Stories

The EU has supported vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, EU funding supports the rollout of routine childhood immunisations.

Conflict, crisis, COVID-19, cholera, and, as if things couldn’t possibly get worse, the strongest earthquake in a lifetime – there seems to be no end to the suffering of people in northern Syria.

Afghanistan is grappling with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. In 2023, a staggering 28.3 million people – or two-thirds of Afghanistan’s population - require urgent humanitarian assistance to survive.

A number where anyone anywhere can reach emergency services at all times of day and night seems evident since Europe adopted 112 as its emergency number in 1991. But that’s not the case everywhere.

The past 12 months have brought unprecedented humanitarian challenges.
The EU’s civil protection and humanitarian aid operations department has been working on helping the most vulnerable people worldwide.

25 August 2022 marks 5 years since a military crackdown in Myanmar forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee their homes to reach Bangladesh.

The EU helps refugees in Syria’s neighbouring countries, providing impartial aid to vulnerable people inside Syria through over 30 humanitarian partners.

In 2022, the EU and its Member States were among the leading donors of humanitarian aid in the world.

In 2023, the EU and its Member States retained their position as one of the largest global humanitarian donors.

The people of Gaza have struggled under a 16-year-long blockade. It is further aggravated by frequent shocks such as recurrent hostilities and air strikes, resulting in sudden severe humanitarian needs for many and increased vulnerability for all.

Refugee women in Turkey reflect on the impact of COVID-19 on their lives, and how online mental health support has helped them through the pandemic.

Not a day goes by that Asma can't remember life before she was a refugee. Originally from Maungdaw, a town in Myanmar bordering Bangladesh, she once led a carefree life with her family.

Muna lost one of her legs at the age of 3. After the war in Syria broke out, her family left for Türkiye so she could get a new prosthetic leg. Now, at 23-years-old, Muna works as a physiotherapist at the very EU-funded centre where she received her artificial limb.

Riya Moni is putting her makeup on. She is not afraid of being caught or humiliated anymore – her makeup is her transgression.

On the morning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, 34-year-old public servant Viktoriia from Dnipropetrovsk oblast went to work as on any other day.

A series of catastrophic earthquakes affected 96,000 children and their families in western Afghanistan. Partners like UNICEF support them on their way to recovery thanks to EU humanitarian funding.

Children under the age of 5 are very vulnerable: They are susceptible to diseases and malnutrition, and their parents need to be able to access primary health care for them.

Sophia – ‘wisdom’ in Greek - is one of 5 fully equipped ambulance buses that will go to different parts of Ukraine. They have been contributed by Norway and are delivered via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

Menstrual hygiene is integral to women's health and wellbeing. Poor menstrual hygiene can pose serious health risks.