Washington D.C., Aug 19, 2016 / 16:07 pm
Friday, August 19 is World Humanitarian Day, as designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008. The day "honors those, who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and those, who continue to bring assistance and relief to millions," the U.N. has stated.
"The Day also seeks to draw attention to humanitarian needs worldwide and the importance of international cooperation in meeting these needs."
Amidst a global humanitarian crisis where the number of persons displaced from their homes is at its highest ever recorded, here are five things to know:
- The Lake Chad Basin in Africa – which includes the countries of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger – has been described as the "world's most neglected humanitarian crisis." Famine, drought, and sectarian violence by the terror group Boko Haram and militant Fulani herdsmen have combined to displace almost 3 million. The U.N. has estimated that over nine million people need humanitarian aid. In Northeastern Nigeria alone, in territory held by the Boko Haram, the U.N. has estimated that around a quarter million children "are suffering from severe malnutrition."