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Opinion pieces

5 December 2016

Local volunteers are the heart of every humanitarian response

On International Volunteers Day, let’s commit to supporting the people who give so much of their time and energy to make their communities safer, stronger and more resilient.

29 August 2016

Water – the driver of sustainable growth

This week in Stockholm, Sweden, more than 3,000 people from across the globe, will come together to reinforce the importance of water and sanitation services for sustainable growth.

19 August 2016

World Humanitarian Day

Today, as every day, is Humanitarian Day. We pay tribute to all humanitarian workers and volunteers, including those within our International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

1 July 2016

Yellow fever in Angola: Are we repeating the mistakes of Ebola?

Imagine. A deadly disease is stalking terrified mothers, fathers, children and grandparents. People are sick. Many are dying. An information vacuum is overflowing with rumour and misinformation

22 June 2016

We must protect humanity, and halt indifference

We are sons of the Sahel. We played on its sand, breathed its hot and nurturing air. We grew under its bright sun, found joy and meaning among its people.

30 May 2016

The deafening silence of 700 lost souls

Seven hundred killed in a plane crash. Seven hundred killed in a terrorist attack. Hundreds killed in a building collapse.

26 May 2016

Obama's Hiroshima visit is a wake up call on the risks of nuclear weapons

The president's historic visit must lead to fresh efforts to rid our world of destructive missiles and safeguard our futures.

13 May 2016

The Cost of ‘Wait and See’ — Three Things the World Needs From the World Humanitarian Summit

The premise is simple: investing in national and local skills, systems and knowledge to build resilience and preparedness will save lives, cut costs and preserve hard-won development gains.

6 May 2016

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 2016 - Everywhere for everyone

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, 8 May, is an opportunity to celebrate the bravery and the achievements of the 17 million volunteers and nearly half a million staff members.

15 March 2016

Japan’s Nuclear Disaster, Five Years On

Five years ago, in Japan, a devastating earthquake and tsunami triggered an “unthinkable” disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. This year, we also mark 30 years since the 1986 nuclear accident in Chernobyl, Ukraine. The commemoration of these catastrophic events is an opportunity to reflect on our preparedness to respond to low-probability but high-impact disasters. First and foremost,...