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Between 2020 and 2024, disasters affected nearly 700 million people, displaced over 105 million people and claimed over 270,000 lives. It is against this backdrop that the report shows that harmful information is no longer a secondary challenge – it actively undermines trust, limits humanitarian access and puts both communities and aid agencies at risk.
The movement, of which the Bulgarian Red Cross is a part, notes trends of increasing difficulty in principled humanitarian action related to polarization, politicization of aid, disinformation and misuse of information, dehumanizing rhetoric and restrictive policies. In the European region, these worrying developments have an impact on our work, especially in the context of international armed conflicts.
* In conflicts, in some disaster and crisis situations, impartial and neutral humanitarian actors are subjected to abuse, threats and acts of violence, which undermines the Movement's efforts to help those in need and attract support.
* Respect for the principled humanitarian actions is key for the NDs, which have a specific role and supporting functions, in accordance with international and national documents, in conflicts, disaster and crisis situations, their own countries, to fulfill their humanitarian mission in their own countries and in their international activities, and for the IFRC and the ICRC to fulfill their mandates.
The erosion of trust and basic humanitarian principles is affecting the public perception of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement. Many NDs in the region have experienced similar trends, threatening their space and reputation for principled humanitarian action.
The 2024 Council of Delegates adopted a resolution “Call for Respect and Support for Principled Humanitarian Action” (CD/24/R5) to uphold the universal ethical foundations guiding all humanitarian action – the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence – which, when complemented by our organizational values of volunteer service, unity and universality, ensure that the ND and the Movement continue to enjoy the trust necessary to deliver humanitarian assistance in a fair, impartial and non-discriminatory manner to all those in need.
NDs should engage in efforts to support the implementation of the resolution. This builds on initiatives on the basic principles, on safer access, on harmful information (disinformation/misinformation and harmful rhetoric) and preparedness for armed conflict and other emergencies, and initiatives to address challenges such as polarization, politicization of aid, and the spread of disinformation.
During the initial phase of this initiative, the IFRC/RCC Regional Office for Europe held extensive consultations with key stakeholders of the Movement. This included nearly 60 bilateral meetings with representatives of National Societies, the IFRC/RCC and the ICRC, as well as regional discussions with National Society leaders, humanitarian diplomacy coordinators and National Society communication teams. A survey was also conducted to identify the challenges faced by National Societies and a draft concept note was circulated for feedback.
The IFRC's World Disasters Report 2026 focuses on the growing threat of harmful information, including disinformation, misinformation and misleading information, and its impact on humanitarian action.
* It aims to stimulate policy change, shape humanitarian thinking, strengthen practices and have impact. Through analysis and practical recommendations, the report examines how harmful information undermines preparedness, response and recovery efforts.
* It draws on a wide range of humanitarian challenges, including pandemics, health emergencies, earthquakes, floods, migration, climate-related disasters, and protracted crises, to share analysis, practices, and strategies for resilience, engagement, and trust-building.
THREATS - How harmful information affects humanitarian action
1. Harmful information already accompanies humanitarian crises, undermines access... erodes trust... and destabilizes social cohesion”-
the way people understand risks, responses and humanitarian actors. The threat of harmful information is now a humanitarian crisis in itself.
2. Humanitarian organizations are increasingly under attack , with narratives designed to undermine legitimacy, neutrality, and access.
3. The dynamically evolving information system can reduce the visibility of reliable, life-saving information and make it difficult to access reliable humanitarian content when communities need it most - platform design, content moderation practices, and changing user behavior - affect how humanitarian messages are received.
4. Who people trust, communities are becoming increasingly fragmented. This shift can make it difficult to share credible humanitarian information widely and consistently, especially during crises when trust is essential.
IMPACTS - What does this mean for people and operations
1. Harmful information can cost lives if communities misjudge threats or lose trust in those who help. When humanitarian messages compete in a crowded and noisy information environment, it becomes even harder for life-saving guidance to reach those who need it.
2. Understanding the harms and impacts of harmful information carries risks of immediate and long-term impacts on humanitarian access and operations, including the safety of staff, volunteers and communities, as well as their access to reliable information.
3. Harmful information can influence perceptions, access and decision-making in an increasingly complex and high-risk humanitarian environment.
4. ND and local response authorities face increased pressure to remain accepted and trusted.
SOLUTIONS - What needs to change
1. Countering harmful information, apathy, manipulation and inaction. Harmful information undermines the ability of the humanitarian sector to fulfill its core role: “to alleviate suffering and protect life.”
2. Responses to harmful information should be based on community engagement, protect dignity, and enable informed decisions in crisis situations. People’s ability to access, evaluate, and share reliable information strengthens resilience.
3. Protecting reliable humanitarian information is essential to saving lives. This includes ensuring that policies, standards and norms preserve humanitarian access, neutrality (humanitarian principles) and safety for affected communities and those providing assistance and protection.
4. Facilitate multilateral dialogue and promote international cooperation on the role of information in humanitarian crises and safeguards for the protection of humanitarian access, trust and safety.
5. Invest in information and digital literacy, effective partnerships and the ethical use of technology - essential for protecting humanitarian space in the information age.
6. Respect humanitarian principles. Ensure that policies and digital regulations support the humanity and impartiality, independence and neutrality of humanitarian actors and actions.
7. In humanitarian crises, access to accurate and reliable information is a fundamental element of the response. The question is no longer whether the sector should respond, but whether it is supported by governments, platforms and other stakeholders to do so effectively.
