":"text","text":" aimed at enabling local communities and field staff to develop solutions that address immediate, context-specific challenges. These initiatives all aim to unlock the creativity of those closest to crises."}]},{"type":"pullquote","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"One of the harder things to do in humanitarian response is meaningfully engage and center crisis-affected communities in the design and implementation of responses to health crises."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"One significant unmet need in the humanitarian sector is the effective use of data for decision-making. While tools like "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.kobotoolbox.org/","title":null}}],"text":"KoboToolbox"},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":" "},{"type":"text","text":"have revolutionized quantitative data collection; qualitative data, which captures richer, contextual insights, remains underutilized due to the time-intensive nature of its collection and analysis. Innovations in natural language processing, such as Kobo’s "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.kobotoolbox.org/blog/improving-qualitative-data-collection-kobotoolboxs-advanced-features-for-transcription-translation-and-analysis","title":null}}],"text":"efforts"},{"type":"text","text":" to incorporate speech-to-text transcription, machine translation, and large language models are beginning to address this gap, making qualitative data more accessible and actionable at scale."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"In humanitarian crises, access to clean water is one of the most critical public health needs. The "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"http://www.safeh2o.app/","title":null}}],"text":"Safe Water Optimization Tool"},{"type":"text","text":", developed by my research lab, addresses this by using machine learning to optimize water chlorination and ensure that water remains safe to drink at the household level—where it matters most for public health. This tool transforms routine water quality data into actionable insights, helping humanitarian responders maintain safe water supplies for vulnerable populations."}]},{"type":"figure","attrs":{"position":"center","size":"large"},"content":[{"type":"image","attrs":{"src":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fshutterstock_2135454041_resized.jpg","alt":null,"title":null,"href":null,"credit":null}},{"type":"figcaption","content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"Volunteers distributing blankets and other donations to refugees on the Ukrainian border. Shutterstock."}]}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"One of the harder things to do in humanitarian response is meaningfully engage and center crisis-affected communities in the design and implementation of responses to health crises. An organization doing remarkably innovative work in this domain is "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.seechangeinitiative.org/","title":null}}],"text":"SeeChange"},{"type":"text","text":", whose CommunityFirst Framework enables the co-design of humanitarian response strategies to health crises by affected communities and humanitarian organizations. SeeChange has worked with Doctors Without Borders to demonstrate their community co-design approach in Peru, Sierra Leone, and Venezuela. It is through this kind of innovative path-breaking work that progress on the localization agenda can be accelerated."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Ultimately, innovations like these—whether through data-driven insights, surfacing local solutions, or community-based co-design frameworks—demonstrate the critical role that affected communities and frontline responders have in advancing humanitarian response. By continuing to invest in locally-driven solutions that can reach everyone in need, the humanitarian sector can become more fit for purpose and respond more effectively to contemporary crises."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Lauren Herzer Risi: How can cooperation be strengthened among humanitarian, development, and peace and security actors, recognizing the protracted nature of many of today’s disasters, weather or conflict-related?"}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"strong"}],"text":"Syed Imran Ali:"},{"type":"text","text":" Protracted crises, whether driven by conflict or increasingly, climate-related disasters, pose a significant threat to the long-term resilience of both built infrastructure and human systems. A good example of this is the gradual degradation of urban water supply systems in protracted conflicts. Over time, repeated shocks erode system resilience, turning once-functioning water infrastructure into potential sources of public health risks. This "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.12546","title":null}}],"text":"erosion"},{"type":"text","text":" can extend beyond physical systems to human systems—degrading social cohesion and community stability, further undermining the functioning of socio-technical systems."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Humanitarian responders need to actively engage with development and peace-building professionals to mitigate these cumulative effects and ensure essential services—such as water and sanitation infrastructure and healthcare systems—can withstand future shocks. This is well understood in the humanitarian sector, and there are considerable efforts underway to ensure that disasters are "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/Final_RCCC-Anticipatory-action-for-climate-sensitive-infectious-diseases-1.pdf","title":null}}],"text":"anticipated"},{"type":"text","text":", and risks "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.undrr.org/implementing-sendai-framework/sendai-framework-action/humanitarian-action","title":null}}],"text":"reduced"},{"type":"text","text":". But the ability of the humanitarian sector to quickly respond to acute crises should not be deprioritized in favor of long-term developmental thinking—a "},{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"link","attrs":{"href":"https://www.msf.org/sites/default/files/msf-whereiseveryone_-def-lr_-_july.pdf","title":null}}],"text":"risk"},{"type":"text","text":" that has been borne out in several emergencies in the past decade. Focusing on building long-term resilience is important to do at the right moment, when the acute needs have been met, excess loss of life and disease have been brought under control, and the situation has been stabilized enough."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":" "}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"Lauren Herzer Risi is the director of the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program. Syed Imran Ali, PhD, is a global health and humanitarianism research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at York University in Toronto, Canada, where he directs the Humanitarian Water Engineering Lab."}]},{"type":"paragraph","attrs":{"align":"left"},"content":[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"em"}],"text":"Cover photo: A woman with a child on her back walks past a house which had collapsed due to flooding in the Nakhu river caused by heavy rains in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha."}]}]},"textSnippets":{"teaser":"In the face of climate change and protracted conflict, humanitarian crises are growing in number and frequency—and complicating the delivery of assistance.","summary":"In this Q\u0026A, Lauren Herzer-Risi talks with humanitarian water specialist Syed Imran Ali about building resilience in the face of increasingly volatile natural disasters, and the fact that climate change isn’t just increasing the number and intensity of humanitarian crises but is complicating the delivery of assistance. 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The laws of war are designed to uphold a fundamental principle: the moral duty to protect human life, even in the direst situations. 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Green shares insights from his time at USAID, stressing the urgent need for innovation and collaboration to address escalating humanitarian crises. He also tells us why we should be hopeful despite the growing needs."},"openGraph":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Copy of Cucuta - Adminstrator Green warehouse tour (2 of 13).jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FCopy%20of%20Cucuta%20-%20Adminstrator%20Green%20warehouse%20tour%20(2%20of%2013).jpg","size":3525078},"summary":"As a rapidly changing world creates new humanitarian needs, innovative approaches and new collaborations can help us rise to the moment. ","title":"Introduction: Confronting Unprecedented Humanitarian Needs"},"twitterCard":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Copy of Cucuta - Adminstrator Green warehouse tour (2 of 13).jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FCopy%20of%20Cucuta%20-%20Adminstrator%20Green%20warehouse%20tour%20(2%20of%2013).jpg","size":3525078},"summary":"As a rapidly changing world creates new humanitarian needs, innovative approaches and new collaborations can help us rise to the moment. ","title":"Introduction: Confronting Unprecedented Humanitarian Needs"}},"_proof":"Entry"},{"_id":"670ebc31e09b113950f21a6b","type":"article","title":"A Decade of Compounding Crises","slug":"a-decade-of-compounding-crises","releaseDate":"2024-10-22T14:48:40.319Z","content":{"attribution":{"authors":[{"_id":"670ebc46e09b113950f21a6c","name":"Abby Stoddard","slug":"abby-stoddard","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"}]},"textSnippets":{"teaser":"As demand for humanitarian assistance outpaces supply, the aid sector is increasingly overwhelmed.","summary":"From the needs to the responses, we get a clearer picture of how the humanitarian assistance sector has changed over the past decade by taking a close look at the numbers. Those numbers tell a compelling story: crises are growing in numbers and complexity, humanitarian workers are increasingly at risk, and the same core set of countries are providing the bulk of the funding—even as the price tag gets bigger and bigger. Humanitarian Outcomes Cofounder Abby Stoddard provides thoughtful analysis alongside the most recent data. 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"},"textSnippets":{"teaser":"To achieve sustainable development and mitigate the challenges of human displacement, migration must be seen as a solution.","summary":"The Director General of the International Organization on Migration provides a comprehensive understanding of the humanitarian crises driving migration. She outlines how to support communities impacted by migration, and ultimately how to use migration as a tool to address some of the most pressing global challenges. 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The laws of war are designed to uphold a fundamental principle: the moral duty to protect human life, even in the direst situations. In his piece, Fabrizio Carboni draws upon personal experiences working in conflict zones to demonstrate how the laws of war, when adhered to, can help humanitarian assistance efforts, and why they are worth protecting—even in the most protracted conflicts."},"attribution":{"authors":[{"_id":"67103c4de09b113950f21a7c","name":"Fabrizio Carboni","slug":"fabrizio-carboni","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"}]},"openGraph":{"summary":"Upholding the laws of war is essential for immediate humanitarian relief—and long-term conflict resolution.","title":"Human Dignity and Legal Duty Make the Case for Enforcing the Laws of War","image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/photo (34).jpeg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fphoto%20(34).jpeg","size":540981}},"twitterCard":{"summary":"Upholding the laws of war is essential for immediate humanitarian relief—and long-term conflict resolution.","title":"Human Dignity and Legal Duty Make the Case for Enforcing the Laws of War","image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/photo (34).jpeg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fphoto%20(34).jpeg","size":540981}},"coverArt":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/photo (34).jpeg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fphoto%20(34).jpeg","size":540981},"squareImage":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/photo (34).jpeg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fphoto%20(34).jpeg","size":540981}}},"_proof":"Entry"},{"_id":"670eb12de09b113950f21a63","type":"article","title":"As Humanitarian Crises Grow, So Do Risks for Women and Newborns","slug":"as-humanitarian-crises-grow,-so-do-risks-for-women-and-newborns","releaseDate":"2024-10-22T14:48:46.504Z","content":{"textSnippets":{"teaser":"Maternal and newborn health experts on what needs more attention when responding to humanitarian emergencies.","summary":"Sarah B. Barnes engages maternal and newborn health experts to better understand what the needs of women and newborns during a humanitarian crisis."},"openGraph":{"summary":"Maternal and newborn health experts on what needs more attention when responding to humanitarian emergencies.","title":"As Humanitarian Crises Grow, So Do Risks for Women and Newborns","image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized.jpg","size":870411}},"twitterCard":{"summary":"Maternal and newborn health experts on what needs more attention when responding to humanitarian emergencies.","title":"As Humanitarian Crises Grow, So Do Risks for Women and Newborns","image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized.jpg","size":870411}},"coverArt":{"altText":"Bangladesh. Rohingya women in refugee camps share stories of loss and hopes of recovery. UN Women. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/","image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized and cropped.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized%20and%20cropped.jpg","size":773802},"squareImage":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized and cropped.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_41582689660_4421912aa9_k_resized%20and%20cropped.jpg","size":773802}},"attribution":{"authors":[{"_id":"616efee87ed12a546e40e979","name":"Sarah B. 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International Medical Corps has a long history of providing mental health and psychosocial support services in conflict zones and has been working throughout Ukraine since the Russian invasion of February 2022 to integrate these services into all the other services they provide, an approach that is necessary and effective in societies like Ukraine, where seeking mental health assistance is often stigmatized. They are also working closely with government initiatives (including the Ukrainian First Lady’s “Are You Okay?” initiative), local health facilities, and local NGOs to ensure that their services and training programs are customized for local settings. 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Can use of this technology expand and change the course of humanitarian assistance worldwide?","summary":"Innovations in tech are bringing life-saving medicines and supplies to some of the hardest to reach areas. Ambassador Mark A. Green talks with Zipline Co-Founder and CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton about the company’s use of drones to deliver blood across the mountainous terrain of Rwanda and other African countries."},"openGraph":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Zip-package-drop_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FZip-package-drop_resized.jpg","size":142418},"summary":"Self-flying drones deliver critical medicine and supplies to some of Africa’s hardest to reach areas. Can use of this technology expand and change the course of humanitarian assistance worldwide?","title":"Saving Lives, One Drone at a Time"},"twitterCard":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Zip-package-drop_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FZip-package-drop_resized.jpg","size":142418},"summary":"Self-flying drones deliver critical medicine and supplies to some of Africa’s hardest to reach areas. Can use of this technology expand and change the course of humanitarian assistance worldwide?","title":"Saving Lives, One Drone at a Time"}},"_proof":"Entry"},{"_id":"67111a94e09b113950f21a7e","type":"article","title":"A World in Crisis","slug":"a-world-in-crisis","releaseDate":"2024-10-22T14:47:54.223Z","content":{"textSnippets":{"teaser":"Examining the USAID humanitarian response system.","summary":"Congress has massively increased the emergency response money of USAID to $9 billion, what Natsios says is almost a shocking level. He tells us what this money may be used for and explains why this category of funding is rising so fast and the systemic problems this amount of money may cause. Finally, he explains the concepts of the relief to development continuum and developmental relief, and why they should be integrated more aggressively into humanitarian aid programs. 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Even more so, humanitarian aid delivery during an active conflict makes it harder to reach populations, threatens humanitarian workers’ safety, and pressures traditional humanitarian values such as impartiality. Recent and ongoing conflicts in Sudan and Ethiopia highlight the challenges that ongoing violence violent conflict creates for access and humanitarian aid delivery. However, the challenges have also led to creativity as individuals and organizations find ways to ensure adequate food, healthcare, and other critical supplies reach communities. We talk with someone working with Sudan Emergency Response Rooms to learn more."},"openGraph":{"summary":"Amid Sudan’s civil war, Emergency Response Rooms are mobilizing volunteers to get food, medicine, and other vital supplies to people in need.","title":"Volunteers Open Doors in Sudan Typically Closed to International Aid Groups"},"twitterCard":{"summary":"Amid Sudan’s civil war, Emergency Response Rooms are mobilizing volunteers to get food, medicine, and other vital supplies to people in need.","title":"Volunteers Open Doors in Sudan Typically Closed to International Aid Groups"},"attribution":{"authors":[{"_id":"67100a78e09b113950f21a72","name":"Aaron Stanley","slug":"aaron-stanley","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"},{"_id":"67100a95e09b113950f21a73","name":"Alsanosi Adam","slug":"alsanosi-adam","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"}]},"coverArt":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Cover_AP24240408622602_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FCover_AP24240408622602_resized.jpg","size":1662448},"squareImage":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/Cover_AP24240408622602_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2FCover_AP24240408622602_resized.jpg","size":1662448}}},"_proof":"Entry"},{"_id":"67101908e09b113950f21a74","type":"article","title":"Here to Serve","slug":"here-to-serve","releaseDate":"2024-10-22T14:48:23.544Z","content":{"attribution":{"authors":[{"_id":"616efbdb7ed12a546e40e972","name":"Stephanie Bowen","slug":"stephanie-bowen","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"},{"_id":"67101951e09b113950f21a75","name":"Robert Hokanson","slug":"robert-hokanson","type":"contributor","data":{},"_proof":"Tag"}]},"coverArt":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","size":1115544},"squareImage":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","size":1115544}},"textSnippets":{"teaser":"With deep-held values to help those in need and large global networks, faith-based organizations play a unique role in providing humanitarian assistance.","summary":"The Church of Latter-day Saints is one of the many faith-based organizations that provide humanitarian assistance around the world. They often work with other FBOs—like Islamic Relief and Catholic Community Services—and organizations like the World Food Program, Shelter Box, and UNHCR, among others. This Q\u0026A explores the unique role that faith-based institutions play in providing humanitarian assistance, how it dovetails with broader values, and allows them to tap into their community to provide significant humanitarian support (both in dollars and actions), while helping their congregants find deeper purpose. "},"openGraph":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","size":1115544},"summary":"With deep-held values to help those in need and large global networks, faith-based organizations play a unique role in providing humanitarian assistance.","title":"Here to Serve"},"twitterCard":{"image":{"mimetype":"image/jpeg","s3":{"key":"wilsonquarterly/cover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","bucket":"proof-assets"},"url":"https://proof-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wilsonquarterly%2Fcover_AP428460416322_resized.jpg","size":1115544},"summary":"With deep-held values to help those in need and large global networks, faith-based organizations play a unique role in providing humanitarian assistance.","title":"Here to Serve"}},"_proof":"Entry"}]}},"_proof":"Entry"}},"__N_SSG":true},"page":"/quarterly/[slug]/[storySlug]","query":{"slug":"confronting-unprecedented-humanitarian-needs","storySlug":"building-resilience-amid-growing-humanitarian-needs"},"buildId":"XNRUyIErceZzsTHJr4jIM","isFallback":false,"gsp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}</script></body></html>