A new era for foreign aid is upon us - whether we like it or not. Global needs and extreme poverty are escalating and increasingly concentrated in countries where we see an alarming convergence of conflict and climate change. At the very moment these needs are rising, traditional donor funding is sharply declining - forcing difficult choices about who receives assistance.

Creating Opportunities through Mentoring, Parental Involvement and Safe Spaces (COMPASS) was implemented with refugees living in camps on the Sudan/Ethiopia border, conflict-affected communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and displaced populations in north-west Pakistan.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has resulted in a significant increase in the number of refugees coming into Libya since April 2023. This needs assessment presents the challenges, opportunities and aspirations of this newly arrived population and informs humanitarian programming and advocacy. The IRC conducted the assessment in the three regions in Libya where the IRC is currently implementing programs.

Families living in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are struggling to put food on the table as they experience severe drought combined with food shortages caused by ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Right now, 20 million people are at risk of going hungry.

Months of escalating hostility towards Ukraine have culminated in a concerted invasion of the country and the launch of military attacks across multiple cities in Ukraine starting from February 24th, 2022. As of March 26, 2022, an estimated 2.2M people have fled to Poland from Ukraine. Many have been welcomed by the Ukrainian diaspora in Poland, many more are being hosted by Polish families, and the rest reside in recently established shelters and reception centers. While the Polish government, Polish NGOs, UN agencies, and local civil society actors have provided multisectoral relief across the country, this rapid needs assessment aims to better understand the priority needs, vulnerabilities, and barriers to accessing information, services, and humanitarian support that people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine face in Poland, including those experienced by groups with heightened vulnerability.  This assessment will be used to inform the IRC’s strategic response to these displaced populations in Poland and will be widely shared with the overall humanitarian community, including with Polish civil society and governmental bodies who have provided rapid and much needed relief to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. 

Ethnic conflict is raging in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state. In 2012 many minority Muslims were attacked and their villages destroyed, forcing them to shelter in camps. Residents of one of these camps describe the discrimination and danger they still face.