Humanitarian Action under Threat: Priorities for the Incoming UN Secretary-General

The race to select the next UN Secretary General comes at a defining moment for the global humanitarian system. Across the world, the rules and institutions created to protect civilians, enable humanitarian aid, and uphold humanitarian norms are under unprecedented threat.

In 2025, sweeping cuts to humanitarian assistance triggered devastating consequences for communities already facing conflict, displacement, and crisis. Meanwhile, legal guardrails meant to protect humanitarian workers, medical professionals, and civilians are collapsing in the face of widespread disregard for international humanitarian law. And with more than 119 million forcibly displaced people around the world, the international systems built to respond have struggled to meet the scale and urgency of today’s challenges.

Please join Refugees International and Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania for a special live-audience recording of the Forced From Home podcast on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Leading experts and humanitarian voices will examine the unprecedented challenges facing the humanitarian sector and explore the critical role the next UN Secretary General must play in defending international humanitarian law and restoring faith in global cooperation. An audience Q&A will follow.