Why 2026 Marks ‘The New Disorder World’ – OpEd |
There was a time when humanitarian statistics startled the world. A million displaced people made headlines. A famine declaration triggered emergency summits. Images of starving children or bombed-out cities forced leaders to respond, if only to be seen responding.
Today, the numbers are so large that they risk becoming abstract:0
· Two hundred and thirty-nine million people need humanitarian assistance.
· Twenty countries are facing severe deterioration.
· Nearly 90 per cent of the world’s extreme humanitarian need is concentrated among a small fraction of the world’s population.
The danger is not just that suffering is increasing. It is that we are getting used to it.
The 2026 Emergency Watchlist from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is based on solid data, including 74 indicators, trend analysis, and frontline reporting. But its main message is not about numbers. It is about morals and politics. It shows that the crisis has become routine, that emergencies no longer end, and that the global system established after World War II to protect civilians is quietly deteriorating.
As the world entered the New Year, António Guterres described this moment with clear and direct words: “As we enter the New Year, the world stands at a crossroads. Chaos and uncertainty surround us. Division. Violence. Climate breakdown. And systemic violations of international law.”
The IRC calls this reality the “New Disorder World.” It is not a sudden collapse, but a slow unraveling. Wars continue without solutions, climate disasters happen again and again without recovery, aid budgets get smaller as needs grow, and civilians are left to deal with the consequences.
To truly understand this disorder, we need to look beyond rankings and risk scores. We must pay attention to the lived experiences behind these numbers, especially those of children.
Poverty is not just a lack of income. It is a harmful force that damages childhood itself.
It claims children’s lives, undermines their health and development, and limits their ability to learn. The consequences last a lifetime: adults who grew up in poverty are more likely to struggle to find decent work, to live shorter lives, and to experience depression and anxiety.
However, poverty affects not only individuals. It also harms entire societies.
When poverty limits children’s potential, it hurts future economic growth. By separating the rich from the poor, it weakens the ties that bind communities. And when people lose hope, it creates the conditions where violence and extremism can grow.
While global military spending has reached a record US$2.72 trillion, hundreds of millions of children still lack basic necessities such as schooling, clean water, healthcare, or a safe home.
Why?
UNICEF’s........