Useful Links

Media

AlertNet - humanitarian aid and disaster news

is a humanitarian news network that aims to keep development professionals and the wider public up-to-date on humanitarian crises around the globe.

Refugees & Internally Displaced People

Refugee Council of Australia

Non-profit, non-government organisation that provides protection, settlement support, legal advice and advocacy for refugees and humanitarian entrants in Australia. Website addresses issues related to refugees and humanitarian entrants and provides commentary on relevant Government policy.

UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

Primarily concerned with safeguarding the rights and well-being of refugees and is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Website contains daily news updates, features and 'Refworld' - the so-called 'refugee encyclopaedia'.

UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East

Subsidiary organisation of the United Nations which provides education, healthcare, social and emergency aid to over 4 million refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab republic. Website contains news updates and photo gallery.

Mercy Refugee Service

An organisation that is part of the world-wide Mercy family, and is committed to assisting society's most vulnerable.

Refugees International

An independent, non-profit advocacy organisation serving refugees, displaced persons, and vulnerable populations around the world. Based in Washington, USA

International Rescue Committee

Non-profit, non-sectarian, voluntary agency providing assistance to refugees, displaced persons and others fleeing persecution and violent conflict. Based in New York.

Jesuit Refugee Service

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission is to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. 

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

An intergovernmental organization offering migration management assistance to governments and migrants worldwide.

Internal Displacement Unit

Unit of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; it coordinates an effective response to the needs of the internally displaced people worldwide.

International Development

Australian Council for International Development

Incorporating some 80 members, ACFID is the peak coordinating body for Australian non-government overseas and development agencies working in the field of international aid and development. Website provides a membership directory, facts and figures, press releases and details of campaigns and events.

Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)

Manages the Australian Government's official overseas aid program with the objective of advancing Australia's national interest by reducing poverty and achieving sustainable growth in developing countries.

Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN

Encompasses 187 member countries and works to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, improve agricultural productivity and better the condition of rural populations. Website provides links to approximately 250 main sites and subject entry points.

UN Fund for Population Activities

The world's largest source of funding for population and reproductive health programs, works with governments and NGOs in over 140 countries to support programs which help women, men and young people plan families and avoid unwanted pregnancies, undergo pregnancy and childbirth safely, avoid STDs and combat violence against women. Website includes population directory, country profiles, list of publications, news and features.  

One World Centre (Western Australia)

Seeks to provide transformative education toward an active and aware global citizenship by providing and developing resources for use in schools, tertiary institutions and community groups. Website includes a resource library.

ReliefWeb

An information dissemination mechanism for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It provides timely information on humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters.

InterAction

The largest alliance of US-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations.

Sphere Project

Improves the quality and accountability of humanitarian response. It exists as a project, a set of standards and a handbook.

Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International (HAP International)

A collaboration of humanitarian agencies. It is committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability through self-regulation and collective accountability.

International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)

A global network of human rights, humanitarian, and development NGOs, which focuses its information exchange and advocacy efforts primarily on humanitarian affairs and refugee issues. 

Human Rights

World Watch

An independent research organization that works for an environmentally sustainable and socially just society, in which the needs of all people are met without threatening the health of the natural environment or the well-being of future generations. Website includes research essays, press releases, worldwide events and on-line discussion.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Provides the full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Amnesty International

Undertakes research and action in pursuit of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights detailed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Works to alert Governments and the world community to the universally agreed upon, though commonly ignored or unfulfilled, human rights standards. Provides a voice for the victims of human rights violations everywhere.

New Internationalist

New Internationalist Publications is a communications co-operative which exists in order to report on issues of world poverty and inequality.

One World

Utilises the democratic potential of the internet to promote human rights and sustainable development. Website contains in-depth, full coverage sections to search for related stories, campaign details and editorials.

Physicians for Human Rights

Promotes health by protecting human rights. Using medical and scientific methods, they expose violations of human rights worldwide and work to stop them. Site includes a newsroom, project details and a resources section.

The UNSW Initiative for Health and Human Rights

A multidisciplinary research, teaching, service and advocacy initiative founded collectively by the Faculties of Arts and Social Science, Law and Medicine.  Established in July 2005 by NewSouth Global, the IHHR aims to develop integrated strategies to examine the intersection between health and human rights from new viewpoints.

Landmine Action

International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)

A network of more than 1200 non-governmental organizations in 60 countries, working for a global ban on Landmines. Site features a resource section, related news and campaign information.

Norwegian People's Aid Demining in Angola

One of the major humanitarian NGOs in Norway and focuses primarily on mine action.

The HALO Trust

A non-political, non-religious NGO that specializes in the removal of the debris of war and has over 5500 mine clearers in 9 countries.

Mines Advisory Group (MAG)

An international not-for-profit NGO that assists those affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance. MAG clears and destroys the landmines and left-over weapons that make areas unsafe after war.

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining

Supports humanitarian mine action through operational assistance, research, and support to the implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

E Mine: The Electronic Mine Information Network

The UN focal point for mine action. At the global level, it is responsible for coordinating all aspects of mine action within the UN system. At the field level, it is responsible for providing mine action assistance in the context of humanitarian emergencies and peacekeeping operations.

United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)

Responsible for coordinating all aspects of mine action within the UN system.

United Nations Agencies

UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Works as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues, international co-operation among its 190 Member States and six Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.

UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Helps countries to build and share solutions to the challenges of democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention and recovery, energy and environment, and HIV/AIDS.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNMAS - United Nations Mine Action Service

The UN focal point for mine action. At the global level, it is responsible for coordinating all aspects of mine action within the UN system. At the field level, it is responsible for providing mine action assistance in the context of humanitarian emergencies and peacekeeping operations.

FAO - Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

Leads international efforts to defeat hunger.  Serving both developed and developing countries, it acts as a nutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information.

UNHCR -  UN Refugee Agency

Mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide, the UNHCR's primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

UNRWA - United Nations Relief and Works Agency

The main provider of basic services - education, health, relief and social services - to over 4.1 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East.

UNOCHA - UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

A department of the UN Secretariat, it coordinates humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy.

UNMAS - United Nations Mine Action Service

Responsible for coordinating all aspects of mine action within the UN system.

Volunteering Overseas

Australian Youth Ambassadors For Development (AYAD)

A program that places skilled young Australians, aged 18-30, on assignments in developing countries throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Volunteers for International Development from Australia (VIDA)

Australian Volunteers International (AVI)

Australia's largest and most experienced international volunteer agency.