Today, more than 2.5 billion people around the world communicate via messaging apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Snapchat. These and other apps have the potential to make a positive impact in situations of crisis but also to introduce risks relating to security, data protection and privacy. Humanitarian organizations need to better understand these opportunities and risks in order to develop responsible, eff ective and safe ways to use messaging for humanitarian purposes. Produced by the ICRC with the social networking groups The Engine Room and Block Party — and with support from three United Nations humanitarian agencies and the IFRC — this report analyses current and potential humanitarian uses of messaging apps.
Available in English
This survey of 17,000 people from 16 countries analyses their views on a range of issues relating to war. The results are both reassuring and alarming. Most people living in countries affected by armed conflict believe the rules of war matter. More than two-thirds of people living in these countries as well as those from countries that are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Switzerland think it makes sense to impose limits on how they are fought. Almost half of those surveyed in conflict-affected countries believe the Geneva Conventions prevent wars from getting worse.
Available in English and French
This publication features processes and tools that can be used to integrate market assessment into the different phases of the project cycle, taking the Movement’s existing technical documents into account whenever possible.
Available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish
Three years have passed since the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines left 6,300 people dead and affected more than 16 million lives. Typhoon Haiyan packed winds of up to 300 kph and caused storm surges and five- to six-metre high waves at its peak, destroying economic assets and infrastructure, especially in coastal villages across the Central Visayas region.
Available in English
The destructive force of urban violence on people’s lives and livelihoods — and the suffering it causes — is a major concern of the ICRC in many countries around the world. This new briefing paper explains the ICRC’s approach to a form of violence that will be one of the defining features, and key challenges, of the 21st century.
Available in English and Spanish
By 2050, the number of individuals aged 60 years or above will have tripled from 600 million in 2000 to 2 billion; 80 per cent of them will live in low- or middle-income countries. While these statistics highlight the scale of the challenge society faces, an ageing population provides countless opportunities. Older people are, and will continue to be, vital assets to their families, friends and communities.
Available in English
How can professors, lecturers, researchers and students foster respect for and implementation of international humanitarian law? How can they promote and enhance neutral, independent and impartial humanitarian action? Addressed to the academic community worldwide, this leaflet presents the ICRC’s approach to working with universities and think tanks, and the tools available to support those efforts.
Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish
Drawing on archives recently opened to the public, this study provides a broad chronological and geographic overview of the ICRC’s activities from 1966 to 1975, and traces the development of its policy on visits to political prisoners. It also provides an account of the ICRC’s work aimed at further developing international humanitarian law — leading to the adoption of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions.
Available in English and French
It’s the stuff of science fiction: machines that make decisions about who and when to kill. Referred to as “autonomous weapons”, they’re already in use to some degree. But as more sophisticated systems are being developed we wanted to an expert in the field about whether such systems comply with international humanitarian law and what it means for humanity to give machines the power over human life and death.
In this episode, we talk with humanitarian communicator Kathy Mueller who produced our first magazine podcast series, The Wildfire Diaries, about massive wildfires in Northern Canada in 2017. We talk about that series, her many international missions, and the big changes in humanitarian communications since she began with the Canadian Red Cross almost 20 years ago.
In this episode, we talk about the power of storytelling to inform and inspire. “Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of human communication,” says our guest Prodip, a volunteer and multi-media storyteller for the Bangladesh Red Crescent. “It inspires us to be a hero of our own community.” We also speak with one such community hero, Dalal al-Taji, a longtime volunteer and advocate for inclusion of people with disabilities in emergencies response. “In disasters. persons with disabilities sometimes get forgotten.”
As storms and floods become more extreme, weather forecasts trigger relief funding before disaster strikes, giving people time to prepare and potentially saving many more lives.
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