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tant disregard for interna�onal humanitarian labora�ve effort to strategize and reform the
and human rights law, including mass atroci- humanitarian system in light of decreased fun-
�es. 2024 was one of the most brutal years in ding, increasing needs, and global issues. Here
recent history for civilians caught in conflicts is a summary update on the ongoing mee�ngs
and, should urgent ac�on not be taken, 2025 to “regroup and reform” via the Humanitarian
could be even worse. By mid-2024, nearly 123 Reset (United Na�ons, Office for the Coordina-
million people had been forcibly displaced by �on of Humanitarian Affairs, June 2025).
conflict and violence, marking the twel�h con-
secu�ve annual increase. The global food secu- Interna�onal Commi�ee of the Red Cross
rity crisis is staggering, affec�ng over 280 milli- (ICRC) Annual Report 2023 (2024a). In addi�on
on people daily as acute hunger spreads and in- to the excerpts below, see the Overview HERE
tensifies. Violence and displacement further (ICRC, 2024).
prevent food produc�on and block access to vi-
tal markets. And around one in every five child- Around 120 armed conflicts were ongoing glo-
ren in the world—approximately 400 million— bally, involving more than 60 states and some
are living in or fleeing conflict zones... 120 non-state armed groups; several hundred
more armed groups were involved in other si-
The global climate emergency: The world is pe- tua�ons of violence. Intensified hos�li�es ge-
rilously close to 1.5ºC warming and the climate nerated vast humanitarian needs, necessita�ng
crisis is increasing the frequency and severity of large-scale emergency responses. At the same
disasters, with devasta�ng consequences for �me, protracted crises dragged on, straining
the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. It communi�es’ coping mechanisms and highligh-
is expected that 2024 will be the ho�est year �ng the need for programmes with a sustaina-
on record, marked by floods in the Sahel, East ble humanitarian impact.
Africa and Europe, drought in Southern Africa
and the Americas, and heatwaves across the People living with armed conflict or other situ-
globe. In 2023, 363 weather-related disasters a�ons of violence faced disrup�ons to their
were recorded, affec�ng at least 93.1 million food supply, livelihoods and access to essen�al
people and causing thousands of deaths. (pa- services such as health care, water and electri-
ges 7-8) city. Many people were displaced by hos�li�es,
adding to the millions of others s�ll unable to
Going further: The Transi�on from Relief to De- return home. Sexual violence, a�acks on civi-
velopment (TRD) (United Na�ons Economic lians and health facili�es, and other abuses
and Social Council, Humanitarian Affairs Seg- were reported. Extreme weather events, cau-
ment, 2025). The theme for the HAS mee�ng sed or exacerbated by the climate crisis, and
was Renewing global solidarity for humanity: other disasters worsened needs in areas alrea-
saving lives, reducing suffering and mobilizing dy weakened by conflict. The high costs of basic
solu�ons for humanitarian ac�on. HAS is “an goods and services further eroded the ability of
essen�al pla�orm for discussing the ac�vi�es conflict-affected people to cope.
and issues related to strengthening the coordi-
na�on and effec�veness of the humanitarian Interna�onal humanitarian law (IHL), other ap-
assistance of the United Na�ons. [It] provides a plicable bodies of law, and neutral, impar�al
key opportunity for Member States, the United and independent humanitarian ac�on were at
Na�ons system, humanitarian partners, deve- �mes challenged by authori�es, weapon bea-
lopment actors, and the private sector to dis- rers and the wider public. The development of
cuss current and emerging humanitarian chal- new means and methods of warfare steadily
lenges and priority themes and share experi- gathered momentum, posing significant ques�-
ences and lessons learned. ons in terms of the applica�on of IHL rules.
Heightened geopoli�cal polariza�on exacerba-
One of the high-level panel discussions held ted tensions, complicated interna�onal efforts
...was “the humanitarian reset”, the latest col- to resolve some conflicts, or diverted resources
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