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Journalism from the heart of crises

Journalism that creates positive change

In 2014, 102 million people needed humanitarian aid. Ten years later, that number has nearly tripled due to compounding factors of climate change and conflict. The era of the polycrisis has arrived (see our list of trends shaping humanitarian needs in 2024 for more detail), highlighting the limitations of the current international emergency aid system and the need for new approaches.

There is a growing push for humanitarian response to be democratised, involving local leaders, citizen volunteers, and the private sector. Independent media are crucial for exchanging ideas, identifying trends, and holding decision-makers accountable, especially in an age of misinformation.

Despite the recognition of independent journalism’s value, the media sector faces a crisis, with many outlets reducing international coverage due to financial pressures. Non-profit journalism has tried to fill this gap but faces its own challenges.

TNH has been a leading source of field-based news about crises for nearly 30 years, contributing to transparency and accountability in the aid sector. By providing nuanced information about crises and bringing more transparency and accountability to the complex and under-scrutinised aid sector, TNH is part of a positive change in humanitarian response. TNH serves the needs of the aid community, including its donors, but more importantly, those who are most affected by crises. As the media industry searches for a way forward, The New Humanitarian is leading the effort to build a viable model for international journalism that serves those most in need.

Centering impact in our work

The New Humanitarian seeks to contribute to more effective, accountable, and inclusive ways to improve the lives of people affected by crises. Our four pathways to generate positive impact are:

1. Informing policymakers and practitioners working in humanitarian response or related fields by delivering unique, real-time reporting independent of vested interests, prioritising the voices of those most affected by crises to better allocate resources, provide context-specific assistance, deepen understanding among humanitarian actors, and provide early warning of crises.

Examples of recent impact
  • Our 2023 coverage of the impact of food ration cuts on Rohingya refugees drove donor attention to the situation, prompting the chair of the UK Parliament’s International Development Committee to write to the World Food Programme expressing concern about the situation of Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh.
  • Our report from 2022 underlining the high risks faced by people in northern Nigeria returning home after displacement camps closures helped trigger the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide a $2 million grant to an NGO helping returning refugees.
  • Our podcast, Rethinking Humanitarianism, about to release its fifth season entitled ‘Power Shift’, has sparked transformative discussions in donor circles, reshaping perceptions of aid. Praised as a “must-listen” within the humanitarian community, it inspires decision-makers to reconsider traditional approaches. For instance, an episode on decolonising aid catalysed a groundbreaking discussion within the Good Humanitarian Donorship. This momentum culminated in a pivotal private convening hosted by TNH in 2022, fostering dialogue among donors, policymakers, civil society leaders, and racial justice advocates. “Decolonising aid” has become a critical term resonating throughout the international NGO sector and even influencing UK Parliament inquiries into the philosophy of aid.

2. Acting as a catalyst for concrete policy change by providing accountability and transparency over governments, aid agencies, and others meant to help – or responsible for the suffering of – people in need, challenging dominant narratives, and exposing inconsistencies, corruption, and system failures.

Examples of recent impact
  • Building on our 2021 investigation into UN emissions, TNH and Mongabay conducted a 2023 investigation into the UN’s climate neutrality claims. Reporters found that many of the carbon credits purchased by 33 UN entities since 2012 were linked to environmental damage or deemed worthless by experts. The widely-read story led to media interviews, praise from UN Special Rapporteur Dr. David Boyd, and prompted internal UN discussions, resulting in a reassessment of carbon offsetting schemes.
  • In September 2020, The New Humanitarian and the Thomson Reuters Foundation exposed claims by over 50 Congolese women of sexual abuse by aid workers during the 2018-2020 Ebola crisis in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo. Follow-up investigations in May 2021 and March 2023 revealed similar allegations by 22 women in Butembo and 34 women in Cantine and Mangina, with many abusers linked to the World Health Organization (WHO).These investigations spurred significant impacts: internal probes by aid organisations, UK government scrutiny of UK-funded groups, increased recruitment to prevent exploitation, a 5-year Interpol initiative to address the issue, the establishment of an independent commission, and a public apology and reform commitment from the WHO director-general. The findings are part of mandatory UN training and feature in an investigative journalism guide on ‘How to investigate sexual abuse’. This timeline here chronicles that journey.
  • Our 2021 report on the challenges of delivering justice in war crimes trials, particularly in the landmark case against Syrian government members in Germany, made waves in 2021. Praised by Human Rights Watch and transitional justice experts, it didn't just get attention – it drove action. Organisations involved in the trials discussed improvements to outreach efforts sparked by our findings. And thanks to our reporting, the Syria Justice and Accountability Centre committed to providing Arabic translations of trial proceedings and reports, ensuring broader access to justice for affected communities.
  • In 2019, we published a story on the WFP’s partnership with the CIA-linked software firm Palantir to analyse its data, igniting a debate over data handling in humanitarian settings. Following our publication, WFP issued a statement on data privacy. Our reporting led to an open letter urging WFP to reconsider the agreement and the story was recommended by Global Data Justice and the Centre for Innovation, spurring further reporting by several other media outlets.
  • In 2019 we shone a light on the Rohingya crisis through reporting on a groundbreaking palliative care program in Bangladesh’s refugee camps. Led by local aid worker Dr Farzana Khan, it represents the first programme of its kind in any humanitarian response. The story prompted Cox’s Bazar Health Sector to recognise the importance of palliative care and include it in the Joint Response Plan, potentially integrating it into the official UN-led response for the first time.

3. Raising awareness of forgotten crises among a wider public by providing compelling stories and in-depth coverage of crises around the world that aim to increase global solidarity and an enabling environment for humanitarian response.

Examples of recent impact
  • Our sustained coverage on ‘10 forgotten crises’ is a pillar of our reporting that showcases our team's humanitarian expertise and provides timely analysis to remind readers and policymakers of the urgent crises that have fallen out of (or are seldom even in) the international media spotlight. Our 10 crises coverage frequently tops the list of international news resources to stay informed, including being featured on Thompson Reuters Foundation, Semafor, NPR and many others.
  • In 2022, our article on gender-based violence and malnutrition in Indigenous communities in northern Argentina prompted survivors to demand accountability from local authorities. “We all read the article, which was fabulous, with so much detailed information. It was fabulous to end the story with a message of hope: that amid so much violence that women endure, some are able to be reborn and to transmit a message that it is possible to move forward and to view life with dignity,” the group said.
  • Our 2019 coverage of Sarah Mardini’s story, a refugee who competed in the 2016 Olympics, was used as research for the award-winning film "The Swimmers," highlighting the challenges faced by asylum seekers amidst growing hostility and anti-immigration policies in Europe.

4. Providing a platform for conversation and discussion with and among affected and marginalised people by empowering and amplifying their voices to decision-makers and fostering mutual learning and support within communities facing crises.

Examples of recent impact
  • In 2024 we published the Yemen Listening Project, where more than 100 Yemenis – from inside the country and across the world – lifted the curtain on what it means to be a human being in the midst of a humanitarian crisis, not just experiencing loss, violence, and exile, but also love, family connections, and personal and professional persistence in the face of impossible-seeming obstacles. The project has garnered international attention and feedback, and served as the basis for TNH collaborators being invited to speak to the UK parliament on a panel for the push for increased scrutiny over wars. Read our case study of the project here.
  • In 2023, we launched the series Flipping the Narrative.The series challenges power dynamics and advocates for more equitable humanitarian practices. With a wide variety of voices that centre refugee voices and provide a platform to critique Global North-led migration narratives for example, the series was featured in an ethical storytelling guide and prompted a UK MP to demand a response from the WFP on food ration cuts in Rohingya camps.

Our recognition

Over the years, TNH has been recognised with several prestigious awards for its reporting and impactful storytelling. Explore our achievements through the dropdown menu for each year below:

2024

2023

  • One World Media Awards: WhatsApp, Lebanon? and How one small Syrian NGO is tackling period poverty, one pad at a time were longlisted for the One World Media Awards in the Digital Media and Women's Solutions Reporting categories, respectively.
  • Geneva Engage Awards: The New Humanitarian picked up an award at this year’s Geneva Engage Awards in recognition of our outreach and engagement across social media.
  • 2023 Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award: The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) selected The New Humanitarian as the 2023 HHI Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award recipient. For the first time, HHI nominated an institution instead of an individual to acknowledge The New Humanitarian’s remarkable contribution as a leading trusted news source for policy-makers and practitioners in humanitarian response.
  • Hostwriter Prize: Makepeace Sitlhou and Ninglun Hanghal won the prestigious European Hostwriter prize for their story on refugee doctors working along the India-Myanmar border. The story was also shortlisted for the Mumbai Press Club’s RedInk Awards.

Earlier years (2015-2022)

2022

2021

2020

2019

  • UN Correspondents Association Awards: Regular contributor Abu Anas in Bangladesh wins the top prize in the climate change category of the UN Correspondents Association Awards with his reporting for TNH.
  • Forum on the Arms Trade: Regular contributor Paula Dupraz-Dobias is recognised by the Forum on the Arms Trade for her exemplary reporting on the attention given to gender-based violence at the most recent annual conference of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) held in Geneva.
  • One World Media Awards: The series “Destination Europe” and “How Climate Change is Plunging Senegal's Herders into Poverty” are longlisted for a Refugee Reporting Award and Environmental Reporting Award respectively.
  • James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting: Regular contributor for Latin America Tomás Ayuso is the fifth recipient of the James Foley Award, which honours digital journalists who produce exceptional reporting under the most challenging conditions.

2018

2017

2016

  • National Press Photographer’s Association (NPPA) Quarterly Multimedia Contest”: Our multimedia feature “Blue Nile – Sudan’s Forgotten Front”, by Amanda Sperber, Ashley Hamer, Alex Pritz, Will Miller, and Ross Martin, wins second place at the NPPA Quarterly Multimedia Contest.
  • Amnesty International Media Award shortlisted our multimedia feature “Blue Nile – Sudan’s Forgotten Front”, by Amanda Sperber, Ashley Hamer, Alex Pritz, Will Miller, and Ross Martin.
  • AidEx Humanitarian and Development Journalism Awards: Our photo feature “Rocky Road: Disabled refugees battle through the Balkans”, by Jodi Hilton, is shortlisted for a photojournalism award at the AidEx Humanitarian and Development Journalism Awards.

2015

  • ALNAP State of the Humanitarian System Photo Competition: Our freelancer Eleonora Vio wins the ALNAP State of the Humanitarian System Photo Competition for her photo of refugees arriving on a Greek beach.
  • AidEx Humanitarian and Development Journalism Awards: The New Humanitarian is nominated for three AidEx Humanitarian and Development Journalism Awards in the photojournalism and reporting categories.
  • One World Media Award: Our film “War on Women”, by Dearbhla Glynn, is shortlisted for the One World Media Women’s Rights in Africa Award.
  • International Labour Organization's 'Reporting Fairly on Labour Migration' media competition: Our article "Are SE Asia’s trafficking kingpins getting off the hook?", by Mubashar Hasan, is shortlisted in the top 20 entries received.
  • United Nations Foundation Global Issues Press Fellowship: Our New York correspondent Philippa Garson is awarded a fellowship.

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