Messengers of Humanity

We are sad to announce the Messengers of Humanity feed is ending here. But the story of people like you fighting to make a difference continues. 

Armed conflict destroys the lives of millions of people. Take a selfie and face world leaders to say, civilians are #NotATarget. https://www.worldhumanitarianday.org/en

On #WHD2018, here are 3 ways to make a difference:

1. Take a selfie

2. Share #NotATarget content

3. Donate

This World Humanitarian Day make your selfie count.

World Humanitarian Day 2018 is nearly upon us. And YOU can be part of it!

Around the world:

People are struggling to find food, water and safe shelter, while fighting drives millions of people from their homes.

Schools are destroyed, children are being recruited and forced to fight, and women are being abused and used as tools of war.

As humanitarian workers deliver aid and medical workers help the wounded and sick, they are directly targeted, treated as threats, and prevented from bringing relief and care to people in desperate need.

Action must be taken. Civilians and humanitarian aid workers trapped in wars are #NotATarget

Take Action: World leaders must protect people trapped in war 

1. TAKE A SELFIE

When you take a selfie, you probably send it to family and friends. But this time you can use it to send a strong message to world leaders.

Your selfie will become part of an installation hosting thousands of faces demanding that world leaders do everything in their power to protect civilians trapped in conflicts.

All it takes is a single click and your selfie will be added to the living petition that will be delivered to world leaders at next month’s General Assembly.

Sign the petition with a selfie today!

1. SPREAD THE WORD

Ask your family and friends to sign our petition to ask Governments to do more to protect civilians trapped in conflicts.

Nearly one million Rohingya refugees have been driven from their homes in Myanmar. This week the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres heads to Bangladesh to spotlight continuing perils facing Rohingya refugees.

#Readytogo when crisis strikes

Earthquakes, floods or tsunamis,our United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has seen it all! Since 1993 they have been the first international emergency response team to arrive at the scene of over 281 disasters.

Now members of the UNDAC team share their stories with us from the frontlines of some of the world’s most memorable disasters.

They even provide us with a sneak peek into their “go-bags” or essential emergency bags that are “ready to go” with them as soon as the call to deploy to a disaster arrives. 

Can you spot Yoda? Find out what always needs to be in Jemilah Mahmood’s bag here

Are you #readytogo?

Don't forget that we can always make this world a better place .

#InvisibleCitizens – what you need to know about the most vulnerable people in crisis.

Imagine having less than 5 minutes to grab your most precious belongings, gather your children or pets and leave your home, not knowing where you’re running too, or if you’ll ever be back.

This was a familiar situation for over 30 million people displaced within their own countries due to conflict and disaster in 2017. That is 80, 000 people every day.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are often forced to flee their homes without their identity papers. Making it hard to cross borders, find work, or receive assistance.

IDPs remain trapped in their own country without access to essential services such as education, health care or housing, and often face challenges integrating with host communities.

IDPs are among the most vulnerable people in the world, who languish in the margins of society. They are our #InvisibleCitizens. As they cannot or will not cross borders, IDPs are unable to access the same essential protection, allocated to refugees and migrants.

Why should you care?  

In October 2017, some 30.6 million people were IDPs because of armed conflict, violence or human rights violation. Internal displacement is a global phenomenon: it can affect anyone; even YOU! So, act NOW!

Here’s what you can do:

Join the conversation using #InvisibleCitizens and demand Governments to do more to protect IDPs.

Urge your family and friends to sign our petition to ask Governments to do more to protect these #InvisibleCitizens. Sign the petition: http://bit.ly/IDPpetition

Click here to share on Twitter

Three things you can do to help the Rohingya

You’ve probably heard a lot in the news about the Rohingya refugee crisis. This 90-second video will help you understand more about the situation and why it’s important to take action: 

What you can do

To date, more than 500,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh to escape the violence in Myanmar. When UN Humanitarian Chief Mark Lowcock travelled to Bangladesh this week, he saw people “with gunshot wounds, with burns and broken bones, bruised, battered and brutalized.” He witnessed the tireless efforts of the United Nations and our partners to provide these people with desperately needed food, shelter, health care and water, but the situation is becoming a humanitarian crisis on a catastrophic scale. The UN Secretary-General called it a “humanitarian and human rights nightmare.” Please stand with the UN Secretary-General and demand that all violence must end, that humanitarians have access to help people in need, and that all Rohingya are allowed to return home. Here’s what you can do: 

1. SHARE

Please share and let the world know that civilians are #NotATarget. They need to be protected.

#Rohingya refugees fleeing violence are #NotATarget. They need to be protected. Please share! https://t.co/0ESEeyq7Eb pic.twitter.com/puRn3TKZPP

— MessengersOfHumanity (@Msg_of_Humanity)

October 4, 2017

2. GIVE

We know that many of you don’t have the means to give money, but if you can spare the cost of a coffee, please consider donating to the United Nations Emergency Fund: http://unocha.org/cerf/donate. Every little helps.

3. SIGN