World Vision highlights 2024’s most devastating humanitarian crises

SEATTLE (December 30, 2024) — At the close of a year marked by unprecedented global challenges, Christian humanitarian organization World Vision has compiled a list of 11 of the most devastating humanitarian crises to which it responded in 2024.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 300 million people were in need of aid and protection in 2024 due to conflicts, extreme weather events, economic instability, and other crises around the world. World Vision responded to 84 of these crises across 65 countries in 2024, offering critical support to more than 35.2 million people.

“Throughout my travels this year, I have seen children surviving in some of the hardest conditions I have ever seen,” says Edgar Sandoval, president and CEO of World Vision.  “Like those who fled the Sudan conflict. In neighboring Chad, I heard about families raiding anthills for small crumbs of food and saw children living in triple-digit temperatures with little to no shelter. In these dire circumstances, I am grateful World Vision is there.”

Below are the top humanitarian crises that World Vision responded to in 2024, listed alphabetically:

Afghanistan humanitarian crisis:  Due to Afghanistan’s ongoing economic crisis, an estimated 23.7 million people — more than 50% of the population — were projected to require humanitarian aid in 2024. This crisis has worsened hunger, strained healthcare, and disrupted education and livelihoods. Women and girls, already facing significant barriers to education and healthcare, have been disproportionately affected, with many losing access to basic services and safe spaces. In addition, severe flooding across the country in 2024 destroyed critical infrastructure and displaced thousands. This has exacerbated poverty and hunger, forcing families to rebuild their lives amid limited resources and ongoing insecurity.

Floods: In 2024, deadly floods wreaked havoc worldwide, including in Afghanistan, Europe, and the United States, destroying homes and livelihoods. These disasters have resulted in numerous fatalities, heightened risks of waterborne diseases like cholera, and increased suffering for already-vulnerable populations. Key regions affected include:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Heavy flooding damaged homes and infrastructure, creating an urgent need for international aid.
• Brazil: The Rio Grande do Sul state endured relentless flooding, leading to widespread displacement and severe economic losses.
• East Africa: Torrential rains in Kenya and Uganda unleashed widespread flooding, destroying homes and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
• Niger: Severe flooding displaced communities and disrupted livelihoods, particularly in rural areas.

Global Hunger Crisis: The global hunger crisis escalated in 2024, with conflicts, extreme weather events, and soaring food costs driving 343 million people in 74 countries into acute hunger, according to the World Food Programme. The widespread effects of the crisis have included mothers giving birth to malnourished babies, stunted growth in children, failed crops, and entire villages displaced due to food shortages.

Haiti’s Crisis: The crisis in Haiti intensified in 2024, with devastating impacts on its citizens, especially children. Armed gangs control significant portions of the country, and the violence has reached unprecedented levels, with thousands of people reported killed, injured, or kidnapped since the start of the year. The humanitarian situation is dire, with 2 out of 3 children urgently needing assistance. Cholera has resurfaced, and many areas are experiencing food and water shortages. Additionally, the situation has worsened gender-based violence, with a sharp rise in sexual violence against women and children.

Hurricanes and typhoons: In 2024, hurricanes and typhoons left millions of people displaced and communities struggling to recover. In the Atlantic, the hurricane season began with Hurricane Beryl, an exceptionally early Category 5 storm — the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic. By October 11, 13 storms had formed, including four major hurricanes: Beryl, Helene, Kirk, and Milton. In southeast Asia, Typhoons inflicted severe destruction, especially in the Philippines, where Typhoon Man-yi caused widespread displacement and loss of life on November 17, 2024. The country experienced a series of storms that followed in quick succession. Typhoon Yagi hit northern Viet Nam, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand on September 7, 2024, causing over 500 deaths and thousands of injuries and displacing many. The flooding and landslides affected nearly 6 million children.

Landslides: Heavy rains triggered deadly landslides in Papua New Guinea and Ethiopia in 2024, causing significant loss of life, displacement, and destruction. On May 24, 2024, a massive landslide in the remote Enga Province in Papua New Guinea buried an entire village and claimed at least 670 lives. The disaster also displaced thousands of people. In Southern Ethiopia, torrential rains on July 21 and 22, 2024, caused three consecutive landslides in a mountainous area of Gezei Gofa Woreda in the Gofa Zone, leaving communities devastated and displacing thousands.

Middle East crisis: The Middle East faced severe humanitarian challenges in 2024, with Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank each experiencing interconnected crises. In Lebanon, around 1.3 million people have been forced to flee due to escalating violence, including many Syrian refugees who previously sought safety there.  In Syria, after 14 years of conflict and now a government shift, the future is uncertain for millions of people, with 90% of the population now relying on assistance. Resources across the region have been strained as humanitarian organizations, including World Vision, work to deliver critical aid and promote long-term recovery.

Rohingya refugee crisis: In 2024, seven years after fleeing violence in Myanmar, nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees remained in the overcrowded Kutupalong camp — the largest refugee camp in the world — and surrounding settlements in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. These camps are situated in a natural disaster–prone region, leaving refugees vulnerable to frequent hazards. Nearly half of the refugees are children, many born and raised in the camps.

Sudan crisis: In 2024, Sudan had the highest number of displaced children in the world. Since April 2023, the conflict in the country has resulted in extensive destruction and displacement, driving 14 million people from their homes and worsening an already dire hunger crisis. Hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan experienced severe food shortages in 2024, and famine was confirmed at a displacement camp in North Darfur, which houses around 400,000 people. Additionally, millions of women and girls faced threats of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, while struggling with severe food insecurity.

Venezuela migration crisis: As of June 2024, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans had left their homeland, marking this as one of the world’s largest displacement crises. Over the past decade, political instability, economic collapse, and severe shortages of food, medicine, and electricity have created a humanitarian crisis that has forced millions of people to flee. Neighboring countries like Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have struggled to support the ongoing influx, straining social services in border regions.

War in Ukraine: The conflict in Ukraine has impacted millions of people since February 24, 2022. Many have lost loved ones, suffered injuries, or experienced significant disruptions to their lives. Children have been especially impacted the effects of displacement, often living in unsafe conditions and unable to attend school. As of October 2024, the conflict had forced more than 6.7 million people to seek shelter abroad, according to U.N. reports, with 3.5 million people being displaced within Ukraine. Civilians continue to endure displacement and its effects, including an urgent need for food, shelter, and medical care.

About World Vision:

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit worldvision.org or follow on X, formerly known as Twitter, @WorldVisionUSA.