Abduction of aid workers has risen sharply in particular contexts in the past decade. Abduction is a “unique form of critical incident”, characterised by its ongoing, “live” nature, often extended duration, the pressure of decision-making and uncertainty. This EISF Briefing Paper explores ...the dimensions of effective, proactive abduction and kidnapping response mechanisms. It complements the EISF Briefing Paper Crisis Management of Critical Incidents, released April 2010, that looks at crisis response plans as a whole.
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Each humanitarian setting provides distinct opportunities and challenges for actors to coordinate and collaborate at strategic and operational levels. The Health and Protection Joint Operational Framework has been developed to ensure that the health and protection response during humanitarian emerge...ncies can adapt to each environment and is adequately coordinated to ensure high-quality services to meet the needs of affected individuals and at-risk groups based on their situation or vulnerabilities.
The Health and Protection JOF was conceived in 2019 as a collaboration between the Global Health Cluster (GHC), the Global Protection Cluster (GPC) and its Areas of Responsibility (AoRs), the Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC MHPSS RG), and the Inter-Agency Working Group for Reproductive Health in Crisis (IAWG), in addition to key technical experts.
A Steering Group (SG) comprised of representatives from each of these entities guided the framework through a joint global analysis of good practices, gaps, and barriers to integrated and inter-sectoral response coordination. This included a mixed methods review of policy and practice, a survey of humanitarian experts, multiple case studies, structured stakeholder interviews, and field visits. This exercise produced a zero-draft which was then reviewed by field practitioners in three operational contexts to clarify and fully coordinate its operationally focused lens. Finally, the JOF was reviewed by the SG including via a series of consultations in early 2023 to consolidate the current framework.
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WHO needs US$2.54 billion to provide life-saving assistance to millions of people around the world facing health emergencies. WHO’s Health Emergency Appeal is a consolidation of WHO’s priorities and financial requirements for 2023 to carry out health interventions in emergency and humanitarian r...esponses. The number of people in need of humanitarian relief has increased by almost a quarter compared to 2022, to a record 339 million. WHO is responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health emergencies: climate change-related disasters such as flooding in Pakistan and food insecurity across the Sahel in the greater Horn of Africa; the war in Ukraine; and the health impact of conflict in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and north eastern Ethiopia – all of these emergencies overlapping with the health system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of measles, cholera, and other killers. Contributions to the appeal can be fully flexible, flexible across a region, or flexible within a country appeal.
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Tras el terremoto de Turquía y Siria en febrero de 2023, se brindó respuesta de emergencia a la población afectada. Las personas jóvenes con discapacidad fueron uno de los grupos sociales más afectados por la crisis. Se trata de jóvenes que adquirieron una discapacidad como consecuencia del te...rremoto, o jóvenes con discapacidad que sufrieron mayor aislamiento tras el terremoto, debido a barreras estructurales, agravadas con la crisis.
Como repuesta a esta situación, el Pacto para la Juventud en la Acción Humanitaria contactó al Grupo de Trabajo sobre Personas Jóvenes con Discapacidad de Juventud 2030, con el objetivo de apoyar a los equipos humanitarios que brindan asistencia en terreno. Concretamente, esta Guía Corta busca apoyar a los equipos en el terreno para asegurar la participación significativa de personas jóvenes con discapacidad en la respuesta humanitaria local. La versión actual de esta Guía Corta se ha creado para un contexto más amplio: será útil no solo en el caso de Turquía y Siria, sino también en otras crisis humanitarias.
Las personas jóvenes con discapacidad son aquellas entre los 15 y los 24 años de edad con impedimentos físicos, mentales, intelectuales o sensoriales a largo plazo que, al interactuar con diversas barreras sociales, pueden dificultar su participación completa y efectiva en la sociedad en igualdad de condiciones con los demás1 . Sin embargo, según el contexto, se considera personas jóvenes a aquellas entre los 15 y los 29 años. Por ejemplo, en el movimiento por los derechos de las personas con discapacidad, algunas organizaciones proponen este rango de edad más amplio2 debido a las barreras estructurales que afectan al desarrollo de las personas con discapacidad y, por ende, su posterior transición hacia la edad adulta.
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The Gaza Strip is experiencing one of the most severe food security crises globally, with the entire population of approximately 2.1 million people now facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (IPC Phase 3+). As of May 2025, more than one in five Gazans—about
470,000 people—are at risk of s...tarvation (IPC Phase 5: Catastrophe), while over half are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). This marks a significant deterioration compared to just one month earlier and reflects the impact of a comprehensive blockade that has
restricted all humanitarian and commercial supplies since early March. Vital goods have been depleted, food prices have skyrocketed by over 3,000 percent in some areas, and coping mechanisms have all but collapsed, forcing many to scavenge for food or go without entirely. Acute malnutrition has reached serious levels and is projected to worsen, particularly in North Gaza, Gaza, and Rafah, where critical levels are expected between May and September 2025.
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The Gaza Strip is experiencing one of the most severe food security crises globally, with the entire population of approximately 2.1 million people now facing crisis-level food insecurity or worse (IPC Phase 3+). As of May 2025, more than one in five Gazans—about
470,000 people—are at risk of s...tarvation (IPC Phase 5: Catastrophe), while over half are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). This marks a significant deterioration compared to just one month earlier and reflects the impact of a comprehensive blockade that has restricted all humanitarian and commercial supplies since early March. Vital goods have been depleted, food prices have skyrocketed by over 3,000 percent in some areas, and coping mechanisms have all but collapsed, forcing many to scavenge for food or go without entirely. Acute malnutrition has reached serious levels and is projected to worsen, particularly in North Gaza, Gaza, and Rafah, where critical levels are expected between May and September 2025.
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A guidance document in simple language for health personnel, setting out their rights and responsibilities in conflict and other situations of violence. It explains how responsibilities and rights for health personnel can be derived from international humanitarian law, human rights law and medical e...thics.The document gives practical guidance on:
- The protection of health personnel, the sick and the wounded; - Standards of practice; - The health needs of particularly vulnerable people; - Health records and transmission of medical records; - "Imported" health care (including military health care);
- Data gathering and health personnel as witnesses to violations of international law; - Working with the media
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Population-Based Survey on Perceptions and Attitudes about Peace, Security and Justice in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
CARE International’s Personal Safety & Security Handbook has been developed to provide practical personal safety and security advice and guidance to all staff working in CARE offices and field sites throughout the world.
Each section has a detailed list of contents at the beginning and cut-ou...t tabs to allow fast access to topics. Symbols and easy referencing are used throughout the handbook to help you find what you need quickly.
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Con esta publicación se procura orientar a las autoridades nacionales y subnacionales de salud, así como a las organizaciones nacionales e internacionales, para que incorporen la perspectiva de las personas migrantes (en tránsito, refugiadas, en situación irregular y en proceso de retorno a su p...aís de origen) en el diseño y la implementación de las acciones de preparación y respuesta ante la enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19) y otras emergencias de salud.
Estas recomendaciones complementan el Documento de orientación sobre migración y salud (5), elaborado por la OPS para ayudar a los Estados Miembros a hacer frente a los desafíos de salud pública y sistemas de salud relacionados con la migración, incluidas la promoción y la protección de la salud de los migrantes a lo largo de su proceso migratorio
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Hands-on information and practical advice for everyday life and work in the field as well as background information on crisis management structures in international organizations lie at the heart of the new handbook. It has been developed in the realm of Europe’s New Training Initiative for Civili...an Crisis Management (ENTRi) by the project coordination team at ZIF.
The handbook is designed to accompany civilian experts on their way to crisis management missions. In addition to providing a general overview of the institutional landscape of crisis management as well as relevant concepts, the handbook also provides practical information on a variety of issues that are common to working in a mission. From dealing with health and security challenges to technical information on radio operation, map reading, four-wheel driving – the ENTRi handbook is a valuable companion for work in a mission.
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Recommendations and Summary
This report explores the impact of COVID-19 on humanitarian access in the initial months of the crisis, including both the delivery of assistance and performance of protection activities. It examines the varying crisis responses, including the shift to a more localized a...pproach in certain cases. The analysis draws on case research from Colombia, Myanmar, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen, as well as on wide-ranging interviews with humanitarian practitioners and experts from around the world. The research was conducted between August – November 2020. It does not make claims about the legitimacy of government decisions to restrict access – indeed, in many instances, there appeared to be a clear objective of limiting the spread of COVID-19 – but instead focuses on how access limitations have affected the delivery of aid.
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Do men and women experience different types of security events? Are there differences in the attitudes within humanitarian agencies towards the same type of events affecting men or women? In this paper, using the Security in Numbers Database (SiND), the differences and similarities in men’s and wo...men’s experiences of security events are analyzed to help agencies think about the potential gender implications of security management.
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Building on previous guidelines, the People In Aid Code seeks to offer agencies an effective framework for human resources management, helping them assess and raise their performance.
The present Community Empowerment Manual draws upon the lessons learned of the Community Protection Approach implementation in Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory and Central America during the period 2015-2020 by WeWorld – GVC and its partners.
The Manual means to accompany Field Staff i...n devising the most appropriate strategy to engage with communities, given the conditions of access, security and time of the specific context in which a project is implemented. Even though the steps described proceed alongside the implementation of the Community Protection Approach, the manual has different sections providing guidance for the definition of engagement strategies in any context or project in question.
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The document "Combating False Information on Vaccines: A Guide for Health Workers" is designed to help health workers address vaccine misinformation. It begins by defining misinformation and explaining why it spreads rapidly, often due to its emotional appeal and simplistic explanations. The guide i...dentifies common sources of vaccine misinformation, including influential individuals who profit from spreading false information. The document outlines strategies for combating misinformation, emphasizing the importance of health workers as trusted sources. It provides tips for identifying misinformation online, such as checking URLs, dates, and author credentials, and recognizing tactics like evoking strong emotions or pushing conspiracy theories. Two main approaches to fighting misinformation are discussed: prebunking and debunking. Prebunking involves warning individuals about potential misinformation before they encounter it, while debunking aims to correct false information after it has been consumed. The guide offers practical examples for both methods. Additionally, the document highlights the role of health workers in supporting peers and patients to trust immunization. It suggests being kind, nonjudgmental, and transparent when addressing concerns, and using motivational interviewing techniques to understand and respond to patients' doubts. Overall, the guide emphasizes the critical role of health workers in maintaining trust in vaccines and provides comprehensive strategies to identify, address, and prevent the spread of vaccine misinformation in clinical and community settings. The guide is a valuable resource for health workers to enhance their ability to combat vaccine misinformation, support informed decision-making, and promote trust in vaccines within their communities, and it addresses a pressing issue with practical solutions, supports trusted health workers, and ultimately aims to protect public health by promoting accurate information and trust in vaccines.
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El Grupo de Trabajo para la Protección de la Infancia define a la protección de la infancia como “la prevención y la respuesta al abuso, negligencia, explotación y violencia contra los niños, niñas y adolescentes”. Complemento al Manual Esfera.
Despite the stated centrality of protection in humanitarian action and a growing attention to protection activities, the evaluation of protection has received relatively little attention. This pilot guide seeks to fill this gap, providing insights and guidance to those evaluating protection in the c...ontext of humanitarian action
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The report offers an analysis of the broader challenges to securing humanitarian action and recommends areas for improvement. This study will contribute to improving the way humanitarians ‘do business’ in complex security environments.