Stories from the World’s “Forgotten Crises”

7 min readJun 2, 2024

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When a humanitarian crisis erupts it captures the world’s attention. Creating headlines, raising awareness, and attracting international aid. As time passes and new emergencies arise, media coverage for ongoing humanitarian situations can wane.

This pattern is particularly familiar in regions on the frontline of the climate crisis, and in countries which experience protracted conflict.

With an ongoing global hunger crisis and many regions around the world locked in devastating conflicts, compassion fatigue is rife.

But for the people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by poverty, conflict and hunger, the need for action is urgent.

According to the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises, nearly 282 million people in 59 countries and territories experienced high levels of acute hunger in 2023 — up 24 million from the previous year.

For over a decade, Arete has told stories that make a difference for the world’s charities and NGOs. Through our network of local storytellers, we have had a consistent presence in many of the countries experiencing prolonged challenges. We work to help prevent them from becoming “forgotten crises” by telling the stories of the people who live there and documenting the work of NGOs and charities operating on the ground.

In this month’s blog, we highlight some of those stories.

Myanmar-Bangladesh

“Today, we continue to play catch up as escalating needs are not met with adequate funding”
Lisa Doughten, Director, Financing and Partnerships Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UN.

The Rohingya have suffered decades of persecution in Myanmar. In 2017 a wave of violence forced more than 742,000 people to seek refuge in Bangladesh (UNHCR). Then, in 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically elected government.

Violence between the military and the Arakan Army has continued, and has now reached an “unprecedented level”, according to Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operation.

Around one million Rohingya refugees are now in Bangladesh. Many die while risking their lives to find safety.

When working with Drik Bangladesh, Arete helped to tell the stories of refugees in several camps.

A Rohingya child rests on her mother’s shoulder, in a women-friendly space provided by CARE in Potibunia Camp.
Photo: Drik / Arete

Sanu, 13, poses for a photograph at a Plan International hygiene session, which provides dignity kits in Balukhali Camp-1.
Photo: Drik / Arete

Bodiar, 91, poses for a photo outside an age-friendly space provided by Age International in Balukhali Camp-2.
Photo: Drik / Arete

South Sudan

“The influx of over 630,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan has increased pressure on the population’s limited access to food, water and basic health services due to years of armed conflicts, intercommunal violence and environmental shock.”
Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa.

In South Sudan, climate extremes and protracted conflict — both within the country and in neighbouring Sudan — mean that more than three-quarters of the population are in need of humanitarian aid.

When working with Plan International, Arete told the stories of teenage girls facing immense challenges in South Sudan, such as child marriage, early pregnancy, lack of education and extreme hunger.

Helena, 14, poses for a photo. Helena fled to escape fighting in her hometown of Abear. In its survey of teenage girls in South Sudan, Plan International found that a third had been injured as a result of the conflict, and 13% said they had been abducted at some point.
Photo: Plan International / Arete

Mary sits alongside her family near her home.
Photo: Plan International / Arete

Read more in The Guardian.

“Climate Change is currently the number one threat affecting the world and South Sudan is among the countries in the region that is most affected. The country is currently experiencing severe heat waves, droughts and unpredictable rain patterns.”
Josephine Napwon, Minister of Environment and Forestry.

When working with the World Food Programme in South Sudan, Arete captured the stories of people living on the frontline of the climate crisis.

Nachak feeds her malnourished baby, Rewde, at a Nutrition Centre inside a Protection of Civilians (PoC) camp.
Photo: WFP / Arete

People walk past a flooded area.
Photo: WFP / Arete

Read more on the WFP website.

Nigeria

“WFP has the tools and willingness to support the government in restoring and unlocking the agricultural potential of northeast Nigeria making it again the breadbasket of the country. But we cannot achieve this alone.”
David Stevenson, WFP Representative and Country Director in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, persistent violence in the northeast has driven millions of people out of their homes, off their farms and across the region, jeopardising farming and livelihoods.

This has left 2.2 million people internally displaced in the northeast and 4.4 million people facing acute hunger in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states alone.

Deteriorating food security has been compounded by rising inflation and the impact of the climate crisis — with 26.5 million people across the country projected to face acute hunger in the June-August 2024 lean season.

When working with the WFP, Arete told the stories of displaced women and children taking refuge in the partially built palace of the emir of Anka, Zamfara state, north-west Nigeria.

Kummaima, 30, with a plate of tuwo, a Nigerian dish of rice flour, that she has cooked for her four children. Her children and husband have been sheltering in the camp for three years. “We do not have a regular income now. I do the occasional job but I can’t earn enough to feed our children,” she says.
Photo: WFP / Arete

Rufa poses with her baby daughters Ralia, 1, and Hassan, 3. Two years ago they fled violence and constant banditry attacks. “We left early one morning. After many of our family members and friends were killed. We fled with only the belongings we could carry and walked for two days to reach safety,” she explains.
Photo: WFP / Arete

Read more in The Guardian.

Somalia

“Somalia suffers from climate change, a problem that they did not generate, and yet, year by year, they have to deal with the impact.”
Joyce Musya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Somalia is one of the worst affected countries by the climate crisis, and with decades of conflict also having a devastating impact, compassion fatigue is a constant threat as the humanitarian situation struggles to gain media attention.

Four million people in Somalia (21 per cent of the population) are facing Crisis or Emergency food insecurity, and an estimated 1.7 million children aged 6 to 59 months face acute malnutrition in 2024.

Arete helped to tell the story of women who met with Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the FAO, and Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator of UN OCHA, on a recent visit to Somalia. Their joint visit aimed to raise awareness of the severe humanitarian crisis in Somalia and advocate for additional resources to support and scale up the ongoing lifesaving assistance.