News

At COP29 in Baku, VOICE members are actively engaging to ensure that humanitarian perspectives are highlighted, contributing through statements, policy briefs, and events focused on building climate resilience and addressing the impacts of climate-related disasters.

The VOICE event ‘The Mediterranean Sea: a Neglected Humanitarian Crisis?’ brought together experts to address the escalating migration crisis and call for urgent humanitarian action and support in the Mediterranean Sea.

In this statement, VOICE urgently calls on the European Union (EU) and its Member States to take decisive diplomatic actions to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, guarantee unimpeded humanitarian access, and ensure adherence to IHL in the Gaza conflict.

This news article provides an overview of the current conflict in Gaza and presents the reactions of VOICE members through their statements.

The open letter “Ensuring a vibrant civic space in the European Union” is an initiative by Civil Society Europe (CSE) that calls on the EU institutions to prioritise actions that foster a vibrant civic space, uphold democracy, and safeguard fundamental rights over the next five years.

Sudan is grappling with one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world today. As the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues, the toll on the population has been devastating. Over half of the population urgently needs assistance, with the situation worsening by the day.

Today, on August 19, we join the humanitarian community in commemorating World Humanitarian Day (WHD) to raise awareness about crisis-affected communities and pay tribute to aid workers who support them.

VOICE President, Pauline Chetcuti, featured in the latest episode of the "Embodying Change" podcast.

This year, the WHD campaign, led by UN OCHA, aims to confront the normalisation of attacks on humanitarians, civilian suffering, and impunity under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and other international agreements.

VOICE will continue its advocacy work to increase the annual budget line for humanitarian aid.

On 20 June, we held the VOICE General Assembly 2024, bringing together the Board of Directors and members of the VOICE network.

We are happy to unveil the VOICE Strategic Plan 2024-2029, which will chart the path of the VOICE network for the next five years.

The Mediterranean crossing remains the most perilous route, recording at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances in 2023. This pressing question was at the heart of VOICE's Event in June, which brought together experts to discuss this critical issue and the indispensable role of Search and Rescue (SAR) NGOs.

Hungary has outlined its priorities for humanitarian aid in the Hungarian Presidency’s work programme for COHAFA, the Council’s working group on Humanitarian aid and food aid.

Newly elected VOICE President Pauline Chetcuti met with Commissioner Janez Lenarčič to discuss pressing humanitarian issues.

In a letter to the newly elected President Ursula von der Leyen, VOICE calls for continued and strengthened EU leadership in global humanitarian efforts.

Pauline Chetcuti, new VOICE President, introduces the VOICE Strategic Plan 2024-2029, which outlines three Strategic Goals and three Enabling Actions for the upcoming five years.

The dedicated interview in the latest VOICE Out Loud features Dr Michael Köhler, Grand Bargain Ambassador, who provides an insightful analysis on the transformative potential of Anticipatory Action in humanitarian aid.

The VOICE Policy Resolution 2024 highlights the urgent need for political actors to focus on three priority areas:
1. Close the funding gap
2. Increase the space for humanitarian action
3. Address the growing number of climate disasters

In the ‘A Closer Look’ section of the latest VOICE Out Loud, International Medical Corps highlights their critical response to the catastrophic flooding in Derna, Libya.

Dominic Crowley's reflections on his last six years as VOICE President, highlighting the key achievements, and emphasising the importance of principled humanitarian aid.

We are delighted to announce that Pauline Chetcuti has been elected as the new VOICE President at the General Assembly on June 20.

Acción Contra el Hambre Spain delves into the concept of Adaptive Risk Governance and its crucial role in enhancing Anticipatory Action.

In the latest VOICE Out Loud issue, Welthungerhilfe explores how innovative financial strategies can support Anticipatory Action (AA) and improve disaster risk management.

This piece examines how proactive measures, such as anticipatory cash transfers, can significantly enhance the resilience of vulnerable communities facing climate shocks and other crises.

This piece explores how inclusive data collection and utilisation are vital for ensuring that AA reaches all segments of society, especially the most vulnerable.

In the VOICE Out Loud 37, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe presents a compelling case for integrating localisation with Anticipatory Action (AA) in Southern Africa.

This edition of the VOICE Out Loud explores the transformative potential of Anticipatory Action in humanitarian response, showcasing innovative strategies and localised approaches that enhance community resilience and proactive disaster mitigation.

In March 2024, Charter4Change, the Red Cross EU Office, and VOICE co-organised a session during DG ECHO Partners' Segment which focused on “Equitable Partnerships: towards a fairer sharing of compliance-related risks”.  

The recently leaked draft Briefing Book from the Department for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) for the next European Commission raises serious concerns for VOICE about the capacity of the EU to uphold its values and meet the Sustainable Development Goals principle of leaving no one behind.

Following the European Humanitarian Forum 2024 in March, VOICE has gathered some reflections and published an article on the main topics discussed at the two-day event.

This article summarises the third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum, which focused on neglected crises and climate change impacts, addressing International Humanitarian Law violations, and the advocacy for enhanced cross-sector collaboration.

The first video of the VOICE video series 'From Neglect to Awareness! Uncovering Humanitarian Crises' is a deep dive into El Salvador's situation, a country that, despite the severity of its humanitarian crisis, has remained largely invisible on the global stage.

This article gives an overview of the European Humanitarian Forum 2024, including VOICE members' participation in the high-level panels and Humanitarian Talks.

VOICE Statement on the outcome of the MFF revision.

Do you want to learn more about the activities of the Humanitarian Partnership (HP) Watch Group and our collective contributions to shaping the partnership landscape between DG ECHO and NGO-certified partners? Explore our HP Watch Group: 2023 in review.

This article by Pierre Micheletti underscores the critical need for European NGOs to join forces in advocating for enhanced rescue efforts for migrants adrift in the Mediterranean, emphasizing the imperative for a coordinated approach to address this humanitarian crisis.

Dominic Crowley, VOICE President, presented on 13 February an analysis of the humanitarian funding shortfall and outlook for 2024 to Members of the European Parliament at DEVE Committee.

The VOICE event ‘Artificial Intelligence: Disruption or Opportunity for Humanitarian Aid?’ brought together experts to delve into the transformative potential of AI in humanitarian action.

In the interview of the VOICE Out Loud 36, a female Afghan aid worker delves into the multifaceted humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with a focus on gender-related issues.

The article by WeWorld on the VOICE Out Loud 36 provides a harrowing account of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza following the conflict escalation on 7 October.

The VOICE panel discussion held at the event in June 2023 stressed the importance of gender-sensitive responses in humanitarian aid, advocating for women's central role in designing and implementing these strategies.

In its article, Relief International underscores the imperative of adopting a gender-sensitive approach in displacement settings, focusing on the acute vulnerabilities of women and girls.

The article from Mercy Corps in the VOL 36 highlights the need for inclusive and multidimensional recovery strategies in the face of the climate crisis, emphasising the crucial role of involving women and girls.

"The Europe Kids Want" consultation seeks to amplify children's voices in the upcoming 2024 European Parliament elections, inviting EU youths aged 10 to 18 to participate.

Fida International’s article in the VOICE Out Loud 36 confronts the impacts of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in humanitarian emergencies, particularly in conflict-ridden areas like the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

CARE International's article introduces their 'Gender in Emergencies' (GiE) Theory of Change, a pioneering framework emphasising the integration of gender perspectives in emergency responses.

The latest VOICE Out Loud edition, emphasises the vital role of women in humanitarian crises and recovery, highlighting their resilience and the necessity of addressing gender-specific challenges.

This article aims at gathering VOICE members' statements and events ahead, during, and after COP28 (30 November-12 December).

This article highlights the negative effects of sanctions on humanitarian aid, and showcases VOICE's advocacy efforts for humanitarian exemptions in EU sanctions, emphasizing the need for effective and timely delivery of assistance.