Today, the need for aid dramatically exceeds the funds available worldwide. The unchecked pace of crisis in recent years has burst the boundaries of the international humanitarian system. By Thomas Gebauer.

Oppositions are reviled, NGOs banned, criticism is prosecuted as treason: worldwide, the spaces for emancipatory politics are being deliberately pared away.

Thomas Gebauer, head of medico international, about the need to have a critical look at NGOs and that it is high time to reconsider civil society.

After the drought of 2011 we failed as a global collective community: We didn’t rebuild the lives of those people we saved. So why did we save them? For the next drought to kill them?

Emergency aid after the earthquake: Conflicts of interest between the national government and Western aid.

“Sustainable development”, at least, was driven by the idea to actively and politically shape the world. Conversely, the concept of resilience is only about making people fit for survival.

The government failed to think and apply hard lessons. It failed to strengthen the country’s adaptive capacity, unfortunately because its mindset has been solely focused on private business.

Syria is embroiled in a war with no end in sight. Even so, there are centres of resistance against violence. medico is supplying humanitarian emergency aid in the Kurdish city of Kobané.

The Israeli military offensive in summer 2014 has transformed large areas of Gaza into a scene of devastation. medico partners have provided emergency medical aid and documented possible war crimes.

"As UN agencies and international NGOs operating in Gaza, we are alarmed by the limited progress in rebuilding the lives of those affected and tackling the root causes of the conflict."