Hundreds of millions of people live with the risk and impact of humanitarian crises—from armed conflict, natural disasters and major disease outbreaks. The United States is a key global donor of life-saving relief. Yet the recent executive order that paused U.S. foreign aid and moved USAID under the Department of State has placed those services at risk.
This will have short- and long-term consequences for crisis-affected communities. But it could also be a window to reimagine aid as a more inclusive and locally grounded endeavor, less dominated by legacy structures and more accountable to affected populations.
Humanitarian news combines reporting from the heart of conflict and disasters with advocacy journalism that pushes for changes in response. The field has a long history of raising awareness, funds and advocacy around critical issues in the world. However, a large research literature shows that the quantity of coverage is not strongly correlated with the severity or number of people affected by a crisis. Instead, the quantity of coverage is driven by a crisis’s geopolitical significance and its cultural proximity to an audience. This can prevent an empathetic encounter between the public and those affected by distant suffering.
As the humanitarian field grapples with the pause and termination of funding, local women-led and women’s rights organizations will be among the hardest hit. They are critical to reaching marginalized populations and delivering life-saving assistance. But they are often underfunded and dependent on government donors that have withdrawn support. When they are shut down or forced to scale back, the entire humanitarian system loses an essential and invaluable resource.