Intercross: The Podcast

Responding to today's most complex humanitarian challenges, particularly those in protracted conflicts, requires innovative approaches and mobilizing a range of actors. Many have pointed to the potential of innovative financial models as a way to bring together humanitarian, development, government, and private sector actors to respond and maximize sustainable impact in meeting affected persons' n...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we speak with ICRC's Director General Yves Daccord who was in town for last week's World Bank Spring Meetings. We chat about some of the things that came out of those meetings as well as the growing nexus between humanitarian and development actors, particularly in protracted conflicts. We discuss the transformative change he's seen in nearly 30 years of...

The conflict in the Donbas is entering its fifth year, and heavy weaponry remains in regular use—with far-reaching humanitarian consequences for this predominantly industrial and urban region of eastern Ukraine. Civilians on either side of the contact line rely on the same infrastructural network – water systems, electricity grids and gas lines – for vital services. Several of these key infrastruc...

It's been eight years since fighting began in Syria. Out of 18 million people living in the country, 13.1 million of them require humanitarian aid. One in 2 Syrians have been displaced by the conflict, either abroad or within the country. 1.3 million were newly displaced in last year alone. Years of fierce fighting have left some of the country's vital services extremely fragile. 50% of health fac...

The sound of gunfire approaches. You don't know if your family should run or hide. Making the right choice can mean life or death. A new immersive virtual reality movie called The Right Choice puts users next to a Syrian family trapped in urban warfare. The film, a collaboration between ICRC, Google's Daydream Impact Project and the creative agency Don't Panic London, uses a simulated experience t...

In this episode of Intercross the podcast, we sit down with Trevor Keck, the deputy director of policy at the ICRC Washington Delegation, who recently returned from Nigeria. Intensifying attacks in NE Nigeria have caused around 30,000 people to flee across the border and within the country over the last weeks. The crisis, now nearly in its 10th year, has resulted in widespread displacement, violat...

This episode of Intercross the Podcast is the second in our new joint series with Humanitarian Law & Policy. Humanitarian Law & Policy is the ICRC blog based in Geneva that provides timely analysis and debate on international humanitarian law (IHL) issues and the policies that shape humanitarian action. With this series we hope to have monthly conversations on trends, issues, future challenges and...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Catherine-Lune Grayson, ICRC Policy Advisor. Globally, around 40 million people have fled their homes from conflict or persecution as internally displaced persons. About 60%–80% of those live in urban areas. The "urban story" of forced displacement is often compounded by its hidden nature. It is more difficult to track the living cond...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Cate Bird, the Missing Persons and Forensic Advisor to the ICRC delegation in DC. Cate focuses on the humanitarian consequences of migration along the U.S.-Mexico border and the forensic responses to missing migrants and unidentified remains. Since receiving her PhD in Anthropology from Michigan State University in 2013, she's performed f...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Sasha Ingber and Alex Ebsary of Music in Exile. Music in Exile is a nonprofit that seeks to document the songs and stories of people who have been displaced, and humanize them through their music. We talk about how travel and family histories led them to a compassion for displaced musicians, why music is often so critical to people who ha...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Monica Mukerjee, a Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Delegate for the ICRC currently based in Juba. She is also the Sexual Violence Focal Point for the delegation. Since March 2018 she has worked in South Sudan developing mental health and psychosocial activities for victims of violence in primary health care facilities as well as fo...

With this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we announce the start of a new monthly series with Humanitarian Law & Policy. Humanitarian Law & Policy is the ICRC blog based in Geneva that provides timely analysis and debate on international humanitarian law (IHL) issues and the policies that shape humanitarian action. With this series we hope to have monthly conversations on trends, issues, future...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, discuss frontline humanitarian negotiations. The Center of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation recently launched a field manual on the subject, taking the collective experience and perspectives of numerous humanitarian practitioners working in some of the most challenging conflict environments and translating it into tangible tools and resources. Claud...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we come to you from Juba, South Sudan. Following a two week wheelchair basketball training program, we sit down with two athletes from radically different worlds. Malat Wei was a young child when his family was forced to flee South Sudan, shortly after he contracted polio and lost the use of his legs. Though he grew up in an Ethiopian refugee camp, he fel...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we discuss the protection of cultural property in the time of armed conflict. It's no secret that people around the world have a deep connection with places and objects of artistic, historic and religious importance. Archaeological sites connect us to the past. Monuments beckon from afar to be visited and marveled at. Our customs, traditions and values bi...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we discuss the protection of civilians in partnered operations. National security and defense strategies, as well as trends in US military operations around the globe, reflect a preference for working by, with and through partners to achieve common security objectives. These partnerships in the context of armed conflict can aggravate or reduce the risk of...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Jenelle Eli, Director of International Communications, Amanda Nieman, Bangladesh Program Officer and Brad Zerivitz, a Photographer and Director of Video Services, all at the American Red Cross. They recently spent two weeks in Bangladesh, capturing stories of the crisis in Cox's Bazaar. Since August 2017, more than a million people have f...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast we chat with Fabrizzio Carboni, who has spent the last year as ICRC's Head of Delegation in Myanmar. More than a million people have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh due to violence since the end of August 2017. Peter Maurer, ICRC's President, recently visited both sides of the border there and called it a "lose-lose situation for people." We did a Q&A on Interc...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down Patricia Danzi, ICRC's Regional Director for Africa. More than 40% of ICRC operations are on the continent, including the geographical focuses of the Lake Chad region, South Sudan, Somalia, Central Africa Republic, Mali and Libya. We chat operations and challenges, displacement and migration and environmental impact on both, emotional wounds o...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Christophe Hambye, head of ICRC's logistics division. Running logistics is a complicated endeavor even when it's in the best of situations but Christophe and his team are working in some of the world's most challenging contexts. We chat about what are some of the humanitarian logistical challenges, how to stay ahead and prepared in a worl...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Charlotte Lindsey, ICRC's current Director of Communication and Information Management. In July, Charlotte will begin a new position as ICRC's first ever Director of Data & Digital Transformation. We chat about what digital transformation means, how innovation plays a role in humanitarian aid, the evolving challenges facing women in war a...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Alexandre Faite, the outgoing head of delegation in Yemen and guest policy host Trevor Keck. Yemen is the 4th largest ICRC operation in the world, with a budget of nearly $120 million CHF. We discuss the deteriorating situation on the ground, including food insecurity, the fuel crisis and the disrepair of the national health system. We al...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down with Christoph Harnisch, head of delegation in Bogata, Colombia. He's been with the ICRC for more than 33 years, including time spent in Africa, Middle East, Central America, and currently Colombia where he has been since August 2014. We previously had Christoph on our podcast in May of last year, about six months after the peace agreement was...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we sit down Jo Burton, ICRC's Global Cash Focal Point. Ten percent of the world's humanitarian assistance is now in cash, marking a 40% increase from 2015 to 2016. What exactly do we mean by cash transfer programming? What are the advantages and risks? What are some of the ways that ICRC is utilizing cash for assistance and protection programs? And how, a...

In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, OUR 50TH, we sit down Vincent Bernard, the editor in chief of the International Review of the Red Cross, a leading academic journal on humanitarian law, policy and action published by the ICRC and Cambridge University Press. The International Review was first established nearly 150 years ago. We discuss how issues and concerns surrounding warfare and inte...