Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar — there still are crises in these countries and others around the world requiring a slice of attention. Even as the urgency of Haiti clearly rises to the top of the agenda, as I’ve said before, the world must be able to multitask on humanitarian situations. Look to Thomson Reuters Foundation [...]

I mentioned in a previous post that NGOs should work and play well with the US military in Haiti relief operations because it has the capacity to do certain parts of the work, such as logistics. NGOs have reservations about this, as outlined in this 2006 article from Doctors Without Borders. Some concern is understandable, [...]

I highly recommend watching Wide Angle’s program, on PBS, about what has happened to the children of Myanmar since Cylcone Nargis hit. The people there, especially youngsters, are struggling mightily with little help from the government. This issue, and others involving Myanmar’s treatment of its people, need to stay on the U.S. radar. Granted, sanctions to pressure [...]

I’ve been watching the Democratic convention, as I will the Republican, for references to developing countries and global humanitarian issues. Finally, tonight, former President Clinton, whose post-presidency has focused on global health, acknowledged those issues. His comments were not simply on humanitarian issues. They were on the topics that frame U.S. humanitarian response. He talked about the power of diplomacy, [...]

The Associated Press recently reported that nonprofit groups established to aid the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorism in the U.S. are struggling to stay open because they aren’t getting enough donations seven years later. They should stop struggling - and just close. The great irony of those who genuinely want to help people [...]

These notes are the outline of a presentation I made at the University of Pennsylvania’s 2008 Summer Institute for Middle & High School Teachers:

“Demystifying Stereotypes and Understanding Contemporary Cultures in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East”

June 26, 2008
 
I’ve seen humanitarian issues from both sides of the fence: as a journalist and as a humanitarian worker. [...]