Liana Ghukasyan’s 23-year journey with the Red Cross began unexpectedly, when she recognised the emblem from her childhood in Armenia, where it symbolised hope during a devastating earthquake.
The concern for an increasingly polarised world has emerged over the first five years of the Strategy period as a more significant challenge impacting the work of National Societies. This is affecting the ability of many National Societies (NS) to operate with neutrality and to maintain independence, but also catalysing new threats.
Humanitarian funding is skewed by political bias and must recover a credible sense of neutrality to address massive humanitarian needs. To achieve this, Liana Ghukasyan calls on governments to live up to their Good Humanitarian Donorship commitments and take action to ensure aid reaches those who need it most, regardless of geopolitical interests.
Volunteer retention is often touted as a key metric of success for volunteer-engaging organizations. However, there is an ongoing debate across the volunteer sector about whether the focus should be on retaining volunteers or on ensuring they have a positive and fulfilling experience, regardless of the length of engagement.
Volunteering is one of the most important issues impacting the wellbeing of the IFRC network and its ability to fulfil its...
As the war in Gaza enters its eighth month, the international community is grappling with the daunting task of envisioning a path forward. The humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave has reached unprecedented levels…
In an area dominated by discussions about devastating wars and humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality on social media,...
In a recent workshop on Generative Artificial Intelligence in the IFRC network, participants asked “how can we ensure that AI-driven humanitarian tools adhere to ethical guidelines, avoid biases, and prioritize the well-being of the communities they aim to serve?”. Picking up the bias conversation, we share a scary experiment on ChatGPT’s perception of humanitarian workers. This is an invitation to reflect on the systemic biases that Gen AI tools surface, and on how we use these tools.
People have been predicting the end of the world since the world first appeared. It is the same today, where international events and news streams are filled with predictions about the end of time.
From November 9 to December 15, 2023, we explored the collective wisdom of our vibrant IFRC Network through a global survey. A total of 2,060 responses were gathered from volunteers, staff and leaders from 106 countries. They generously shared their thoughts and expectations for the future. Their responses are proof of the energy and richness of our Network, guiding us on a path of adaptation and improvement and portraying a landscape of both considerable and complicated threats alongside hope for the IFRC network and its future.
In China, the IARC prompted reflection on global humanitarian challenges and how to embrace new landscapes in the fields of technology, methodology and strategy.
Explore the Humanitarian Observatory’s robust research agenda for 2024, addressing global challenges with actionable insights, dedicated to generating profound understanding, and offering valuable perspectives on critical issues.