The intersection of gender-based violence, food security and innovation
The linkages between food insecurity and gender-based violence are complex; tackling them is even more so. Innovation may help us get closer to both.
SheCan Iraq: Bridging the financial inclusion gap for vulnerable populations
In Iraq, where the echoes of conflict and the challenges of rebuilding persist, the World Food Programme’s SheCan initiative is pioneering financial inclusion to empower vulnerable populations and foster economic resilience.
Innovate to Eradicate Hunger: Unveiling 10 Tech Innovations Accelerating for Impact
Meet the 10 teams anchored in technological innovation selected to take part in the new ‘World Food Programme (WFP) Humanitarian Ventures Accelerator’ programme with the WFP Innovation Accelerator.
In 2024, the world continues to face unprecedented challenges. Global hunger is soaring, and the contributing factors — conflict, climate change and the rising cost of living — seem only to be increasing in frequency and severity. Overcoming these challenges will take innovation, technology, revoluti
In 2024, the world continues to face unprecedented challenges. Global hunger is soaring, and the contributing factors — conflict, climate change and the rising cost of living — seem only to be increasing in frequency and severity. Overcoming these challenges will take innovation, technology, revoluti
The accelerating power of collaboration in innovation and humanitarian response
Over the past six months, the World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator and Google’s Accelerator team, supported by Google, have embarked on a journey of innovation and disruption to bring the world closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the WFP Humanitarian Ventures Accelerator. This piece explores the role of technology in driving innovation within the humanitarian sector and examines the power of collaboration in the fight against global hunger.
Innovati
Innovati
Invest in Women so #SheInnovates: Four ways WFP Innovation Accelerator invests in women
Considerable strides have been made in recent decades to enable women to meet their potential. However, despite making up half of the global population, women continue to confront challenges and are burdened by inequalities perpetuated by longstanding cultural norms.
Therefore, investing in women’s growth is crucial; it isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing to do. By supporting women’s education, health, and access to economic opportunities, we can create a ripple effect of po
Therefore, investing in women’s growth is crucial; it isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing to do. By supporting women’s education, health, and access to economic opportunities, we can create a ripple effect of po
What are the solutions to climate change?
Climate change is an issue caused by a multitude of factors, and there is a wide range of solutions to combat it. These include technological, economic, natural and political solutions. Ultimately, the fight against climate change is one that we all need to be involved with, and support in any way we can.
Nature based solutions (also known as natural climate solutions) work with natural environments to help people adapt to the effects of change and disasters. They involve conserving, restoring,
Nature based solutions (also known as natural climate solutions) work with natural environments to help people adapt to the effects of change and disasters. They involve conserving, restoring,
What is psychosocial support and why is providing mental health support in an emergency so valuable?
The PSS elements include group activities for adults and children, including awareness-raising sessions and experience-sharing groups. Each group has around six to eight sessions, with two sessions per week, and can include activities such as story sharing, meditation and breath-work and resilience building exercises. Crucially, they offer a safe space for people to be vulnerable and open up about their experiences with people who truly understand.
Petro and Anastasiya are psychologists who hav
Petro and Anastasiya are psychologists who hav
Step inside the cinema turned community hub in Ukraine
Imagine your local cinema: popcorn brewing; tickets printing; and the thrill of the next blockbuster in the air. “Oscar nominated, apparently”, you whisper to your friend. Now imagine it deserted. The seats filled with packages instead of people; the popcorn machine eerily quiet; and instead of excitement for the next big movie hit, there is a buzz of internally displaced people (IDPs) waiting to be registered for emergency assistance. That is what happened, overnight, at a cinema in Ukraine. Si
In photos: How your support is helping families in Ukraine
Donate now to help us tackle hunger and transform lives
Thanks to the enormous public response to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, and the generosity of you, our own Concern supporters, at the time of writing the appeal has raised a huge £400 million to support people affected by the conflict. This is shared across the DEC’s 15 member agencies, including Concern. We have used appeal funds to provide emergency support since the start of the crisis. A year later, we take a look at how your ge
Thanks to the enormous public response to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, and the generosity of you, our own Concern supporters, at the time of writing the appeal has raised a huge £400 million to support people affected by the conflict. This is shared across the DEC’s 15 member agencies, including Concern. We have used appeal funds to provide emergency support since the start of the crisis. A year later, we take a look at how your ge
How cash support is changing lives in Ukraine
People invited displaced families into their homes, handed out hot drinks at borders, and donated what money they could to appeals for help. All acts of kindness – big or small – made an impact on vulnerable people’s lives. In early March, we launched an appeal in conjunction with the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). To date, this appeal has raised over £400 million. Over the months, this money has been carefully allocated via organisations such as Concern to support the people that need it
Exciting trends in gender equality and the women behind them
• According to recent UCAS data, only 35% of STEM students in higher education in the UK are women. In other areas of the world, this number is a lot lower.
• In 2019, women made up just 24% of the UK STEM workforce, despite the country being 50.59% female.
• The picture is alarming in technology. In just over a decade, female representation in the UK tech sector has barely moved from 15.7% in 2009 to 17% today. This gender disparity needs to be addressed. According to the World Economic Forum,
Nine amazing women we’ve met from around the world
She works with women and children who are survivors of gender-based violence, providing guidance, resources, protection and psychosocial support at the most critical time. They work mostly with women and children at high risk by identifying them, ensuring a proper follow up, and referring them to the relevant organisations when required. Alaa told us, “My main purpose is to help the survivors improve their quality of life." It’s estimated that one in three women will experience sexual or physica
Cash is key to ending extreme poverty
For a number of years, Concern and other development organisations have increasingly provided humanitarian assistance in the form of cash to achieve their objectives: in our case, ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. But how does cash and voucher assistance work, and why is it vital for efficiency, quality of response and value for money in the aid sector?
As the nature of humanitarian disasters changes, pushing more people into poverty for longer, how we respond needs to change too. Over
As the nature of humanitarian disasters changes, pushing more people into poverty for longer, how we respond needs to change too. Over
What is a drought and how does it happen?
During a drought, there is so little rain that an entire region can start to dry out. When little or no rain occurs, plants and crops can die because the soil is too dry for them to grow. When rainfall is less than normal for several weeks, months, or even years, water levels start to fall dramatically. If dry weather continues and water-supply problems develop, the dry period can become a drought.
However, a shortage of rainfall does not necessarily mean a drought will occur. Sometimes, if a s
However, a shortage of rainfall does not necessarily mean a drought will occur. Sometimes, if a s
Five things we are doing to prevent famine in Somalia
We’ve learnt some hard lessons about acting quickly when there’s a likelihood of famine. The last time famine was declared in Somalia was 2011, when 260,000 people died. The official announcement triggered a huge global response but it came too late – half of the lives lost took place before the world sprang into action.
We can’t let that happen again. That’s why we’re working with other organisations to sound the alarms early. We’ve been pushing the UK government to keep its promise to ‘spare
We can’t let that happen again. That’s why we’re working with other organisations to sound the alarms early. We’ve been pushing the UK government to keep its promise to ‘spare
The remarkable resilience of people living in East Africa
The current news about East Africa is grave, and rightly so. The region is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in recent history, and millions of people are facing starvation. However, while urgent global action is needed to help families survive, it is important to acknowledge the resilience of these communities in crisis. Here we spotlight people in East Africa fighting to keep themselves and their families alive.
The Pakistan floods: Five ways you can help
Monsoon rains and flooding over the last few weeks have killed more than 1,000 people - including 207 women and 348 children. Causalities will continue to soar as the country experiences three times its national 30-year average rainfall. The Pakistan Government have declared an emergency and are seeking help from the international community. Here are five ways you can help.
Those affected are using the cash to buy food, dry rations, tarpaulins and makeshift tents, as well as using it for essent
Those affected are using the cash to buy food, dry rations, tarpaulins and makeshift tents, as well as using it for essent
How families are fighting hunger from their homes
In 2019, with support from the innocent foundation, we began a study in northern Kenya. The project, known as ‘Mama MUAC’, taught mums and caregivers how to use a MUAC (mid-upper arm circumference) screening band - used to assess and diagnose malnutrition - so that they were able to monitor their children at home. This was an alternative strategy to the standard approach where typically, Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) lead malnutrition screening, to improve early detection, referral and prev
Afghanistan earthquake: The situation and our response
At the end of June, initial estimates of 770 deaths, 1,500 injured and 1,500 shelters destroyed increased to 1036 deaths, 3,669 injured and 4,500 homes either fully or partially destroyed. At least 155 children were killed and nearly 250 children injured. Additionally, 65 children have been orphaned or left on their own because of the tremor. Currently, approximately 400,000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
In addition to the immediate destruction of shelter and infrastructure in
In addition to the immediate destruction of shelter and infrastructure in
Lebanon: bearing the weight of another country’s crisis
With Syrian refugees making up a quarter of its population, Lebanon still has the highest per capita concentration of refugees in the world. A country already suffering from weak services and infrastructure, Lebanon’s population has increased by around 25% since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. As a result, public health is deteriorating and living conditions are worsening, severely affecting the lives of both the refugees taking sanctuary and the host population.
In 2015, the UK gover
In 2015, the UK gover
Upwards, sideways, sloped: gardening in refugee camps
For refugees and internally displaced people (IDP) across the world, gardening isn’t just a way to pass the time - it is a means of survival. We are currently living in the world’s largest refugee crisis on record, with more than 26 million people living away from home in host communities according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). For many IDPs or refugees, arriving at a camp is only the start of a difficult journey, trying to rebuild their lives in cramped shelters,
Forgotten crises: three global emergencies you should know about
For decades, one of the world’s deadliest, longest-running crises has been unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Yet you’ve probably heard almost nothing about it. The DRC is home to nearly 13 million people requiring humanitarian assistance. Moving from the national conflict of the late 1990s, a series of smaller, localised conflicts have erupted focused on specific regions and centred on land, resources, and power. On a continent that has the most displaced people in the world,
Hungry for change: Women deserve better
Globally, women are much more likely to live in extreme poverty than men. More than 20% of working-age women live in extreme poverty compared to 14% of men, the reasons for which are complex and interconnected. Where there is extreme poverty, there is hunger. Of which women bear the brunt:
• In nearly two-thirds of countries, women are more likely than men to report food insecurity.
• Of the 811 million people who are food insecure in the world right now, nearly 60 per cent are women and girls
•
• In nearly two-thirds of countries, women are more likely than men to report food insecurity.
• Of the 811 million people who are food insecure in the world right now, nearly 60 per cent are women and girls
•
Struggling for survival: a close look at the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in recent history, with more than 16 million people acutely food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
Many harvests have failed and millions of livestock are emaciated or dead. Families are taking desperate measures to survive, with thousands fleeing their homes in search of food, water and pasture. In Somalia itself, one million people have left their homes in search of food, water and pasture, while three million livestock
Many harvests have failed and millions of livestock are emaciated or dead. Families are taking desperate measures to survive, with thousands fleeing their homes in search of food, water and pasture. In Somalia itself, one million people have left their homes in search of food, water and pasture, while three million livestock
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