DONARE presents an overview of some of the best and fastest ways to help. Your donations go directly to relief organizations delivering life-saving aid at the front lines of the world’s most severe crises. With your help, humanitarian organizations can reach the most vulnerable people with food, clean water, medicine, shelter and much more when they need it urgently.
August 25 marked the eighth anniversary of the beginning of a campaign of mass atrocities by Myanmar's security forces in Rakhine State in 2017, which forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Eight years later, Rohingya people — both refugees and those remaining in Myanmar — face a further deterioration of their bleak circumstances.
Vulnerable groups in humanitarian crises may include women and girls, children, refugees and displaced persons, LGBTI people, elderly people, people with disabilities, people with acute or chronic diseases, religious or ethnic minorities, and indigenous peoples. These populations may face additional risks and challenges during crisis situations, and may require targeted assistance and support to address their specific needs. Humanitarian emergencies can exacerbate the existing vulnerabilities of these groups.
Amid escalating violence and intensifying humanitarian needs across Colombia, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned on Friday that years of progress in protecting and integrating displaced populations are at risk of being lost, and the most vulnerable will pay the highest price. UNHCR said refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs) may be forced to move again in search of safety and stability, while returnees will not find conditions to resettle.
The United Nations has reacted strongly to the passage of a bill in the United Kingdom this week that seeks to deport asylum seekers to the African country of Rwanda, in violation of international legal obligations. Following the passage of the "Safety of Rwanda" Bill by the UK Parliament, two UN leaders reiterated their alarm at the damaging impact it will have on refugee protection, human rights and global responsibility-sharing.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that nearly 50,000 people in the Chocó region of western Colombia were under complete movement restrictions during the first week of May. OCHA said on Friday that civilians remain cut off from essential services due to the activities of non-state armed groups (NSAGs).
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency tasked with supporting and protecting refugees, displaced persons and stateless people. The short name of the organization is the UN Refugee Agency. The UNHCR was founded on December 14, 1950, by the General Assembly of the United Nations to provide assistance to refugees from the Second World War. The UNHCR began its work on January 1, 1951. Every year, the UN Refugee Agency helps millions of refugees and displaced persons worldwide.
It depends on the organization, how much of your contribution goes into field and programme work as opposed to administrative and fundraising expenses. Here are some examples that may influence your decision on which organisation to donate to. Be aware the figures might be not fully comparable.
A Refugee Response Plan (RRP) is a comprehensive and coordinated strategy developed by the United Nations, other international organizations, governments and humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to address the needs of refugees in a specific context or crisis. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) leads the development of Refugee Response Plans.
The full-scale war in Ukraine, alongside conflict elsewhere around the world, meant more people than ever remained uprooted from their homes last year, heightening the urgency for immediate, collective action to alleviate the causes and impact of displacement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said today. Further fighting in 2023, especially in Sudan, has now pushed the global total of displaced women, men, and children to more than 110 million.
Human rights and humanitarian aid are closely intertwined. In humanitarian crises around the world the most basic human rights are threatened: the right to live, the right to health. More often than not human rights violations are the cause of a crisis or at the center of it. Humanitarian organizations also must respect the rights of people in need and must pay attention to them in the provision of emergency relief.
IDP is the short name for internally displaced person or internally displaced people. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are those who have fled violence, armed conflict, human rights violations, human-made or natural disasters, but have not crossed an internationally recognized border and stay within their own country.
The overall humanitarian situation in Burundi remains tense and serious human rights violations continue. Burundians are facing a humanitarian crisis characterized by food insecurity, extreme weather events and economic decline. The people of Burundi experience a triple burden: high climate risk, widespread poverty and insecurity. Even though the worst of the violence has subsided in 2025, the security situation remains precarious, with an unstable political situation and ongoing displacement outside the country.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has announced Wednesday that the number of people displaced by war, persecution, violence and human rights violations globally is estimated at more than 114 million at the end of September. According to a new UNHCR report, the main drivers of forced displacement in the first half of 2023 were: war in Ukraine and conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar; a combination of drought, floods and insecurity in Somalia; and a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there were 122.1 million forcibly displaced people by the end of April 2025 — up from 120 million at the same time last year, but down from the record high of 123.2 million at the end of 2024. In a report released Thursday, UNHCR stated that the number of people displaced by war, violence, and persecution worldwide is "untenably high," especially given the drying up of humanitarian funding. The only bright spot is a pickup in some returns, notably to Syria.
The Humanitarian Coordinator in Chad, Violette Kakyomya, warned on Monday that the country is facing multiples humanitarian crises and called for urgent support. The conflict in Sudan is having a strong impact on neighboring Chad, with nearly 490,000 Sudanese refugees – mostly women and children – having crossed the border into the eastern part of the Sahel country to seek safety. In total, there are currently one million refugees living in Chad.
From conflict and displacement to natural disasters and epidemics, the need for humanitarian assistance has never been greater. Everyone possesses the power to make a difference in the lives of those affected by these crises. In a world where war and conflict, displacement, inequality, climate change and other natural disasters continue to severely disrupt lives, humanitarian efforts provide hope and relief to those most in need. Donating to humanitarian causes is one of the most impactful ways individuals can contribute to the well-being of others and drive positive change.
The second Global Refugee Forum (GRF) closed Friday after three days with a range of pledges to improve the lives of the world’s refugees and the countries and communities that host them. States also pledged to resettle 1 million refugees by 2030, while governments and foundations launched a pledge backed by a new global sponsorship fund to help 3 million refugees access third countries through community sponsorship.
Donations can make a big difference and are desperately needed, but there are many more ways to support humanitarian work and to have an impact. Why not help those in dire need? If you are looking for some ideas, how to support people trapped in humanitarian crises, here they are.
UNHAS stands for the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service. UNHAS is a United Nations airline that offers passenger and cargo transport for the wider humanitarian community to and from areas of crisis and intervention. UNHAS provides access for humanitarian workers and light-weight cargo, allowing life-saving projects to be implemented.
