
IRC | Shadi Mohammedali, a refugee from Gaza, now works for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Here he is pictured in the Moria Refugee Camp in Greece.
'Unseen' News and Views

IRC | Shadi Mohammedali, a refugee from Gaza, now works for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Here he is pictured in the Moria Refugee Camp in Greece.
Staff at the Ghasouleh warehouse package food assistance commodities. They are now wearing masks and taking regular temperature checks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections. | PHOTO:©WFP/Hussam Al Saleh
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15 August 2020 (United Nations)* — On World Humanitarian Day (WHD) August 19, the world commemorates humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work, and we honour all aid and health workers who continue, despite the odds, to provide life-saving support and protection to people most in need.
UNHCR asked youth to draw in solidarity with refugees amid the pandemic. We received 2,000 drawings from 100 countries, chose seven and brought them to life. | Español | Français | عربي
Faida in Rwanda submitted this drawing, called ‘Rain of Love’, for UNHCR’s Youth with Refugees Art Contest. © UNHCR
What Change Toward a New Necessary Normal Will Have to Look Like

Prof. Jan Oberg
Connecting dots is neither the trend of our times nor of day-to-day political decision-making.
Over the years, time, space and intellectual focus has shrunk. It’s deplorable and dangerous for an increasingly complex world facing increasingly existential challenges.
For instance, during the European refugee crisis the dots between wars and refugee movements were hardly ever made. The focus was on how to limit refugees getting into Europe but hardly ever on the wars from which they fled. Western wars are untouchables.
– Developing country debt has continued to grow rapidly since the 2008-2009 global financial crisis (GFC). Warnings against debt have been reiterated by familiar prophets of debt doom such as new World Bank chief economist, Carmen Reinhart, once dubbed the ‘godmother of austerity’.

Growing debt burden
Falling commodity prices, dwindling foreign reserves, slower global growth and weakening currencies have made it harder for developing countries to meet external debt payments.
This has involved economies of all income categories, reaching historical highs even before the pandemic. By early May, more than 100 countries had asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for help.
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August 12 is World Elephant Day, celebrated to honour the iconic animals, to spread awareness about the critical threats elephants are facing, and to support solutions that will help ensure their survival.
In a major essay to mark the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, John Pilger describes reporting from five ‘ground zeros’ for nuclear weapons – from Hiroshima to Bikini, Nevada to Polynesia and Australia. He warns that unless we take action now, China is next.
– As the world marks International Youth Day on August 12, it is difficult to ignore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people – particularly on efforts towards youth economic inclusion in Africa. Meaningful and swift action is needed from African states to ensure the damage is not long-lasting.
Youth at the Grand Médine town hall in Dakar, Senegal. Senegal has a large youth population, half of which is under the age of 18. By 2025, 376,000 youth are expected to enter the job market that offers only 30,000 jobs. And this number will rise to 411,000 in 2030, according to the Wilson Centre. Credit: Samuelle Paul Banga/IPS
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The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Youth and COVID-19: impacts on jobs, education, rights and mental well-being report, revealed that 65 per cent of young people have reported learning less since the pandemic began, citing the transition from classroom to online and distance learning, during lockdown.
“The pandemic is inflicting multiple shocks on young people”, said, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder. “It is not only destroying their jobs and employment prospects, but also disrupting their education and training and having a serious impact on their mental well-being.”