Most number of people in need of aid in Ethiopia, Yemen, DRC & Afghanistan in 2021

Need for humanitarian aid reached an all-time high during January 2018-December 2021

Every 4th person to suffer hearing loss by 2050: WHO

At least 700 million people will suffer from disabling hearing loss

UN funds insufficient to help victims of climate disasters: Oxfam

UN humanitarian aid appeals increased 819% in 20 years  

The World Bank used to cause untold harm — but 30 years ago it started reforming. What went right

The bank supported some projects that were environmentally and socially damaging

COP27 diary (November 7): ‘World on a highway to climate hell, with our foot on the accelerator’

A round-up of what went on at the Sharm El-Sheikh summit  

2022 too short, too far: How did the economy fare last year

Down To Earth recaps the primary environment, health and developmental news from 2022

8 million women and girls require urgent humanitarian aid in Ukraine amid 2 years of conflict

Gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking, has surged: UN Women

Cash-based aid not a silver bullet, but offers flexibility, choice to beneficiaries

Cash relief brings people into the formal financial system and makes financial inclusion possible

Can aid engineer economic prosperity?

While it will not be in anyone's interest to cut off foreign aid to Africa, it is clear that countries that receive such aid must show more …

Rise in malaria cases in 2016 may be due to decline in health aid

The global fight against malaria is stalled, especially in Africa, because of a decline in health aid, says a new report

Can a cash-on-delivery model work for global aid?

As rich nations try to heal the scars of 2008 global financial crisis through deep budget cuts and protectionist policies, business models like …

What's the cost to survive climate change?

While 43 African countries plan to raise 20 per cent of adaptation funds, the remaining needs to be funded by the international community, which …

Taliban take-over: Afghanistan already battling drought, hunger, COVID-19

The now-absent government at Kabul had declared drought on June 22; half of its 30 million people are below the poverty line while 7,000 …

Branding my life?

The unabashed penchant for branding is not only giving donors a bad name but also assaulting the dignity of the poor

Cochlear implants can bring the experience of sound to those with hearing loss, but results may vary — here’s why

Scientists are investigating a number of potential ways to improve the effectiveness of cochlear implants.  

Food affordability improved over last 50 years; but what about nutrition

Vast majority of people living in rural and traditional countries and over three billion people globally cannot afford a nutritious diet

Mauritius oil spill: Potential government failures should be investigated

The government was well aware of the risk. Since the 1990s, Mauritius has received substantial capacity-building assistance to prevent an oil …

How this Gujarat man came to be celebrated as a Biblical character

Bharat Patel gets the fisherfolk of Kutch, affected by a coal power plant funded by the World Bank, a historic victory in the US Supreme Court

Turkey and Syria earthquake: Long-term funding is needed to support search-and-rescue after major disasters

 Until having an effective earthquake early warning, we need to rely on building codes and urban and physical planning

Generous aid to Ukraine is diverting resources away from other refugee crises around the world

Even before the current Ukraine crisis, a gap between global humanitarian needs and requisite funding to address them was growing.  

By spending just 3% more on infra, developing nations can save $4.2 trillion: World Bank

Making assets climate resilient can help these countries earn $4 for each $1 spent, according to the report

Resetting the Africa-Europe Relationship

Africa faces a broad range of development challenges and overcoming them will require huge sums of foreign aid and investment. But as Africa …

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: How global and local experience would play out in WTO top job

Okonjo-Iweala would be in a position to use her multifaceted experiences to energise the WTO’s 164 members to work harder to achieve the …

Towards zero hunger in Africa: 5 steps to achieve food security

Without transformative change like the Asian Green Revolution, African food systems will continue to impede human development

Horn of Africa likely to witness failed rainy season for sixth consecutive time: International agencies

Humanitarian crisis brewing; communities will need years to recover from this historically severe drought