Intercross the Podcast

More than 10 years of brutal conflict in Syria has left most of the population in need of assistance and without access to basic services in places all over the country. In part one of our special series on Syria, Intercross heard the stories of two Syrians living in Aleppo, Mouna Shawakh and Rami Asfar, in their own words. In part two, we zoom into Northeast Syria, in a camp called Al Hol. Today Al Hol houses around 58,000 people -- two thirds of whom are children, and most under the age of 5. Tens of thousands of children are spending their childhoods in appalling harsh conditions no child should experience. For the young people now growing up in camps like Al Hol, living conditions are far below international standards in terms of access to food, water, health care and education. We talk about the seemingly insurmountable challenges of those who remain stranded living in the camp, and what the Red Cross Red Crescent movement is doing about them, such as operating a field hospital to provide emergency life-saving surgical care and medical consultations. In November 2020, the first mental health and psychosocial services tent was set up inside the field hospital to provide psycho-social support, including educational activities for the children. What could be done to try and solve what the ICRC calls one of the most complex child protection crises of our time? Featuring ICRC's Near and Middle East Regional Director Fabrizio Carboni and ICRC psychotherapist Alessandra Lennar. Hosted by ICRC spokesperson Sara Al-Zawqari.

After 10 years of conflict in Syria, thousands of people are missing, hundreds of thousands are dead, and millions of people are displaced. In the past 12 months, millions more Syrians have been pushed into deeper hunger and poverty. In Northeast Syria, we're seeing the world's most complex child protection crisis unfolding in front of us. In two special episodes, Intercross shares stories of those affected by a decade of brutal and unrelenting conflict, and the efforts made by the ICRC and our partners to assist them. In Aleppo, we hear from young Syrians Mouna Shawakh and Rami Asfar, telling us in their own words about how their lives have changed due to conflict. We interview ICRC's NAME Regional Director Fabrizio Carboni and ICRC psychotherapist Alessandra Lennar about the severe humanitarian consequences for thousands of stranded women and children living in Al Hol camp. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

After 10 years of conflict in Syria, thousands of people are missing, hundreds of thousands are dead, and millions of people are displaced. The past 12 months has seen millions more Syrians pushed into deeper hunger and poverty. For young people especially, this has been a decade of savage loss, marked by missed milestones, stolen futures, immense economic hardship and a profound psychological toll. In this episode, Intercross brings you part one of a special two-part series, hearing directly from those affected by a decade of brutal and unrelenting conflict, and about the efforts made by the ICRC and our partners over the past decade. We are introduced to two young Syrians living in Aleppo, Mouna Shawakh and Rami Asfar, who we met when the ICRC surveyed thousands of young Syrians earlier this year, to ask how their lives changed trajectories. What are their most pressing needs? And, crucially, what are their hopes for a more normal future?

Long after returning home to the US, a staggering number of veterans suffer from untreated depression, PTSD, trauma and other mental health conditions, which in some cases, run deep. A connection is unclear, but some of these veterans also become incarcerated and must learn to cope with these issues behind bars. The American Red Cross is seeking to help them through a resiliency program that sends trained facilitators into prisons to provide mental health support to incarcerated veterans. For this episode, we'll learn how the American Red Cross supports some of the 180,000 incarcerated military veterans in the US today, building new skills for life in — and outside — of prison.

World leaders have converged on the Scottish city of Glasgow for COP26—the United Nations climate change conference. The stakes could not be higher. Sea levels are rising. Heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfires are more frequent, more intense, and threatening the survival of humanity. In a brand-new episode of Intercross, we hear from our communications colleague in London, Sam Smith, who's been closely following this story for the past year, writing about the very real human impacts of climate change in a conflict zone. He starts in Somalia with ICRC's Abdikarim Abdullahi. Three decades of conflict have weakened the country's institutions and left some 2.9 million people internally displaced. Somalia is ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change when it comes to its ability to improve resilience. The recurrent nature of climatic shocks, such as droughts and floods, and the instability created by conflict, meaning herders and pastoralists—several of which share their stories—have little chance to recover and build resilience. Sam then turns to Mali. Since 2012, armed conflict has profoundly disrupted the lives of Malians, spreading from the north to central regions, causing death, displacement and economic failure. At the same time, Mali is becoming hotter and drier, while the Sahara Desert, which already makes up two thirds of the country, is expanding. He speaks with Dr. Catherine-Lune Grayson, ICRC's Policy Advisor and author of the recent report, When Rain turns to Dust, to learn why the countries affected by conflict are among those deemed to be the most vulnerable to climate change. They discuss what exactly about insecurity that undermines states ability to help their communities adapt to climate and the main commitments ICRC is hoping to come out of COP26.

Digital technologies – both their presence and absence during crises – are impacting humanitarian action and civilians' lives. They are also impacting the means and method of warfare - leading to a “digitalization of armed conflicts”. In this podcast, Intercross host Elizabeth Rushing speaks with Saman Rejali, ICRC Law and Policy Advisor based in Geneva, and Yannick Heiniger, Deputy CEO of swissnex San Francisco, on their views about digital technologies and humanitarianism, exiting the echo-chambers of both the public and private sector to exchange views on using “tech for good”, balancing risks and opportunities brought forth by digitalization, the relevance of international humanitarian law in the digital age, and establishing bonds of trust – with affected people and across sectors - amidst the COVID-19 pandemic through digital diplomacy and more.

The average time that the ICRC has been present in its ten largest operations is 42 years. With these seemingly endless wars come layers of humanitarian consequences, including the cumulative effects of hostilities on infrastructure and healthcare systems, prolonged displacement, increased barriers to accessing essential services, and interruptions to education. The duration of humanitarian operations in protracted conflict settings has caused organizations like the ICRC to re-think their way of working. In light of the humanitarian imperative to respond to the needs of people affected, the International Review of the Red Cross recently dedicated an edition to protracted conflict. In this podcast, Intercross host Elizabeth Rushing speaks with ICRC’s Policy Advisor Filipa Schmitz Guinote and ICRC’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Development Affairs Colin Bruce about the stress points and blind spots of the so-called ‘humanitarian-development divide’ in protracted conflict settings.

Contemporary crises and armed conflicts are increasingly complex, with humanitarian needs made even more acute by the protracted and urban nature of conflicts, the challenges of influencing the behavior of warring parties, and the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 20,000 staff present in 104 countries, the ICRC is mandated by the international community, through the Geneva Conventions and its Additional Protocols, to assist and protect people affected by armed conflict and violence, including through the promotion of respect for humanitarian law. In this special edition of the podcast, two ICRC Directors – Helen Durham, Director of International Law and Policy, and Dominik Stillhart, Director of Operations – discuss today’s operational and legal challenges and how to overcome them to reach the people affected.

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned nearly every aspect of society on its head. Law enforcement agencies and services play a crucial role in their countries and communities supporting national authorities in various ways, including to control the disease alongside their normal daily duties of serving and protecting their communities. In this podcast, Intercross host Elizabeth Rushing speaks with Calum McDonald, ICRC’s Regional Delegate for Relations with Police and Security Forces, and Maciej Polkowski, Head of the Health Care in Danger initiative at the ICRC, to unpack and examine the challenges of policing during a pandemic, the legal framework and tools that could help police officers navigate the humanitarian consequences, and the lessons learnt from other contexts such as the Ebola epidemic

What are the humanitarian consequences of urban warfare, and how can international humanitarian law (IHL) reduce them? The conversation continues with ICRC advisors Caroline Baudot, Stephen Kilpatrick and Abby Zeith. Hosted by Elizabeth Rushing.

What are the humanitarian consequences of urban warfare, and how can IHL reduce them? A conversation with Cordula Droege, ICRC's Chief Legal Officer. Hosted by Elizabeth Rushing.

COVID has turned our world upside down and amplified challenges on a global scale. Issues like the spread of disinformation and the role of behavioral change to create real impact in humanitarian situations were significant before the pandemic but in today’s reality, they have become nothing short of critical. In this episode of the podcast, we have several guests to discuss the role and influence of information and community engagement in instilling tangible behavioral change in humanitarian settings, particularly in a time of COVID. Joining us are Pradmudith Rupasinghe, (Head of Operations- Sri Lanka Red Cross Society), Indu Nepal (Community Engagement Advisor, ICRC), and Syed Masood (Freelance Behavioral Design Strategist. We discuss the challenges of change in times of pandemics and disinformation, how earlier experiences with other pandemics such as Ebola helped feed into current COVID responses, and how we can be better prepared in the future. Hosted by Niki Clark.

This week, Intercross the Podcast has a special Audio Diary from Yemen. It features Tobias Ehret, ICRC’s Field Team Leader, and Samar Al-Aghbari, ICRC’s Protection Field Officer as they travel from Aden to the Ad Durayhimi district, a remote area very close to the frontlines for a distribution. The trip took some ten days, and their diaries give insight into the intense work and collaboration needed in providing humanitarian aid in a time of COVID.

With over 24 million in need of aid and only half of its health facilities functioning, Yemen is the world's single largest humanitarian crisis. In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Franz Rauchenstein, the outgoing head of ICRC in Sana’a. He has served in South Sudan, Afghanistan and the DRC over the course of his 25 years with the organization but recently called Yemen ‘the worst crisis he had ever seen.’ We discuss the devastating impact of COVID, why adhering to a ceasefire has been so difficult, and the future of a country in conflict. Hosted by Trevor Keck.

What is acceptable and what is prohibited in armed conflict? The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 form the foundation of international humanitarian law and provide a framework setting out the answers to that question. In the 1950s, the ICRC published a set of commentaries on these Conventions, giving practical guidance on their implementation. But to reflect the developments in law and practice since then, the ICRC commissioned a new set of commentaries that seek to reflect the current interpretations of the Conventions. The updated Commentaries on the First and Second Conventions were published in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Just this summer, the updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention related to the treatment of prisoners of war was launched after years of research and analysis. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the Commentary’s main findings on key humanitarian issues related to the treatment of prisoners of war. Guests include Jean-Marie Henckaerts, ICRC’s legal advisor and head of ICRC’s project to update the Commentaries on the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols of 1977 and Colonel Richard B. "Dick" Jackson, Retired Army Judge Advocate and former Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General for Law of War Matters. Hosted by Tracey Begley.

During armed conflicts, other situations of violence, natural disasters, or migration, countless people go missing, causing great anguish for their families and loved ones, who often make desperate attempts to find them. Waiting to learn about a missing person’s fate and whereabouts means living in limbo, between hope and despair, facing the pain of ongoing uncertainty and unable to grieve. Such uncertainty has severe psychological and emotional effects. It can also create legal, administrative, social and economic difficulties. International humanitarian law (IHL) includes important provisions aimed at preventing people from going missing, clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing persons and upholding the right of the families to know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives. States and parties to an armed conflict must take all possible measures to prevent people from going missing, to account for those who do, to protect those that die and to deal with the consequences of such events. Other bodies of international law, notably International Human Rights Law recognize the right to know of the families of missing persons and contain important provisions to prevent and deal with cases of enforced disappearances, including the obligation to search for disappeared persons and to investigate acts of enforced disappearances. August 30th marks awareness of this issue, to remember missing people and to express solidarity with their families. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about ICRC’s operational work in this area, the challenges COVID presents, as well as the role of the Central Tracing Agency. Make sure to visit intercrossblog.icrc.org to hear bonus audio diaries from both the Portuguese and Australian Red Crosses to get first-hand perspectives from those reconnecting family members. Hosted by Niki Clark.

To mark World Humanitarian Day, in this episode podcast we have Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Richard Albright. Within the US State Department, he’s responsible for humanitarian policy, advocacy and assistance programs, and directing nearly $2 billion US dollars for humanitarian response. The ICRC works with a lot of donors as a neutral and independent humanitarian organization which includes the United States through PRM. Mr. Albright has held many different titles around the world working for the US government. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations at the Department of Defense as well as roles as Coordinator for Economic and Development Assistance at U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Senior Humanitarian Coordinator at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and as PRM’s Director for the Office of Asia and the Near East. We discuss humanitarian donorship, crisis response and the significance of World Humanitarian Day. Hosted by Niki Clark.

More than 700,000 people have died from COVID worldwide—and that number goes up every day. Accompanying these deaths is grief, but the normal methods of mourning are often not available to family and loved ones. Memorials are held virtually, often those dying do so with only health care workers by their side. People are experiencing grief in different ways, many of which are unique to this moment in history. To discuss dealing with grief in a time of COVID, on this episode of the podcast we have Dr. Valerie Cole. Dr. Cole is a clinical psychologist and the Director of the Integrated Condolence Care Program at the American Red Cross. We discuss providing mental health support in disasters, and specifically pandemics, the American Red Cross’s new virtual family assistance center, and ways to deal with loss in this challenging time. Hosted by Niki Clark.

This year marks the 60th birthday of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For the last 25+ years, the country has been embroiled in conflict due to the massive refugee crisis and spillover from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The armed conflict and violence in the DRC has affected thousands of families and created a deteriorating humanitarian situation. Brutal clashes between groups has had very serious consequences for people: many have been killed, wounded, or traumatized, villages have been burned and fields destroyed and there has been massive population displacement. In addition to conflict, DRC has had to deal with pandemics, and not just COVID. In June, the country declared its eleventh Ebola outbreak since records began, following the revelation of new cases of Ebola in the northeast. This occurred less than two years since the last outbreak of the disease ended there. That outbreak ended up being the worst ever documented in DRC and the second-largest Ebola outbreak recorded anywhere. Of course, all of this is compounded by the realities of fighting an epidemic in a conflict zone. In this episode of the podcast, we speak with Alexandru Cretu, the ICRC Hospital Project Manager in Goma. We talk about the challenges of trying to save lives in the midst of conflict, how ICRC is working in the DRC, and lessons learned from dealing with Ebola that can be applied to COVID.

In conflict and post-conflict contexts, access to assistance and protection is constantly contested, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the internally displaced. With the additional challenge of COVID19, this access is even more complicated, challenging the ability of humanitarian actors and creating second effects for those fleeing. In this episode of the podcast, a follow-up conversation from a recent Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and ICRC webinar, we are joined by NRC’s Central and West Africa Regional Director Maureen Magee and ICRC’s Global Advisor on Internal Displacement Angela Cotroneo. We discuss the interplay between COVID19 and armed conflicts and the resulting double crisis, how humanitarian organizations are adapting to ensure they can continue to reach IDPs and durable solutions going forward. Hosted by Austin Shangraw.

Mali sits in the middle of West Africa, with most of the country situated within in the Sahel desert. It is a key operation for the ICRC, where we’ve worked since 1982 and held a delegation since 2013—falling typically within the top 15 largest global operations budget-wise, and top 5 in Africa. Since 2012, the country has experienced escalated conflict and a resulting dire humanitarian situation. In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Jean Nicolas Marti, the outgoing head of delegation in Mali and Judith Oputu, ICRC’s Diplomatic Advisor for Africa. We speak about the continuing instability, conflict dynamics, and operational impacts as well as diplomatic interventions and why the situation continues to deteriorate despite efforts. We also discuss the implications of a global pandemic on an already precarious situation and COVID19 policy efforts in country as well as the exacerbating effects of climate change in the Sahel, and the policy work and conversations trying to mitigate the results. Hosted by Trevor Keck.

To say that COVID19 has had global reaching impacts is an understatement. But for those living in Syria, the pandemic reaches the country at a time when ten years of destructive conflict has led to mass population displacement, and a once strong health system is in a precarious state. Half of all health facilities are now out of service or partially functioning. The country has experienced an economic decline as a consequence of the conflict, sanctions, and a regional downturn generating further hardship for many vulnerable Syrians. On this, our 100th episode of the Podcast, we are joined by Issa Ahmed Dahir, the hospital project manager at the Al Hol camp. The camp, in the North East of Syria, currently holds around 65,000 people, the majority of whom are children and women. We discuss the challenges facing Syria’s health systems in the time of COVID, what it’s like not only serving on the surgical frontlines in one of the world’s most dire situations but to also lead a team of 200+ others in such a situation, and the human stories behind the headlines. Hosted by Niki Clark.

Each year, armed conflict disrupts millions of lives. It also disrupts the infrastructure that makes daily life possible, such as damage to water supplies. The protracted conflict in Libya, now going on 9+ years, has made clean water a luxury for many. Close to 70 % of the Libyan population depends on the Man Made River, a gigantic water supply pipeline that draws water from the aquifers in the south of the country and brings it up north. Even before the added complexity of COVID, the tasks at hand were enormous, and the resources, shrinking. In this episode of the podcast, we have Hamza Oun, a water and sanitation engineer with the ICRC in Tripoli, Libya. Hamza is part of the ICRC field team responding to the Covid-19 pandemic in Libya, leading disinfection campaigns for Internal Displaced Persons shelters. We discuss the current situation, the additional challenge a global pandemic has created, and how there is hope in Hamza’s new Chlorine app, which allows people to take matters into their own hands. We also have a short audio diary from Mya Mya Soe, a water engineer in Myanmar, who shares about the water challenges in her own country. Hosted by Niki Clark.

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. In non-global epidemic times, nurses and medical workers make up the backbone of our country’s health care system. But particularly in this age, their role has been nothing short of critical. In this episode of the podcast, we have Linda MacIntyre, the chief nurse of the American Red Cross. She heads up a network of some 16,000+ nurses and other health professionals, both volunteers and staff who bring relief to disaster victims, work in military hospitals, and collect lifesaving blood. We discuss a little of the history of nursing at the American Red Cross, bring it forward to the role of nurses today and how they are helping on the frontlines of COVID. We also hear from Jaime Burgoyne, an emergency nurse with the Canadian Red Cross who was deployed to assist Canadian travelers quarantined after returning from Wuhan, China. Hosted by Niki Clark.

By 2030, it is estimated that up to two-thirds of the world’s extreme poor will live in countries characterized by fragility, conflict, and violence. The global fragility landscape has worsened significantly: There are now more violent conflicts globally than at any time in the past 30 years, and the world is also facing the largest forced displacement crisis ever recorded. As these numbers increase, addressing them becomes even more mission-critical for the World Bank Group, which has been supporting development efforts in such settings countries since its origin in the post-conflict reconstruction of Europe after World War II. In this episode of the podcast, we have Franck Bousquet, the World Bank’s Senior Director for Fragility, Conflict and Violence, a position he has held since July 2017. As Senior Director, Franck mobilizes expertise and supports operational teams across the Bank in close collaboration with humanitarian-development-peace partners. He’s also led the development of the World Bank Group’s first Strategy for Fragility, Conflict and Violence or FCV. We talk about the ICRC’s engagement with the Bank, the recently released strategy, and the factors that can increase vulnerability to shocks and crises. In addition, we discuss how in contexts that are extremely vulnerable to begin with, COVID 19 has added yet another layer of complexity. Hosted by Niki Clark.

More than 175,000 people in the United States have recovered from COVID19. Once a person recovers, his or her blood contains antibodies in its plasma that can possibly fight the virus. Those antibodies can be obtained from a donor’s blood and given to a severely ill patient via transfusion. The hope is that these antibodies can help patients recover. The use of convalescent plasma—or plasma extracted from those recovering from a certain illness—has a long history, dating back even to the Spanish Flu in 1918 and used more recently in patients with polio, measles, and SARS. In late March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new initiative to collect plasma from those who have recovered, partnering with the America Red Cross to help identify prospective donors and manage the distribution of these products to hospitals treating patients in need. In this special World Red Cross Red Crescent Day episode, we speak with both George Tzagournis, a recent convalescent plasma donor, and Dr. Erin Goodhue, the executive medical director of the American Red Cross. We talk about the process and possibilities behind convalescent plasma in the fight against COVID19. Hosted by Niki Clark.

The Coronavirus is having an impact on absolutely every element of our lives. For people living in war-zones, the virus is just one more threat when you’re already dealing with so much suffering. Faced with immediate threats to life, such as gunfire, shelling and bombings, and lack of life-saving health care, it’s a real challenge to prioritize how you’re going to deal with it all. So with this episode, we are starting a new series of shorts that hear from different ICRC delegations and focus on how a global pandemic affects some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. We’ll begin with a look at the threat of a new pandemic entering detention centers, where once inside, it is very difficult to contain. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we discuss Lake Chad. Situated in north-west Africa, what is known as the Lake Chad region – Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Chad – has been ripped apart by conflict. Civilians are regular subject to direct and/or indiscriminate attacks, including bombings in populated areas, as well as sexual violence, forced recruitment, and abductions. Over 2.4 million people have been forced to flee their homes, while millions more are in need of food, water, shelter and access to health care. We are joined by Patrick Youssef, ICRC’s Deputy Regional Director of Africa and discuss the region’s chronic fragility and the impact on communities after a decade of violence. In addition, we chat about the shortage of health care workers (1.3% of the world's total) on a continent that experiences 25% of the global disease burden. Patrick first joined the ICRC in 2005 and has worked in contexts as varied as Chad, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. He was the deputy head of operations for the Near and Middle East covering Yemen, Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council. In his current role, he manages ICRC operations in the Maghreb, the Sahel region, the Lake Chad Basin, and West Africa. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Massimo Marelli, Head of Data Protection Office for the ICRC. Massimo discusses how the ICRC approaches data protection and why this is a vital aspect of the ICRC’s humanitarian action in an increasingly digitally-connected world. He provides an overview of the ICRC’s data protection policies, such as the ICRC Rules on Personal Data Protection and the ICRC Policy on the Processing of Biometric Data, and highlights how the ICRC developed and implements these policies. Massimo also previews the new technologies and themes that will be examined in the updated Handbook on Data Protection in Humanitarian Action, which is set for release later this year. Hosted by Austin Shangraw.

After a couple of months break, Intercross the Podcast is back. And we are returning with quite a compelling conversation. Our guest, Esperanza Martinez, ICRC’s head of health, first spoke with us back in November 2017. She joined the ICRC in 2001, then worked for other organizations (UN and donor agencies as well as the private sector) before undertaking her current role in the ICRC’s headquarters in Geneva in 2015. She is a medical doctor and general surgeon trained in Colombia, specialized in integrative medicine and international public health and with hands-on humanitarian experience in countries such as Colombia, Kosovo, Angola, East Timor, Nepal. In her current role, she oversees health operations across 80 countries. We talk about the consequences of conflict on health, the challenges of increasing humanitarian needs coupled with a shrinking workforce and dealing with coronavirus in an age of high human mobility. Hosted by Niki Clark.

From December 4-12 2019, the Statutory Meetings of the Red Cross and Red Crescent will bring together Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders from virtually every country in the world, as well as the International Federation, and the ICRC. Collectively known as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, it is the world’s largest and oldest humanitarian network, consisting of 192 National Societies, more than one million members and 14 million volunteers worldwide. Also joining the meetings are States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Together they discuss and tackle today’s most pressing humanitarian issues, as well as set the future direction of the Movement. In this episode of the podcast, we have Celine Leonet, ICRC’s Cooperation Delegate in Washington. We discuss the history of the meetings, some of the themes to be addressed there—including the future of International Humanitarian Law, the humanitarian consequences of climate shocks and hazards, and the impact of declining trust on humanitarian action—and why it all matters. Hosted by Niki Clark and Will Pons.

December 3rd is the International Day of People with Disabilities. Celebrated globally since 1992, this year’s theme is "The Future is Accessible," meaning that we must all, together, look towards a future where the barriers which stand in people’s way no longer exist. According to the World Bank, one billion people, or 15% of the world's population, experience some form of disability, and disability prevalence is higher for developing countries. One-fifth of the estimated global total, or between 110 million and 190 million people, experience significant disabilities. In this episode of the podcast, we have Michael Rosenkrantz, Program Director of the Desert Ability Center, a nonprofit based in the Coachella Valley, California and whose mission to provide greater access to resources for people living with a disability by using sports as an entrée point to help them achieve their dreams. Previously, he has worked in India, Nepal, Arizona, and North Carolina. He also serves as a coaching consultant for the ICRC working under our own Jess Markt. We talk about his experiences working with people with disabilities as well as the power of adaptive sports. Hosted by Niki Clark.

Since September 1, the ongoing fighting between armed groups has forced large numbers of people in Birao, in the north-east of the Central African Republic, to flee their homes. More than 25,000 people – almost the entire population of the town – were forced to flee empty-handed in a matter of hours to makeshift camps, leaving behind homes that have either been ransacked or burnt down. In addition to conflict it faces, the Central African Republic is identified as the most at-risk country in terms of population growth and climate vulnerability. In this episode of the podcast, we have Valérie Petitpierre, the ICRC Head of Delegation in the Central African Republic since 2018. She has worked in the ICRC since 2004 in such varied contexts as Israel and the Occupied Territories, Sudan, Sri Lanka and Yemen. We are also joined by Alejandra Portillo-Tayor, ICRC’s Policy Associate. Hosted by Niki Clark.

With armed conflicts taking place in so many parts of the Muslim world, the Islamic law of war is as indispensable as ever for the protection of civilians and others. Over the centuries, classical Muslim jurists have provided impressive legal literature, which, just as international humanitarian law (IHL), brings humanity in war. Emphasizing the universality of IHL’s principles, which transcend legal traditions, civilizations, and cultures, is absolutely essential for improving respect and protection for victims of armed conflict in the Muslim world. In this episode of the podcast, we have Dr. Ahmed Al-Dawoody, the Legal Adviser for Islamic Law and Jurisprudence at the ICRC. We speak about the intersection of international humanitarian law and Islamic law on operational impacts, including the management of the dead and the protection of children. Hosted by Niki Clark.

The war in Syria has lasted more than eight years and has led to massive destruction and loss of life. The human cost of this conflict is widely considered, in fact, without historical precedent among civil wars. Increasingly, there is doubt that the conflict will reach a resolution or political settlement anytime in the near future, resulting in a growing fatigue and frustration across the international community. This frustration has triggered an appetite among States, civil society and the international community for finite and concrete measures that can contribute to greater protection and compliance with international law. From this, a number of innovative protection responses have emerged to protect cultural heritage in the conflict which has engulfed Syria and spread to Iraq. In this episode of the podcast, we have Polina Levina from the United Nations in Geneva speaking in her personal capacity as well as our our Forum guest host Ellen Policinski. Hosted by Niki Clark.

On this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we are joined by Julie Arrighi, the Urban Manager and ICRC Partnership Lead at the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre. This year, the ICRC, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) are hosting a global policy roundtable series on “Climate Risk, Conflict, and Resilience,” with the objectives of better understanding the intersection of climate and conflict risk, examining the implications for humanitarian and development responses, and elevating the voices of people affected by the “double vulnerability” of climate and conflict risk. Join us as we discuss the main themes and takeaways from the roundtable series, the work of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, and the climate-related happenings at the 2019 UN General Assembly week. Hosted by Austin Shangraw.

In this episode of the Podcast, we speak with Kate Spradley, a biological anthropologist and professor with the Forensic Anthropology Center at the University of Texas. In 2013, she founded Operation Identification, a service-learning project that seeks to restore identities to the remains of migrants recovered from the Rio Grande Valley region. We talk about her work, the barriers to identifying migrant remains, and the crossover with ICRC’s work with the missing. Hosted by Niki Clark and Will Pons. Photo credit Texas State University

Whether within or across borders, the displacement of persons remains a pressing humanitarian concern. Millions of people are separated from their homes, livelihoods and families each year by armed conflict or other catastrophes, and frequently suffer severe abuses and hardship while in flight or at their place of refuge. ICRC recently released a study called Displacement in Times of Armed Conflict: How International Humanitarian Law Protects in War and Why it Matters. In this episode of the podcast, we speak with Dr. Cedric Cotter, the lead researcher behind the report to discuss the role of IHL in influencing displacement. Hosted by Austin Shangraw. A part of the Joint Law & Policy Series.

Eight years of violence and armed conflict have taken a heavy toll on Libya. Its economy is in crisis, instability prevails, and basic services such as health care, schools, electricity and water are suffering. In Tripoli, the latest conflict continues with no end in sight over three months after it began. There are growing fears that a protracted urban battle lies ahead. Meanwhile, tens of thousands remain displaced in other parts of the country. In this episode, we speak with Mohamed Sheikh-Ali, the Economic Security Coordinator from the ICRC’s Libya delegation. We discuss the current crisis, challenges the population is facing and perspectives about the future. Hosted by Niki Clark

There is a quote, attributed sometimes to Michelle Obama, Brene Brown and even James Comey, that says, “It’s hard to hate up close.” In this episode, we are joined by Andrea C. Hummel, director and founder of Improv for Peace, an organization that focuses on making this idea a reality, operating under the belief that if people are able to better understand each other and communicate in a safe environment, conflicts based on cultural differences will subside. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In this episode of the Podcast, we come to you from Women Deliver, the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women. We are joined by Dr. Hozan Sindi, a general health practitioner in Iraq. Dr. Hozan served as a medical intern at the West Erbil Emergency Hospital during the fall of Mosul in 2017. She was also featured in the ICRC/National Geographic collaboration, A Women’s War. She discusses what it is like to grow up surrounded by war, the resilience of a women living and working in conflict and her dreams for the future of Iraq. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In this episode of the Podcast, we come to you from Women Deliver, the world’s largest conference on gender equality and the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women. We are joined by Dr. Mina Mojtahedi, the disability inclusion advisor for both ICRC and the International Federation. A former Paralympian, a PHd of Nutrition and an international expert in human rights of persons with disabilities, Mina works to create a more inclusive environment not only for those trying to access humanitarian services but also for those in the workplace. We talk about the power of sports, the myths of stereotypes and how inclusion benefits us all. Hosted by Niki Clark.

The risks of functionally delegating complex tasks—and associated decisions—to sensors and algorithms is one of the central issues of our time. Nowhere are these issues more acute than in relation to decisions to kill, injure and destroy. In this episode, we are joined by Neil Davison, ICRC’s Scientific and Policy Adviser in the Legal Division Arms Unit and Will Pons, our guest host and legal advisor at the Washington Delegation. We discuss emerging technologies in warfare. Can artificial intelligence increase IHL compliance? Where should the limits lie in terms of human control? What does the law say about all of this? And beyond the legal debate, what are the ethical debates behind emerging technologies in war? Hosted by Will Pons.

The evidence is irrefutable: Humor helps. Helps situations involving communications, relationships, problem solving, and productivity among others. So much so, in fact, that the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre has been exploring it as an unconventional approach to engagement in difficult conversations. In this episode of the Podcast, we are joined by guest host Anna Nelson, ICRC’s head of communications in Washington as well as Pablo Suarez, Director for Research and Innovation at the Climate Center, visiting fellow at Boston University, researcher, math geek and overall fan of humor. We chat about bringing humor into unusual contexts, including humanitarian work, and the science behind it all. Hosted by Niki Clark and Anna Nelson. Illustration by Bob Mankoff.

Rule 55 of Customary Law states that ‘The parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, which is impartial in character and conducted without any adverse distinction, subject to their right of control.’ And while the rules seems clear, in complex conflict settings there are often challenges to implantation. In this episode, we speak to Jacob Kurtzer, a research fellow with the Center for Strategic & International Studies’ Humanitarian Agenda initiative, an initiative that leverages the expertise of CSIS programs to explore complex humanitarian challenges. The primary challenge he’s focusing on is access to aid in complex man-made emergencies. Prior to joining CSIS, Jacob spent seven years with the ICRC, most recently as head of communications for the ICRC Delegation in Israel and the occupied territories and at some point in time, helping to head up the Washington Communications department. Hosted by Niki Clark.

Armed conflict and other situations of violence deprive those in the midst of it of the essentials – food, clean water, health care, shelter – and the chance to experience life and grow at their own pace. Despite the protection afforded them by international law, both children and adults are vulnerable to all sorts of risks. One of the most critical is the impact violence has on education. The interruption of education has severe consequences for both the future of individuals and a country’s capacity to recover, especially when crises are protracted. In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we talk about the impact of violence and conflict on education, the long-term effects and what ICRC is doing to help mitigate those. Guests include Geoff Loane, ICRC’s Head of Education, Danijel Cuturic, ICRC’s Education Advisor in Ukraine and Karla Hoover, ICRC’s Education Advisor in South Sudan. Hosted by Niki Clark.

It has been six weeks since Cyclone Idai made landfall in southern Africa, unleashing unprecedented devastation and destruction on communities in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Many communities were stranded for weeks and cut-off from outside assistance. Tens of thousands of people were left homeless. Crops were washed away. The ICRC has been working with IFRC and national Red Cross societies to provide assistance to people who lost everything to the storm, an effort that has been made even more complicated by Cyclone Kenneth, another tropical cyclone that is pummeling northern Mozambique with rainfall, sparking widespread flooding and creating a new humanitarian crisis just weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the country. We hear several audio diaries from the ground and then speak with Crystal Wells, ICRC’s Communications Delegate for East Africa. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In late March, the small village of Ogossagou in Central Mali experienced a horrific massacre. The scene, from those who were there, looked apocalyptic. Huts and farm buildings burnt and riddled with bullet holes, charred remains of cars and donkeys. The wells became unusable because of the contamination of corpses. Families are struggling to come to terms with what happened– the latest in a recent series of very violent clashes between herders and settled farmers in the region. In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we first hear from Insaf Mustapha Charaf, an ICRC mental health delegate who was present in a hospital following the tragic event. Then we speak to Francoise Lambert, an ICRC delegate based in Dakar. What happened to lead to such a massacre? What are the needs of the families on the ground—physically and psychosocially? Many are living in a state of uncertainty—with missing relatives and unsure futures. What is being done? What is needed to move forward? Hosted by Niki Clark.

Responding to today's most complex humanitarian challenges, particularly those in protracted conflicts, requires innovative approaches and mobilizing a range of actors. Many have pointed to the potential of innovative financial models as a way to bring together humanitarian, development, government, and private sector actors to respond and maximize sustainable impact in meeting affected persons' needs. In September 2017, the ICRC launched an innovative finance mechanism, the world's first Humanitarian Impact Bond, which looked to scale up the ICRC's physical rehabilitation services in three countries. In this episode, we chat with Juan Coderque, Head of New Financial Models for the ICRC. We breakdown what we mean by new financial models, discuss the potential of innovative finance approaches to humanitarian action, and explore how the ICRC is thinking about the issues and how best to utilize new financial models to meet humanitarian needs. Hosted by Austin Shangraw.

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we speak with ICRC’s Director General Yves Daccord who was in town for last week’s World Bank Spring Meetings. We chat about some of the things that came out of those meetings as well as the growing nexus between humanitarian and development actors, particularly in protracted conflicts. We discuss the transformative change he’s seen in nearly 30 years of service with the ICRC, including the evolving approach to humanitarian action, as well as the inclusion of innovation and technology. Finally, as Yves’ tenure comes to a close in 2020, he shares his hopes for ICRC’s future, what he is most proud of and what’s next. Hosted by Niki Clark.

The conflict in the Donbas is entering its fifth year, and heavy weaponry remains in regular use—with far-reaching humanitarian consequences for this predominantly industrial and urban region of eastern Ukraine. Civilians on either side of the contact line rely on the same infrastructural network – water systems, electricity grids and gas lines – for vital services. Several of these key infrastructural installations are on or near the contact line, and in the immediate vicinity of the ongoing hostilities, which involve regular use of high-calibre artillery.  In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with ICRC’s outgoing head of delegation in Kyiv, Ukraine, Alain Aeschlimann. We chat about the situation and challenges of working in Ukraine, how the situation has evolved in his time there and how ICRC works in one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world. Hosted by Niki Clark.