A humanitarian crisis (or humanitarian emergency) is an event or series of events that threaten the health, safety, livelihood or well-being of a large group of people. Humanitarian crises can be caused by war, conflict, persecution, disease outbreaks, human-made or natural disasters. In many humanitarian crises and emergencies around the world, multiple causes occur simultaneously. Humanitarian crises have devastating physical, psychological and social consequences for women, men, and children.
Humanitarian crises often result in the displacement of people from their homes, a lack of basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care, and can lead to increased vulnerability to disease, violence, and exploitation. In such situations, humanitarian assistance is needed to address the immediate needs of affected populations, including shelter, food, clean water, medical care, and protection.
Examples of humanitarian crises include conflicts and wars, famines, natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods, or epidemics. As these crises can have a large impact on individuals, families, and entire communities, they require a coordinated response from governments, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations to meet the needs of those affected.
A humanitarian crisis characterized by a great loss of human life, grave threat to human life, and extreme human suffering, often over a short period of time, can be described as a humanitarian catastrophe.