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The bombing of populated areas has become a familiar feature of present-day conflicts. Not only does it kill and maim civilians, it also destroys vital public infrastructure such as bridges, ports, and hospitals. Anne Héry, head of advocacy at Humanity & Inclusion, explains how the use of explosive weapons in populated areas impacts civilian life.

Some 400,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh from neighbouring Myanmar since the end of August 2017. Handicap International is responding to this emergency by supplying aid to families with acute needs.

Aleema Shivji, Executive Director of Handicap International UK, provides a timely reminder of the appalling impact of explosive weapons.

Hurricane Irma caused extensive damage in the Caribbean and along the US coast, leaving a trail of victims in its wake. Wind and rain has caused extensive damage in the northeast of Haiti but, despite fears of a disaster, the country has escaped the worst of the storm. Nevertheless, Handicap International remains committed to helping the most vulnerable families, who are more likely to be affected during disasters.

As Hurricane Irma heads towards Cuba, the situation in northern Haiti appears to be less critical than previously feared. Depending on the results of initial rapid assessments, Handicap International may deploy a team tomorrow to meet with the most vulnerable individuals.

Although regularly hit by natural disasters, Haiti’s population remains highly vulnerable due to the country’s frail infrastructure and ill-equipped emergency services. In recent years, Handicap International’s disaster risk prevention projects have been working to help the most isolated people protect themselves.

After causing devastation on several Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico and Saint-Martin, Hurricane Irma was heading towards Haiti late on Thursday evening. Haiti is regularly hit by major natural disasters and Handicap International’s teams are expecting to face serious problems accessing the worst-affected areas. Many families will need help for months to come.

Within the last few hours, several Caribbean islands, including Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, have been hit by hurricane Irma, causing extensive damage. The hurricane is now moving towards the north of Haiti. Present in the country, Handicap International’s teams are concerned for the welfare of the most vulnerable people, who have very limited means to protect themselves.

Since 2012, civilians have borne the brunt of chronic violence in the Central African Republic. Insecurity and the destruction or neglect of road and air facilities have severely compromised the transport of humanitarian aid.

Hurricane Irma could make landfall in Haiti late on Thursday 7th September. Already present in Haiti, Handicap International’s teams are on high alert as they prepare to respond to the disaster.

At least 500 people were killed by floods and landslides that hit the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, on Monday 14th August. A further 800 people have been reported missing. Handicap International (HI) and our partners in the region have launched an emergency response to support people in need.

Cluster munitions have been banned since 2010 with the entry into force of the Oslo Convention, which prohibits their use, production, storage and transfer. Humanity & Inclusion has made a significant contribution to this progress. Why has the organisation committed to cluster munitions? Anne Héry, advocacy director at HI, answers questions about the impact of cluster munitions in 2017.

As floods and landslides have hit Nepal over the past five days, the death toll has reached 123 dead and at least 35 people are missing. The southern part of the country is the most affected. Thousands of houses have been inundated across the Terai province and 80% of the arable land has been destroyed. 600,000 people are affected - Handicap International’s local teams are evaluating how we can help.

Since the outbreak of civil war in South Sudan in 2013, Uganda has offered a place of safety to people fleeing from the conflict. On 15th August, the Government of Uganda and the UN Refugee Agency announced that the staggering threshold of 1 million South Sudanese refugees has now been reached. Handicap International (HI) will launch activities to support new arrivals in Uganda this September.

The Brazilian football player Neymar Jr. became the new ambassador of Handicap International on 15th August 2017. An event was organised in Place des Nations in Geneva to mark the occasion. Through this partnership, Neymar is using his huge fame for a good cause: to support the most vulnerable people in the world, people with disabilities in poor countries, victims of conflicts and natural disasters.