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In 2016, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and the Red Cross met at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul to agree on a Grand Bargain on humanitarian aid. Recognizing that trends in humanitarian need were vastly outstripping humanitarian financing, the humanitarian community adopted 51 commitments on issues like transparency, cash-based programming, and multi-year funding to more effectively and efficiently respond to humanitarian crises. Five years on, those gains are yet to be seen. In our position paper Focus on the Frontlines: How the Grand Bargain can deliver on its promise to improve humanitarian aid we make five key recommendations in line with our commitment to outcomes and evidence, and in support of the two main priorities identified for the next iteration of the Grand Bargain – enhanced quality funding and localisation.

In 1984, Raesa,* just 14 years old, left her family in Jordan and moved to Syria with her husband to start a new life. When civil war broke out 28 years later, Raesa was forced to flee with her children, triplets, and seek refuge back in her own country.“We left Syria through the village of Tell Shihab and went to Ramtha [in Jordan]”, Raesa says, who is now the sole breadwinner for her family. Her husband decided to stay behind with his second wife and their family.

In addition to the catastrophic events of recent days, the Lebanese people have been faced with an economic collapse and increasing scarcity of food, as the country confronts a global pandemic.

It’s rainy and cold along the waterfront of Tripoli, the largest city in northern Lebanon. Despite being a school day, there are dozens of children walking up and down the ‘corniche’ with piles of CDs in their hands. Every minute or so they approach a passerby, sometimes a local, sometimes a tourist, to see if they are interested in buying a CD. Almost everyone says no.    Thirteen-year-old Bilal* has been working on the streets of Tripoli for the past two years. Originally from Aleppo, he would work 12 hours a day to bring in cash to support his family.

Why world leaders must act to support countries most affected by the climate crisis

Since the battle to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS began in October, over one million people have been forced to flee their homes. Hundreds of thousands are still living in the city, including many from west Mosul who fled to neighbourhoods in the east. They are in desperate need of food, clean water, shelter, medical care and other support. Over 325,000 people who fled the city are now enduring the summer heat in camps. Here’s what you need to know about the crisis.

Our work in Afghanistan, which has from the start spanned “the arc of crisis” from conflict to resettlement, has never been more urgent and crucial.