WCC News: WCC to host discussion on humanitarian needs

The World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance, on 4 March, will host a 90-minute discussion on humanitarian needs. The purpose will be to hear and discuss the views of faith-based organisations on what constitutes “humanitarian need” and how best to prioritize between different needs and contexts. Humanitarian aid workers at the Vama Siret border crossing, Romania, 17 March 2022. The Vama Siret border crossing connects northeast Romania with Ukraine. Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military on 24 February 2022, close to four million refugees have fled across the Ukrainian border into Romania. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 21 February 2024 This is an increasingly important issue in humanitarian policy today as needs are rising around the world due to the climate emergency, conflicts, and economic injustice—even while humanitarian budgets are decreasing. The discussion will be based on a recent paper on humanitarian need by Dr Hugo Slim of the University of Oxford for Impact Initiatives and published by the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies. This is the third of four discussions held in Geneva on the subject. All interested participants welcome, both in person and online. For those wishing to participate remotely, please request a Zoom link from Peter.Prove@wcc-coe.org. How should we define and prioritise humanitarian need? Report by Dr Hugo Slim published by the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland