The year 2024 was marked by intense global pressure and widespread upheaval. Armed conflicts and humanitarian needs continued to grow, hampering, or in some cases, entirely undermining, the timely and effective delivery of humanitarian aid. The shrinking humanitarian space was driven by shifting global political priorities, a gradual decrease in international funding, unprecedented targeting of aid organizations, restrictions in accessing affected communities, and institutional barriers to humanitarian assistance.
Geopolitical instability and shifting power dynamics led to large-scale population displacements, fueled by ongoing conflict and rising insecurity. At the same time, hostile rhetoric and political trends gained ground, significantly eroding the space for tolerance, acceptance, and solidarity.
In Palestine, hostilities continued relentlessly in one of the most severe humanitarian crises in decades, resulting in tragic loss of human lives, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on the provision of medical and humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, in Sudan, the conflict of the past two years ranks among the most neglected crises globally: over 12 million people have been displaced within or beyond the country’s borders, while 48 million face daily food insecurity due to a brutal, ongoing civil war. In Ukraine, two years since the beginning of the war, humanitarian needs remained critical. More than 15 million people were displaced, and aid access was severely affected by ongoing instability and violence in the region. Simultaneously, geopolitical tensions across Africa and Asia continued to fuel violent conflicts and pose major challenges to civilian protection, humanitarian access, and the provision of basic health services.
In addition to conflict, 2024 was also shaped by mounting climate instability. The Mediterranean region, including Greece, experienced extreme weather phenomena, including heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires, that directly impacted public health and daily life. The consequences of these irregular weather patterns highlighted the urgent need to strengthen community and infrastructure resilience, and to promote integrated responses that combine public health protection with climate action.