TNH Audio

Today’s First Person story comes from Fatma Jaffar, a Yemeni humanitarian worker and the policy and advocacy lead for Oxfam Yemen. Fatma describes the dire humanitarian situation in her country and how Yemenis have kept each other alive throughout nine years of war. The ongoing conflict in Yemen is featured in The New Humanitarian’s annual list of ten crises that demand your attention now, which highlights places in the world where needs are rising, aid budgets are cut or insufficient, and where people feel forgotten by the international community. Over the coming months, our First Person series will feature aid workers and people affected by the crises on this year’s list. On the nine-year anniversary of the war in Yemen, The New Humanitarian also launched The Yemen Listening Project, which highlights stories from more than 100 Yemenis answering one question: “How has the war impacted your life?

While attending a leadership camp in Zuwara, Libya, the author and friend Mahmoud, a medical student from Derna, learned of devastating floods striking Derna. In a bid to help, they embarked on a 1,500-kilometer journey to the city, joining a widespread volunteer effort. Upon arrival, they witnessed unprecedented destruction and tragedy, with Mahmoud discovering his family among the 4,000 confirmed fatalities. This experience, coupled with reflections on climate change's impact and the need for proactive environmental measures, underscores the urgency of both immediate aid and long-term climate action.

Today’s essay was written by a Colombian refugee living in Ecuador and focuses on why narratives around migration in Latin America need to change. In her essay, Laura shares her experience of how people displaced within Latin America are overlooked as the dominant media narrative is about those heading north for the United States. In order to protect their security, the author uses a pseudonym, Laura, and her essay is read out by The New Humanitarian’s Sofia Kuan.

Today’s essay was written by a refugee living in Malawi. In their essay, the anonymous author shares how the treatment of refugees in Malawi makes them worry about their security and feel like they don’t belong.

In order to protect their security, the author’s name is not public. Therefore, their essay is read out by The New Humanitarian’s Senior Editor for Inclusive Storytelling, Patrick Gathara.

Today’s essay was written and read out by Matai Muon. He is a South Sudanese refugee. Although he is currently studying in the United Kingdom, this essay was recorded from his home country of South Sudan where he is conducting research. In his essay, Matai shares how policies suppress the economic potential of refugees, which forces many into a situation of dependency instead of allowing them to contribute to the societies they’re currently living in.

Today’s essay was written by San Thai Shin. He is a Rohingya researcher and volunteer teacher in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. In his essay, San looks at how restrictive policies suppress refugees’ economic potential, forcing many into a situation of dependency rather than allowing them to contribute to the societies they live in. In order to speak freely, San writes under a pseudonym. Therefore, his essay is read out by The New Humanitarian’s Asia editor, Ali Latifi.

Today’s essay was written and read out by Hala al-Karib. She is the regional director of SIHA - the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa. In her essay, Hala shares how the days unfolded when the violence started in Sudan, and what some of the root causes are according to her, including the failings of the international community.

Today’s essay was written and read out by Liban Mahamad. He is a freelance journalist and writer from Somalia. In his essay, Liban looks at the limitations of international aid in Somalia, and in particular at how its short-termism risks perpetuating a cycle of need for millions of Somalis. Liban’s recording also features the natural sounds of Dolow in southern Somalia, where he recorded his essay:

Today’s essay was written and read out by Sana Mustafa. She is a feminist human rights defender and CEO of Asylum Access. In her essay, Sana looks at power imbalances within the international refugee protection system, and calls for those who have been forcibly displaced themselves to have much more say in the decision-making.

Christian Saunders was appointed as the UN’s special coordinator on improving the response to sexual exploitation and abuse in July.

The New Humanitarian’s Investigations Editor Paisley Dodds spoke with him on 19 April following his recent trip to South Sudan, where allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation surfaced last year at a UN-run camp for civilians in the northern city of Malakal.

In their wide-ranging interview, Saunders says he believes in “radical transparency”, he doesn’t think the UN should be investigating itself, and he agrees it’s time to retire the phrase “zero tolerance”.

At the European Humanitarian Forum, The New Humanitarian's CEO Heba Aly moderates a panel on principled humanitarian action in Ukraine.

The effects of the war in Ukraine continue to ripple across the globe. We are near the point of no return for those on the front lines of the climate crisis. Soaring public debt is preventing governments from being able to prepare for crises. These trends are shaping the world – and humanitarian needs – in 2023. But what are policymakers doing about them?

Listen to policymakers from both donor and national governments as they discuss their priorities for the year ahead with civil society representatives in this online conversation hosted by The New Humanitarian on 13 January.

Soon after her interview with Degan Ali (Executive Director, Adeso) on whether decolonising aid is an oxymoron, our host, Heba Aly, moderated the launch of the Pledge for Change – a new set of commitments spearheaded by Adeso and other INGOs to reimagine their role in the aid sector by 2030.

Nabil Alawzari is a Yemeni freelance photojournalist working on rights and freedoms.

Anthony Langat is a Kenya-based reporter covering environment, climate change, health, and security. Topics discussed included drought, climate change, conflict, impact on pastoralism in Kenya, and more.

Megan Janetsky is a Colombia-based reporter and photographer covering migration, women's issues and human rights in Latin America. Topics discussed included crises and trends in Latin America, the COVID-19 hangover, social media, migration, political shifts, emerging crises, and more.

Thin Lei Win is an award-winning multimedia journalist specialising in food and climate issues for various international news media and also through her own newsletter Thin Ink. Topics discussed included food security, climate issues, what's happening in Myanmar, social media’s hate problem, humanitarian challenges, and more.

The New Humanitarian hosted a debate on media coverage of humanitarian crises and why Ukraine has dominated Western media since the start of the war. Speaking with four panelist, TNH CEO Heba Aly discussed why some crises get more attention than others and what that tells us about our inherent biases. Panel guests: Patrick Gathara, media critic; Hugo Slim, humanitarian ethicist; Mel Bunce, City, University of London; Mustafa Alio, managing director R-SEAT.

A fictional take on tomorrow's disaster response - when cluster approaches, donor-funded appeals, and foreign-led responses are no longer part of humanitarian assistance. As read by the author, Malka Older.

COVID-19 dominated headlines in 2020. The pandemic shocked the world, exacerbating existing crises, overshadowing new ones, and creating all kinds of knock-on health, economic and social effects.

Against the backdrop of 2020, what can we expect in the year ahead? What will be the continued fallout from COVID-19? What other crises and trends are on the horizon?

For this online conversation, explored our annual Crises to Watch list and asked leading thinkers in the humanitarian space what should demand our attention.

• Heba Aly, Director, The New Humanitarian (moderator)
• Eilidh Kennedy, Director, IARAN
• Julia Sanchez, Secretary General, ActionAid
• Sherine El Taraboulsi-McCarthy, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute
• Sudhanshu Shekhar Singh, Founder, Humanitarian Aid International
• Comfort Ero, Program Director, Africa, International Crisis Group