Page 4 - LUA September-October 2025 for Magzter

COVER STORY

Even when hope fades,
SUPPLY CHAINS

CARRY AID TO

THOSE IN NEED

281 humanitarian workers were killed in 2024, yet supply chains kept on moving, as over 305
million people are still in need of humanitarian assistance, reports Rajarshi Chatterjee.

n a world torn by conflict, climate in the often-overlooked backbone of the global humanitarian crisis. Vulnerable
change, and unprecedented humanitarian action: logistics. Without groups are disproportionately affected,
displacement, one thing remains the ability to transport food, medicines, with the UN warning that “around one
I constant: the urgent need for shelter materials, and emergency cash in every five children in the world—
humanitarian aid. According to to the people who need them most, approximately 400 million—are living
the United Nations Office for the humanitarian promises remain just that— in or fleeing from conflict zones. And
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs promises. Supply chains transform those women and girls are too often the worst
(OCHA), 305.1 million people globally promises into survival. hit, amid inadequate health care and an
require humanitarian assistance epidemic of gender-based violence.”
and protection in 2025. Behind this AFRICA: THE HUMANITARIAN The scale of Africa’s challenge is
staggering figure are lives disrupted in EPICENTRE immense. “When we talk about Africa,
war zones, communities uprooted by Of the 305 million people in need, 85 we often refer to one continent, but it
disasters, and families struggling to find million are from Southern and Eastern comprises 54 countries, covers 30.37
food, water, and shelter. Africa, 59 million from the Middle East million square kilometres, and is home
The challenge of responding to this and North Africa, and around 57 million
scale of need lies not only in raising funds from West and Central Africa. These
or mobilising international support, but figures place Africa firmly at the heart of

2 LUA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025