Today, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), released its annual Emergency Watchlist highlighting 20 devastating humanitarian crises which are expected to deteriorate the most in 2021. Ongoing conflict compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have led to unprecedented emergencies across the globe. As multiple countries face historic levels of hunger and sit on the verge of pending famine, the IRC is calling on world leaders to take action now, before decades of hard-won progress on reducing poverty, hunger and disease is lost or even reversed.

David Miliband, President and CEO at the IRC, said, “2020 will go down as one of the most turbulent years in history, but the next year will be remembered for how we either helped or turned away from those suffering the most. Watchlist 2021 should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, government leaders, and concerned citizens around the world about the cost of neglecting humanitarian crises - and how they urgently need international attention. More than 235 million people are in need of humanitarian aid and more than 80 million people are displaced from their homes. The world continues to look away as we live through the age of impunity in which governments, dictators, generals, and militias ignore the laws of war, knowing that they will never be held accountable for their abuses. The most severe and devastating crises like Afghanistan, Syria and DRC have been reeling for years or even decades, and are expected to become even worse in 2021.

The triple threat of conflict, COVID-19 and climate change are dramatically worsening an already dire situation for people living in conflict-affected countries. Working in 18 out of 20 of the crises on this year’s Watchlist, and in nearly 20 other countries worldwide, the IRC sees the impacts of this every day as we work tirelessly to help people survive and rebuild their lives. Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by all aspects of conflict, as we see rises in violence against women, early and forced marriage, loss of income and education opportunities. While we witness historic levels of displacement, aid agencies like the IRC are increasingly under attack and face obstacles put in place by parties to conflict that prevent them from reaching those most in need.

Without action, conflicts risk spreading across borders with dire humanitarian implications. We risk repeating these same mistakes now with newly emergent crises like those in Ethiopia and Mozambique. With the alarming findings from Watchlist 2021, the IRC is calling on world leaders to fund frontline responses to the triple threat from conflict, COVID-19 and climate change, for all actors to urgently abide by the UN Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire, and for those with influence to push for humanitarian access to those most in need. This is only the bare minimum to start addressing the plight of millions of civilians highlighted by the Watchlist.”

More top findings from Watchlist 2021:

The challenges are immense, but there are practical steps the international community can and should take. The IRC urges new political focus from global leaders to address the trends highlighted by Watchlist 2021:

The Watchlist is divided into a ranked Top Ten and an unranked bottom half. The Top Ten countries are where we assess there is greatest risk of deterioration leading to the most serious emergencies in 2021: 

1. Yemen

2. Afghanistan

3. Syria

4. Democratic Republic of the Congo

5. Ethiopia

6. Burkina Faso

7. South Sudan

8. Nigeria

9. Venezuela

10. Mozambique

· Cameroon

· Central African Republic

· Chad

· Colombia

· Lebanon

· Mali

· Niger

· Palestine

· Somalia

· Sudan

Methodology

The Watchlist draws on 85 quantitative and qualitative measures, including insights from the IRC’s 30,000 staff and volunteers in over 40 countries globally.

Read the full report HERE.