Truth, Trust and Humanitarian Action in the Age of Harmful Information

The World Disasters Report 2026 warns harmful information as a de facto humanitarian crisis – undermining access to aid, eroding trust, destabilizing social cohesion and increasing risks for staff, volunteers and communities. No longer a peripheral communications issue, harmful information is an operational and strategic challenge affecting acceptance, safety and principled humanitarian action.

As the IFRC’s flagship publication, the Report brings together insights from nearly 100 contributors, 60 organizations including over 30 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Grounded in experiences from across regions and community insights, it examines how harmful information, including misinformation, disinformation and dehumanizing narratives, impacts responses to disasters, public health emergencies, migration and conflict.

Across eight chapters, the Report shows why understanding harms of harmful information is critical — revealing its wide-ranging impacts and how it disrupts preparedness, response and recovery. It provides practical recommendations to strengthen information resilience, safeguard humanitarian principles and rebuild trust.

In an era where information can determine access, safety and dignity, the World Disasters Report 2026 offers both the evidence and a roadmap for action.

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World Disasters Report 2026

Truth, Trust and Humanitarian Action in the Age of Harmful Information

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World Disasters Report 2026, Synthesis

Truth, Trust and Humanitarian Action in the Age of Harmful Information

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