Brexit and bananas: UK charities fear fall from global stage
LondonThomson Reuters Foundation Britain’s exit from the European Union could boost populist voices keen to slash foreign aid, redirect it to benefit UK businesses and hit charity budgets, industry experts said. From Live Aid to campaigning with actress Angelina Jolie to end sexual violence in war, Britain is a leading humanitarian player – the first […]
Satellites to safety apps: 10 new uses of technology to help people in 2018
Thomson Reuters Foundation From stopping child trafficking to mapping slums or delivering medicines, governments and companies found new ways to use technology in 2018 to help people globally. Here are 10 new uses of technology in the past year: PICTURE: Neil Soni/Unsplash 1. Drone-delivered vaccinesA one-month-old baby in Vanuatu in December became the first person […]
Switch to clean energy and save $US500 million, aid agencies told
Thomson Reuters Foundation Aid agencies could save more than $US500 million by choosing clean energy over fossil fuels in war zones and disaster areas, global think-tank Chatham House said in a report on Monday. Humanitarian agencies spent about five percent of their funds – or an estimated $US1.2 billion – on diesel last year, and […]
Charities say Malawi plans to gag critics with “draconian” law
Thomson Reuters Foundation Charities in Malawi have accused the government of trying to rush through a “draconian” law ahead of next year’s elections aimed at muzzling criticism and stifling advocacy groups. They say the proposed legislation will give the government sweeping powers to interfere with the work of non-governmental organisations in the southern African country, […]
Australia’s peak body for overseas aid NGOs issues apology to victims of sexual misconduct following report into the sector
Australia’s peak body for the aid and international development NGOs has apologised to victims and survivors of sexual misconduct perpetrated by aid workers following the release of a report which found there had been 31 substantiated claims of sexual misconduct in the sector in the past three years. The report found that there had been 76 […]
POSTCARDS: “FLYING NEWS” – HUMANITARIAN MEDIA COUNTER ROHINGYA REFUGEE RUMOURS
JARED FERRIE, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how humanitarian agencies are using innovative projects to ensure refugees who have fled Myanmar have access to correct information…
ESSAY: IT’S TIME TO GET #KIDSOFFNAURU
In an edited version of a speech presented at the Tasmanian Prayer Breakfast this week, CLAIRE ROGERS, CEO of World Vision Australia, talks about a new campaign – #KidsOffNauru – in which more than 30 organisations are demanding all children on Nauru be removed by 20th November…
ESSAY: THE WORLD’S MOST DEADLY PLACE TO DELIVER AID
In an article first published by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, JAN EGELAND, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, reflects on the dangers aid workers are facing in countries like South Sudan…
From the haunting to the hopeful, aid groups pick the photos with impact
Thomson Reuters Foundation The photograph of a drowned Syrian child lying face down on a Turkish beach has been ranked the most powerful of recent times in a survey of aid agencies by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The image of Aylan Kurdi has been credited with giving a human face to the refugee crisis that […]
Ignoring conflict undercuts disaster protection efforts, researchers warn
Thomson Reuters Foundation Efforts to protect the poorest from threats such as hurricanes and floods will fall short unless they take into account the on-the-ground realities of countries beset by conflict or poor governance, humanitarian experts said. Humanitarian and development workers trying to reduce disaster risk too often ignore conflict in their interventions, researchers and […]