International Rescue Committee

Over the weekend, in the middle of the night, the US government attempted to deport over 100 Guatemalan children, even where children had active cases in immigration court seeking protection to remain in the US. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) provides legal representation to several of these children, who faced a terrifying sequence of events this past weekend, risking re-traumatization. We are outraged by this action, which is a flagrant violation of due process. US law requires special procedures for unaccompanied children–legal protections that recognize children’s unique vulnerabilities and needs, and allows them a chance to seek protection and stability in the US. The IRC has provided legal services to more than 5,000 unaccompanied children in recent years. We know the dangers that many of these kids face going back to their home countries. Forcing them to return without a chance to have their case heard places children’s safety and lives at risk.

A major 6.0 magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Afghanistan. Entire villages have been destroyed, many mountainous areas are inaccessible, at least 800 people have died and 2000 are reported injured. “This latest earthquake is likely to dwarf the scale of the humanitarian needs caused by the Herat earthquakes of 2023,” said IRC Afghanistan Director, Sherine Ibrahim. The IRC is working with other actors on the ground to coordinate a needs assessment and will deploy emergency mobile medical teams in Kunar, Nangarhar and Laghman provinces.

From Gaza to Sudan, we have the means to end famine, but man-made barriers stand in the way. Conflict is a huge driver of global hunger, limiting aid access, destroying crops and forcing people to flee their homes and livelihoods. By the time a famine is declared, for hundreds of people, it’s already too late. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can prevent famine by: • Ensuring humanitarian aid reaches people in crisis • Strengthening systems to detect and treat malnutrition early • Helping people predict and prepare for climate change • Responding early to hunger warnings

Famine is a deadly reality in Gaza. But without decisive political action, humanitarian aid alone cannot stem the tide of this deepening catastrophe. As a result of Israel’s blockade, families are starving, children are wasting away from severe acute malnutrition, and people are dying. Immediate action is not just necessary - it is a moral imperative. Gaza needs food, healthcare and serious humanitarian assistance--now. Swipe to learn more about needs on the ground >

Meet Arif, Salma and Sabuj. For most of their childhood, “home” has meant Cox’s Bazar refugee camp in Bangladesh, where families rely almost entirely on humanitarian aid to survive. Eight years ago, nearly one million Rohingya refugees, like them, were forced to flee Myanmar. Now, these children have put pen to paper to share their reality in their own words. ✍🏽 Arif [photo 1]: “Living without money and freedom for the past eight years has been the greatest challenge of my life… The laughter of my teachers, my family, and my friends used to bring me joy. Sadly, these moments of happiness are becoming fewer.” ✍🏽 Salma [photo 2]: “Life here is not easy… During the rainy season, water enters our shelter. But I imagine becoming a Sayama (teacher) one day, so I can help the children in our community build a bright future.” ✍🏽 Sabuj [photo 3]: “We hope to return to our birthplace, Arakan, and live peacefully with our families. We dream of pursuing higher education and working for the development and freedom of our community.” These letters are a reminder: behind every statistic is a child with a voice, a dream, and a story the world needs to hear.

Famine is now a deadly reality in Gaza City. All three thresholds—catastrophic hunger, acute malnutrition, and mass death—have been officially surpassed, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). This is an entirely preventable man-made crisis. Since May, the Government of Israel has imposed a near total blockade on aid flows, denying the population of Gaza access to food, water and medical care. Now families are starving, children are wasting away from severe malnutrition, and people are dying. Immediate action is not just necessary—it is a moral imperative.

Over three years into full-scale war, Ukrainians face little relief from destruction. In fact, the number of civilian casualties in June and July consecutively reached three-year highs. With 286 civilians killed and 1,388 injured, July was the deadliest month since May 2022.   In many areas, daily life means hours in shelters during strikes, only to return to damaged or destroyed businesses and homes. This relentless cycle has become routine—mirroring the growing toll of protracted wars worldwide.

This #WorldHumanitarianDay, alongside a quiet moment reflecting on colleagues lost over the years, I think of the future and of how aid practices have to change to meet the moment, and the challenges to come. This piece in Devex reflects on a great partnership between International Rescue Committee and the Citi Foundation helping to develop #ResilientFutures for young people displaced from rural to urban areas across multiple continents. What inspires you to invest in humanitarian action? #WHD #WHD2025 #YouthInAction

“Being an aid worker in Gaza means risking your life every day just to help others survive. There is no safe space—not for us, and not for those we serve.” – Mohammed Mansour, IRC Senior Nutrition Manager Meet the IRC staff members on the ground in Gaza this World Humanitarian Day IRC staff and our Palestinian partners are exhausted, delivering nutrition, health, and water and sanitation — all while facing the same hunger and relentless threats to their lives and that of their families. Since October 2023 more than 500 aid workers, including staff from organizations the IRC partners with on the ground in Gaza, have been killed, alongside at least 1,500 health workers. They are not just witnesses to this crisis; they are living it. We need the opening of land crossings and unfettered humanitarian access to reach people in need as a matter of the highest urgency. Civilians and humanitarian workers must be protected.