Intercross: The Podcast

This week, Intercross the Podcast has a special Audio Diary from Yemen. It features Tobias Ehret, ICRC’s Field Team Leader, and Samar Al-Aghbari, ICRC’s Protection Field Officer as they travel from Aden to the Ad Durayhimi district, a remote area very close to the frontlines for a distribution. The trip took some ten days, and their diaries give insight into the intense work and collaboration needed in providing humanitarian aid in a time of COVID.

With over 24 million in need of aid and only half of its health facilities functioning, Yemen is the world's single largest humanitarian crisis. In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Franz Rauchenstein, the outgoing head of ICRC in Sana'a. He has served in South Sudan, Afghanistan and the DRC over the course of his 25 years with the organization but recently called Yemen 'the worst crisis he had ever seen.' We discuss the devastating impact of COVID, why adhering to a ceasefire has been so difficult, and the future of a country in conflict. Hosted by Trevor Keck.

With over 24 million in need of aid and only half of its health facilities functioning, Yemen is the world's single largest humanitarian crisis. In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Franz Rauchenstein, the outgoing head of ICRC in Sana’a. He has served in South Sudan, Afghanistan and the DRC over the course of his 25 years with the organization but recently called Yemen ‘the worst crisis he had ever seen.’ We discuss the devastating impact of COVID, why adhering to a ceasefire has been so difficult, and the future of a country in conflict. Hosted by Trevor Keck.

What is acceptable and what is prohibited in armed conflict? The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 form the foundation of international humanitarian law and provide a framework setting out the answers to that question. In the 1950s, the ICRC published a set of commentaries on these Conventions, giving practical guidance on their implementation. But to reflect the developments in law and practice since then, the ICRC commissioned a new set of commentaries that seek to reflect the current interpretations of the Conventions. The updated Commentaries on the First and Second Conventions were published in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Just this summer, the updated Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention related to the treatment of prisoners of war was launched after years of research and analysis. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the Commentary's main findings on key humanitarian issues related to the treatment of prisoners of war. Guests include Jean-Marie Henckaerts, ICRC's legal advisor and head of ICRC's project to update the Commentaries on the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols of 1977 and Colonel Richard B. "Dick" Jackson, Retired Army Judge Advocate and former Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General for Law of War Matters. Hosted by Tracey Begley.

During armed conflicts, other situations of violence, natural disasters, or migration, countless people go missing, causing great anguish for their families and loved ones, who often make desperate attempts to find them. Waiting to learn about a missing person's fate and whereabouts means living in limbo, between hope and despair, facing the pain of ongoing uncertainty and unable to grieve. Such uncertainty has severe psychological and emotional effects. It can also create legal, administrative, social and economic difficulties. International humanitarian law (IHL) includes important provisions aimed at preventing people from going missing, clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing persons and upholding the right of the families to know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives. States and parties to an armed conflict must take all possible measures to prevent people from going missing, to account for those who do, to protect those that die and to deal with the consequences of such events. Other bodies of international law, notably International Human Rights Law recognize the right to know of the families of missing persons and contain important provisions to prevent and deal with cases of enforced disappearances, including the obligation to search for disappeared persons and to investigate acts of enforced disappearances. August 30th marks awareness of this issue, to remember missing people and to express solidarity with their families. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about ICRC's operational work in this area, the challenges COVID presents, as well as the role of the Central Tracing Agency. Make sure to visit intercrossblog.icrc.org to hear bonus audio diaries from both the Portuguese and Australian Red Crosses to get first-hand perspectives from those reconnecting family members. Hosted by Niki Clark.

During armed conflicts, other situations of violence, natural disasters, or migration, countless people go missing, causing great anguish for their families and loved ones, who often make desperate attempts to find them. Waiting to learn about a missing person’s fate and whereabouts means living in limbo, between hope and despair, facing the pain of ongoing uncertainty and unable to grieve. Such uncertainty has severe psychological and emotional effects. It can also create legal, administrative, social and economic difficulties.

International humanitarian law (IHL) includes important provisions aimed at preventing people from going missing, clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing persons and upholding the right of the families to know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives. States and parties to an armed conflict must take all possible measures to prevent people from going missing, to account for those who do, to protect those that die and to deal with the consequences of such events. Other bodies of international law, notably International Human Rights Law recognize the right to know of the families of missing persons and contain important provisions to prevent and deal with cases of enforced disappearances, including the obligation to search for disappeared persons and to investigate acts of enforced disappearances.

August 30th marks awareness of this issue, to remember missing people and to express solidarity with their families. In this episode of the podcast, we talk about ICRC’s operational work in this area, the challenges COVID presents, as well as the role of the Central Tracing Agency. Make sure to visit intercrossblog.icrc.org to hear bonus audio diaries from both the Portuguese and Australian Red Crosses to get first-hand perspectives from those reconnecting family members. Hosted by Niki Clark.

To mark World Humanitarian Day, in this episode podcast we have Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Richard Albright. Within the US State Department, he's responsible for humanitarian policy, advocacy and assistance programs, and directing nearly $2 billion US dollars for humanitarian response. The ICRC works with a lot of donors as a neutral and independent humanitarian organization which includes the United States through PRM. Mr. Albright has held many different titles around the world working for the US government. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations at the Department of Defense as well as roles as Coordinator for Economic and Development Assistance at U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Senior Humanitarian Coordinator at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and as PRM's Director for the Office of Asia and the Near East. We discuss humanitarian donorship, crisis response and the significance of World Humanitarian Day. Hosted by Niki Clark.

To mark World Humanitarian Day, in this episode podcast we have Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Richard Albright. Within the US State Department, he’s responsible for humanitarian policy, advocacy and assistance programs, and directing nearly $2 billion US dollars for humanitarian response. The ICRC works with a lot of donors as a neutral and independent humanitarian organization which includes the United States through PRM. Mr. Albright has held many different titles around the world working for the US government. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations at the Department of Defense as well as roles as Coordinator for Economic and Development Assistance at U.S. Embassy Islamabad, Senior Humanitarian Coordinator at U.S. Embassy Baghdad, and as PRM’s Director for the Office of Asia and the Near East. We discuss humanitarian donorship, crisis response and the significance of World Humanitarian Day. Hosted by Niki Clark.

More than 700,000 people have died from COVID worldwide—and that number goes up every day. Accompanying these deaths is grief, but the normal methods of mourning are often not available to family and loved ones. Memorials are held virtually, often those dying do so with only health care workers by their side. People are experiencing grief in different ways, many of which are unique to this moment in history. To discuss dealing with grief in a time of COVID, on this episode of the podcast we have Dr. Valerie Cole. Dr. Cole is a clinical psychologist and the Director of the Integrated Condolence Care Program at the American Red Cross. We discuss providing mental health support in disasters, and specifically pandemics, the American Red Cross's new virtual family assistance center, and ways to deal with loss in this challenging time. Hosted by Niki Clark.

More than 700,000 people have died from COVID worldwide—and that number goes up every day. Accompanying these deaths is grief, but the normal methods of mourning are often not available to family and loved ones. Memorials are held virtually, often those dying do so with only health care workers by their side. People are experiencing grief in different ways, many of which are unique to this moment in history.

To discuss dealing with grief in a time of COVID, on this episode of the podcast we have Dr. Valerie Cole. Dr. Cole is a clinical psychologist and the Director of the Integrated Condolence Care Program at the American Red Cross. We discuss providing mental health support in disasters, and specifically pandemics, the American Red Cross’s new virtual family assistance center, and ways to deal with loss in this challenging time. Hosted by Niki Clark.