· January, 2013

Stories about Humanitarian Response from January, 2013

Egypt Silent on Sinai Flooding

  31 January 2013

Sinai is being ravished by flooding, after heavy rains in the region. Very little information is available on online media, amid total silence on mainstream media. Netizens report that up to 1,400 families could be caught up in the flooding, without electricity and access to food.

Why Death for Distributing Polio Vaccine in Pakistan?

  31 January 2013

Aid workers administering polio vaccination projects across Pakistan are increasingly coming under attack from Islamist militants. While some Pakistanis accuse humanitarian organizations of spying on behalf of the United States, many employees remain determined to stay in the country.

Children Crisis in Syria: How You Can Help

  31 January 2013

An estimated 4,355 Syrian children have been killed so far in the on-going conflict in Syria. Earlier this week, we reported on the steep price Syrian children are paying in this war tearing their country apart. Today, we look at ways in which individuals could help alleviate some of their suffering.

Tens of Thousands Affected by Heavy Rains in Mozambique

  30 January 2013

In Mozambique, the rains that have been falling since early January devastated populations in the country's center and south. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, and 45 deaths have been reported. While the number of victims continue to rise and damages continue to increase, the online community has called for solidarity and expressed its indignation in the face of the vandalism and pillaging that has occurred.

Naming the Victims of the Algerian Hostage Crisis

  28 January 2013

If the press have the energy to expose the names of victims and their pictures, why can't they pour the same energy into covering the information and wisdom that would prevent further tragedies? A professor of Islamic studies Naito Masanori commented on Twitter [ja] about the press coverage of the Aménas hostage crisis...

Blogging for UAE Detainees

  25 January 2013

“UAE Detainees” [ar] sheds light on the plight of more 68 Emirati political detainees who demanded reforms in their country. By doing so, the blog tries to attract solidarity with the arrested activists, to lobby and advocate for their release, in addition to gathering and recollecting everything that has been...

Mauritania: Workers March 700km for Justice

  25 January 2013

On January 5, a group of illegal or "Journalia" workers (temporary or seasonal), started a long march from the city of Zouerat in order to reach the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott. In total, these workers would have walked 700km in order to protest against the injustice they are being subjected to and the deceit of president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who had promised to solve their problems and put and end to their suffering.

A Destitute Women And Her Dogs

  24 January 2013

Jabberwock shares this amazing story about an animal loving old woman living in a small makeshift shanty in Delhi. She has been looking after street dogs for years now, on her meager earnings from collecting and selling reusable garbage.

Mobile Libraries Help Haitians Overcome Major Earthquake

  12 January 2013

Mobile libraries are helping Haitians overcome the devastating 2010 earthquake, providing intellectual resources, entertainment and assisting in essential matters such as health. By March 2013, the organisation Libraries Without Borders intends to launch another two mobile libraries to circulate through the most affected neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Recognition is growing about the value of reading in places suffering from conflicts and natural disasters.

2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 1 of 2

  11 January 2013

The year 2012 was marked by armed conflicts in Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. There were elections in Senegal, Quebec and France, while demonstrations for change took place in Chad, Madagascar and Togo. Debates raged on issues such as immigration, the economic crisis and equality in marriage laws. This is the first part of a review of the year 2012 in Francophone countries.

Nobel Peacemaker Ramos Horta's Mission to Guinea Bissau

  11 January 2013

The political chaos in which Guinea Bissau finds itself embroiled - and more so since the April 2012 coup d'etat - may be a little closer to finding a resolution with the recent appointment of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, to lead the United Nations Integrated Peace-Building Office in the country.

An Alawite Nurse in a Sunni Hospital in Syria

Traveling through rebel-held parts of Latakia province, in the Jebel Turkman region, we met 34-year-old Umyara, an Alawite nurse working in a field hospital. In Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad, Sunnis and Alawites have lived side by side for centuries. Now, with intense fighting in the Alawite-led regime and the mostly Sunni-led Free Syrian Army, many fear the animosity could spread to civilians across the religious divide.

Ivorian Blogger Questions Government's Response to Abidjan Stampede

  8 January 2013

Ivorian bloggers Mohamed Diaby and Cyriac Gbogou have been released from police custody. Both citizens, helped create a humanitarian platform to assist victims of the January 1, 2013 stampede in Abidjan. But on January 4, 2013, they were arrested after being accused of interfering with official disaster assistance efforts. Mohamed Diaby explains about the events that led to their arrests on his personal blog.

Mauritanian Women Speak up against Rape

  2 January 2013

A group of Mauritanian women launched an initiative against rape and all other forms of violence against women in their country. Entitled “Etkelmi or Speak up” [ar and fr], this campaign aims according the blog “Al Tasfera” [ar] to break the wall of silence surrounding rape and encourage victims to demand their...