News
Update on Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak
Introduction This brief summarizes the current Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. On May 17, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern...
Scoping trip to the Philippines on climate-ready health systems
Over the week of March 18–25, 2026 the Advancing Local Integrated Global Health & Climate Network ALIGN team conducted an intensive field visit to Manila, Philippines to explore partnerships at the intersection of climate change and health. The team met...
2026 Weintz Award Fellow
The Weintz Award Fellow recognizes a Harvard-affiliated faculty member or postdoctoral fellow whose work reflects the values and impact of this year’s awardee. In alignment with MSF’s legacy and HHI’s mission, the Fellow will be awarded for demonstrating...
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) selected as the 2026 Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award
At a moment when the global humanitarian system is under acute strain, marked by shrinking donor commitments and increasing political influence over where and how aid is delivered, the decision to honor Médecins Sans Frontières reflects the enduring...
The State of Humanitarian Aid: 2026
As we enter 2026, we are reflecting on the radical changes that have occurred over the past year and the future of the sector. Over the next several years, the global humanitarian sector is likely to experience a period of sustained disruption—one that is...
Better Data Amidst Disaster
When it comes to humanitarian aid, simple data collection and counting is essential. If medical supplies are needed after a natural disaster, it’d be helpful to know how many people are sick or injured. If schools need to be rebuilt, it’d be helpful to...
Engineering students develop ‘clicker’ tool to help humanitarian workers in field
Humanitarian workers in the field often need to quickly count and categorize people—for example, individuals fleeing a disaster crossing border checkpoints—to help assess a population’s needs. Doing this with pen and paper is inefficient but using a phone...
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Celebrates Two Decades of Advancing Humanitarian Aid
Q: How did HHI come to be? A: I was directing a humanitarian center at Johns Hopkins and my Harvard colleague Jennifer Leaning had started a humanitarian crises and human rights program in 1999 at the Harvard FXB Center for Health & Human Rights. In 2004...
2025-2026 HHI Student Funding Opportunities at the Intersection of Humanitarianism and Native American & Indigenous Communities
Award recipients are required to: Acknowledge HHI’s contribution on published materials and other publicity. Submit a written report upon completion that may be used by HHI and HUNAP for communications purposes on social media, reports, website, and other...
The Future of Humanitarian Aid: Navigating a Politicized and Fragmented Landscape
Michael VanRooyen, MD, MPH – Director: The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative The humanitarian sector stands at a critical juncture, confronting deep structural shifts that will redefine its future. Central to these changes is the transformation of the U.S...
HHI Humanitarian Update: Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on Global Crises
The recent executive orders issued by the United States Government on January 24, 2025, and the subsequent dismantling of USAID paused nearly all U.S. foreign aid and created waves of concern globally. Additionally, news regarding USAID staff losing their...
HHI Humanitarian Update: Humanitarian Priorities in Syria After Assad's Fall
Following the fall of the Assad regime after 14 years of war, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire, with millions of people requiring urgent aid. Nearly 500,000 internally displaced persons have returned to northwest Syria, adding to the over...
The Need for Humanitarian Research: Addressing Emerging Challenges in a Complex World
The landscape of humanitarian assistance is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by a complex interplay of evolving crises, diverse actors, and emerging global threats. Traditional approaches to humanitarian aid are proving inadequate in the face of...
Humanitarian Update: HHI’s Global Humanitarian Priorities
The case for greater academic engagement in the humanitarian sphere has never been more important. Humanitarian needs have reached unprecedented levels – 103 million people displaced, more than any time in history. 69 million people are on the brink of...
HHI Humanitarian Update: Gaza
More than 130 days of intense hostilities have unleashed a devastating humanitarian crisis and profound human suffering in Gaza and Israel. The October 7 Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and the abduction of 240...
The Humanitarian Situation in Gaza
More than 130 days of intense hostilities have unleashed a devastating humanitarian crisis and profound human suffering in Gaza and Israel. The October 7 Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in Israel and the abduction of 240...
Crisis Situation Update: Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza
Last updated: October 23, 2023 The humanitarian conditions in Gaza have continued to deteriorate since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent IDF offensive in Gaza. Over 700,000 civilians have evacuated northern areas of Gaza and...
Disaster Management in Nepal: Current Practices and Opportunities
By Ganesh Dhungana , Project Lead, Nepal at HHI’s Program on Resilient Communities Soil erosion along the BP Highway in eastern Nepal reflects the consequences of some development activities in the country such as rural road construction. Earlier this...
Crisis Situation Update: Morocco
On September 8, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake and several strong aftershocks struck central Morocco, about 46 miles southeast of Marrakech. Recent reports indicate that the earthquake and its aftershocks resulted in the deaths of more than 2,100 people and...
Support for Hawaiʻi
What you can do Thank you to all of the many expressions of concern and requests to help. The most effective way to assist is to identify a reputable aid agency that has direct efforts in the region and provide financial support. For resources and ways to...
Notes from the Field: A New Approach to Prehospital Care for Trauma Patients in Tanzania
As seen in MGH Global OB-GYN Newsletter Road traffic crashes are now the leading cause of death for young adults worldwide. Ninety percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In Tanzania, death from road traffic crashes is estimated...
“Skills and grit”: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative’s field simulation offers students valuable emergency training
When I pull into the lot at the Harold Parker State Forest in North Andover at 8am, the early morning fog still burning off, people in camouflage and combat boots unload boxes alongside my car. Straight ahead is a roadblock erected out of boards, its...
Crisis Situation Update: Sudan
An armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on 15 April 2023, has led Sudan to the brink of renewed civil war. Fighting broke out in western Sudan, in the capital city of Khartoum and in the Darfur region. As of 25...
