The number to focus on this World Refugee Day

Fionna Smyth Humanitarian, Refugees and IDPs

This World Refugee Day, Head of Humanitarian Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns, Fionna Smyth, reflects on the recent UNHCR refugee figures and reminds us of those who are seeking safety in poorer countries.  We’ve learned that more than 68 million people have been forced from their homes worldwide. It is the fifth year in a row that this number has hit …

Conflicts don’t just end, they are transformed into peace

Fionna Smyth Conflict, Fragile contexts, Refugees and IDPs

Twenty years on from the Good Friday Agreement Fionna Smyth reflects on the process of conflict resolution and the role of humanitarian organizations. Growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1970s I experienced the trauma of conflict first hand. Some of my friends and family suffered directly; others were scarred in less visible ways, from the hyper-vigilance, the lack of …

Podcast: Protecting civilians in conflict

Fionna Smyth Conflict, Humanitarian, Protection

[buzzsprout episode=’2559253′ player=’true’] As a result of conflict, the world today is faced with huge challenges in protecting civilians. In Yemen, Syria and South Sudan, infrastructures have been destroyed and thousands of people are forced to flea, or face the risks of disease, famine or harm. NGOs and relief agencies play a large role in the protection of civilians, from …