Authors/Contributions from: Adriana Stibral, Thea Hilhorst, Palash Kamruzzaman, Mihir R. Bhatt, Khayal Trivedi At a time when the global humanitarian system is under extraordinary strain, the HOISA’s panel discussion on “Status of Humanitarian Studies: A View and Beyond” brought together leading voices to reflect on the future of the field. Speakers included Dr. Adriana A. Stibral (Charles Darwin University), Professor Palash Kamruzzaman (University of South Wales), Professor

Authors: Anisa Abeytia, Asma Derja, Alphoncina Lyamuya, Heriberto Tapia, John Jaeger, Khayal Trivedi, Mihir R. Bhatt The rise of AI contains the possibility to accelerate the achievement of humanitarian justice across humanitarian systems, but not accounting for Model Drift may derail this potential. The rise of AI holds the potential to accelerate humanitarian justice across global systems. Yet that promise is fragile. Anisa Abeytia, the author of Model Drift: How Subtle

Authors: Owen Gow, Bushra Afreen, Lenio Myrivili, Mihir R. Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi On the 19th formation day of the National Disaster Management Authority in India, HOISA presented its fourth panel discussion on observing heatwaves differently within South Asia. In continuation with previous panels that looked at the challenges concerning adaptation, mitigation and future of heatwaves, this edition focussed on the planning for extreme heats, and what lessons and recommendati

Contributions from: Aparna Tandon, Isber Sabrine, Paola Jani, Mihir R. Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi What place does cultural heritage protection have within the humanitarian efforts while planning for aid and relief? How must we protect the invaluable world heritage during times of crisis? And how do we manage the risk, and provide first-aid to cultural heritage during emergencies? Conflicts, disasters and climate change stand as major threats to human civilisation, its systems

Contributions from: Prabodh Chakrabarti, Pradnya Paithankar, Achyut Luitel, Barkat Ullah Maruf, Mihir R. Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi South Asia is one of the most diverse and densely populated regions in the world with one fourth of the world’s population in merely one fifteenth of the geographical area. Having witnessed some of the worst humanitarian crises - from famines to wars, migration, child mortality, poverty, hunger, and disasters such as floods, earthquakes etc, it has

Authors: Alistair Hobday, Moira Reddick, Vineet Kumar, Anup Karanth, Mihir Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi Marking the commemoration of the devastating Odisha Cyclone of 1999, HOISA conducted a panel discussion that invited presentations on marine heat waves and their impact on cyclones, the integration of science into decision-making and early-warning systems, changes in disaster risk reduction and response, and the importance of regional exchange of best practices and gender-sensi

Authors: Dr. M.V. Ramana Murthy, Flora Bawi Nei Mawi, Sourav Kumar Biswas and Khayal Trivedi According to a 2020 report by the UN, more than 7000 extreme events have been identified since 2000 resulting in a sharp increase in floods and droughts globally. With the accelerating climate change, warmer weather, and frequent marine heatwaves, our coasts are particularly at a greater risk of facing frequent flooding, soil erosion, and loss of agriculture and natural defense system

Author: Dr. Ajit Tyagi, Dr. Nabansu Chattopadhyay, Dr. Mazharul Aziz, Dr. Aruni Abeysekera, Mr. Rameshwar Rimal, Ms. Han Swe, Dr. Someshwar Das, Mihir R. Bhatt, Dr. L.S. Rathore, and Khayal Trivedi Introduction As South Asia faces intensifying climate variability, the importance of Early Warning Systems (EWS) for anticipatory action in agriculture has never been greater. Agriculture remains the backbone of South Asia’s economy and food security, employing a large portion of

Authors: Dr. Ajit Tyagi, Dr. Someshwar Das, Dr. M. Mohapatra, Prof. Dileep Mavalankar, Dr. Naresh Kumar, Dr. Dharam Raj Uprety Early warnings work best when we all listen locally and act globally. South Asia teaches us that technology saves lives only when it speaks the language of affected communities, suggested the panel members on March 23, 2025, at a discussion Marking the World Meteorological Day. Early warning systems are becoming crucial in effectively mitigating cli

Author: Lien Vandamme, Hyeonggeun Ji, Moumita Das Gupta, Mihir Bhatt, Khayal Trivedi The March 12, 2025, HOISA panel members proposed for COP30 that Human rights offer the moral and legal foundation for climate justice as well as humanitarian justice. Without rights-based remedies, every disaster response risks becoming another cycle of neglect rather than a path to just recovery. For a decade now, international institutions and human rights law, along with the many develo

Author: Dr. Dorothea Hilhorst, Sarian Jarosz, Mohammed Jelle, Mihir R. Bhatt, and Khayal Trivedi 2024 has been a particularly challenging year for the world—but especially for the humanitarian and development sector. In the wake of increased defence funding, military operations and an ongoing arms race, funding for the humanitarian sector has been drastically reduced in several parts of the world. The USAID freeze, one of the major causes and triggers of this change, led to

Authors: Sudhanshu S. Singh, Ali Al Mokdad, Jaipreet Kaur, Mihir Bhatt, Khayal Trivedi Amidst the ongoing crisis of legitimacy and funding for the international humanitarian system, there is a serious challenge to the sustainability and equity of the current aid system. At a recent panel discussion, hosted by Humanitarian Observatory Initiative of South Asia Humanitarian, All-India Disaster Mitigation Institute, and Humanitarian Aid International, humanitarian actors gathere

Authors: Dr. Shabana Khan, Dr. Jyoti Mishra, Dr. Nova Ahmed, Mihir R. Bhatt, Khayal Trivedi, Edited by Spandan Pandya Technological advancements in communication and digital technologies have greatly influenced the humanitarian sector, enabling better, more effective risk communication even in remote and geographically vulnerable areas during disasters. Similarly, early warning systems have drastically reduced the mortality in natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, and h

Authors: Authors: Anisa Abeytia, Shanyal Uqaili, Mihir Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi Published at ISS Bliss: https://issblog.nl/2024/11/07/ai-and-emerging-tech-for-humanitarian-action-opportunities-and-challenges/ In this blog, members of the Humanitarian Observatory Initiative South Asia (HOISA) including Anisa Abeytia, Shanyal Uqaili, Mihir Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi consider the applications of AI and other emerging technologies for humanitarian action. With UNHCR and other orga

Authors: Kunal Satyarthi, Krishna AchutaRao, Maryam Zachariah, Mihir Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi Future is not known. But some futures are far more unknown than others. Perhaps future of heatwaves in South Asia is one such futures. We know the future will see more frequent, more heated, and longer duration heatwaves in South Asia (world over) we do not know at what rate this acceleration will take place, and how many more ways this acceleration will impact life and livelihoods i

Authors: Dr Ajit Tyagi, Dr. Niladri Gupta, Akash Goenka, Mihir Bhatt Heatwaves are turning out to be a major hazard for taking sound, sustained, and substantial adaptation and mitigation measures in South Asia. This is odd, because most science-driven and related observations lead to upcoming catastrophic loss and damage to human life, ecosystems, and economic sectors in South Asia. HOISA’s second panel (Click here) brought together key experts from the region to collectively

Author: Dr. Dorothea Hilhorst, Prabodh Chakrabarti, Keya Saha Chaudhary, Nimesh Dhungana, Delu Lusambya, Mihir Bhatt and Khayal Trivedi At the turn of the summer, HOISA’s inaugural brought together different actors to collectively observe and discuss Heat Waves in South Asia. HOISA is the Humanitarian Observatory in South Asia and is a joint initiative of the All-India Mitigation Institute (AIDMI), the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) of Erasmus University Rott