News

As experts on international humanitarian policy and relief efforts, Batten's Kirsten Gelsdorf and co-author Jacob Kurtzer write that while humanitarian corridors could create safe exit routes out of besieged cities – and allow aid to reach people within Ukraine – they are only part of the solution to protecting civilians during war.
Mar 12, 2022

Humanitarian corridors could help civilians safely leave Ukraine – but Russia has a history of not respecting these pathways

As experts on international humanitarian policy and relief efforts, Batten's Kirsten Gelsdorf and co-author Jacob Kurtzer write that while humanitarian corridors could create safe exit routes out of besieged cities – and allow aid to reach people within Ukraine – they are only part of the solution to protecting civilians during war.

Makayla Palazzo
Aug 21, 2021

Batten Experts Discuss Humanitarian Response to Earthquake in Haiti with BBC, Christian Science Monitor

Batten School experts are weighing in on the international humanitarian response to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that shook Haiti last weekend. Batten professor Kirsten Gelsdorf, who worked in 2010  as the Humanitarian Advisor to President Clinton in his role as the UN Special Envoy for the Haiti Earthquake, spoke to The Christian Science Monitor and alum Makayla Palazzo (MPP ’18) joined "BBC World News" live from Port-au-Prince.

Migrants moving north in Honduras. (Brookings)
Apr 02, 2021

Climate, Violence, and Honduran Migration to the United States

Migration from Honduras to the U.S. has been growing for years. New research by Batten's David Leblang, director of the Global Policy Center, and Duke University's Sarah Bermeo suggests the movement is a result of persistent violence coupled with food insecurity linked to climate change. Leblang and Bermeo wrote about their findings in a blog for Brookings. 

Gelsdorf_Bassett
May 15, 2020

Opinion: Now is the time to prioritize mental health

It is estimated that only 2% of people around the world have access to mental health and psychosocial support, or MHPSS. The question is, will COVID-19 offer us a chance to change this? Batten’s Kirsten Gelsdorf and Lucy Bassett provide critical insights into the barriers to progress in MHPSS interventions, and identify opportunities to prioritize and invest in new programs going forward.

Garrett Hall at Sunset

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