Intercross: The Podcast

The evidence is irrefutable: Humor helps. Helps situations involving communications, relationships, problem solving, and productivity among others. So much so, in fact, that the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre has been exploring it as an unconventional approach to engagement in difficult conversations. In this episode of the Podcast, we are joined by guest host Anna Nelson, ICRC's head of communications in Washington as well as Pablo Suarez, Director for Research and Innovation at the Climate Center, visiting fellow at Boston University, researcher, math geek and overall fan of humor. We chat about bringing humor into unusual contexts, including humanitarian work, and the science behind it all. Hosted by Niki Clark and Anna Nelson. Illustration by Bob Mankoff.

Rule 55 of Customary Law states that 'The parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, which is impartial in character and conducted without any adverse distinction, subject to their right of control.' And while the rules seems clear, in complex conflict settings there are often challenges to implantation. In this episode, we speak to Jacob Kurtzer, a research fellow with the Center for Strategic & International Studies' Humanitarian Agenda initiative, an initiative that leverages the expertise of CSIS programs to explore complex humanitarian challenges. The primary challenge he's focusing on is access to aid in complex man-made emergencies. Prior to joining CSIS, Jacob spent seven years with the ICRC, most recently as head of communications for the ICRC Delegation in Israel and the occupied territories and at some point in time, helping to head up the Washington Communications department. Hosted by Niki Clark.

Armed conflict and other situations of violence deprive those in the midst of it of the essentials – food, clean water, health care, shelter – and the chance to experience life and grow at their own pace. Despite the protection afforded them by international law, both children and adults are vulnerable to all sorts of risks. One of the most critical is the impact violence has on education. The interruption of education has severe consequences for both the future of individuals and a country's capacity to recover, especially when crises are protracted. In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we talk about the impact of violence and conflict on education, the long-term effects and what ICRC is doing to help mitigate those. Guests include Geoff Loane, ICRC's Head of Education, Danijel Cuturic, ICRC's Education Advisor in Ukraine and Karla Hoover, ICRC's Education Advisor in South Sudan. Hosted by Niki Clark.

It has been six weeks since Cyclone Idai made landfall in southern Africa, unleashing unprecedented devastation and destruction on communities in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Many communities were stranded for weeks and cut-off from outside assistance. Tens of thousands of people were left homeless. Crops were washed away. The ICRC has been working with IFRC and national Red Cross societies to provide assistance to people who lost everything to the storm, an effort that has been made even more complicated by Cyclone Kenneth, another tropical cyclone that is pummeling northern Mozambique with rainfall, sparking widespread flooding and creating a new humanitarian crisis just weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the country. We hear several audio diaries from the ground and then speak with Crystal Wells, ICRC's Communications Delegate for East Africa. Hosted by Niki Clark.

In late March, the small village of Ogossagou in Central Mali experienced a horrific massacre. The scene, from those who were there, looked apocalyptic. Huts and farm buildings burnt and riddled with bullet holes, charred remains of cars and donkeys. The wells became unusable because of the contamination of corpses. Families are struggling to come to terms with what happened– the latest in a recent series of very violent clashes between herders and settled farmers in the region. In this episode of Intercross the Podcast, we first hear from Insaf Mustapha Charaf, an ICRC mental health delegate who was present in a hospital following the tragic event. Then we speak to Francoise Lambert, an ICRC delegate based in Dakar. What happened to lead to such a massacre? What are the needs of the families on the ground—physically and psychosocially? Many are living in a state of uncertainty—with missing relatives and unsure futures. What is being done? What is needed to move forward? Hosted by Niki Clark.