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World Humanitarian Day 2026 A Message from Michael VanRooyen, Director, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

August 19, 2026

On World Humanitarian Day, we recognize the extraordinary commitment of humanitarian workers around the world—and particularly the doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, ambulance drivers, community health workers and others who continue to provide care...

Michael VanRooyen, MD, MPH

Update on Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak

June 12, 2026

Executive summary The Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) is affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with confirmed DRC cases in Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu provinces and Uganda cases linked to the DRC outbreak...

Phuong Pham, PhD, MPH

Update on Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak

May 29, 2026

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...

Phuong Pham, PhD, MPH

Scoping trip to the Philippines on climate-ready health systems

May 27, 2026

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...

Vincenzo Bollettino, PhD , Phuong Pham, PhD, MPH

2026 Weintz Award Fellow

May 22, 2026

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...

The Humanitarian Sector in 2030 - Trends and Drivers of Change

May 22, 2026

The humanitarian sector is entering one of the most significant periods of transformation since the modern international humanitarian system emerged after the Second World War. Traditional assumptions regarding multilateral leadership, stable donor...

Michael VanRooyen, MD, MPH

Climate Refugees and the Urgent Reconceptualization of Human Rights

May 13, 2026

A subtle yet significant revolution in the character of human displacement is being witnessed in the twenty-first century. In contrast to the old generation of refugees who have fled war or persecution, more and more people are having to go away because...

Mohammad Tarikul Islam

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) selected as the 2026 Harvard Humanitarian Initiative Elisabeth B. Weintz Humanitarian Award

May 11, 2026

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...

Forced Migration in Bangladesh Geopolitical Reality, Human Security Fear and Diplomatic Efforts

April 09, 2026

Bangladesh is currently housing more than one million Rohingya refugees, which raises severe questions regarding the safety of the populace. Although international responses to the violence have historically been divided, with governments focusing on...

Mohammad Tarikul Islam

How climate change threatens human security in Bangladesh?

April 06, 2026

Introduction Climate change, one of the most urgent problems of our day, endangers the lives and way of life of billions of people. Climate change is a pressing issue that only appears to get worse, as seen by an uptick in natural disasters, refugee...

Mohammad Tarikul Islam

Better Data Amidst Disaster

January 13, 2026

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

December 18, 2025

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...