In this expert opinion article, Dr Ritesh Shah argues that the warm reception of Ukrainian refugees starkly contrasts with the largely ignored humanitarian crises affecting African and Middle Eastern populations, revealing significant racial and geopolitical bias. He highlights how international aid and media attention shifted to Ukraine, redirecting resources away from “forgotten crises” like those in Sudan and Yemen. Shah connects this disparity to a “white‑saviour industrial complex,” where racial hierarchies inform perceptions of vulnerability and the allocation of aid. He calls for the humanitarian sector to acknowledge structural racism, diversify decision-making power with Global South representation, depoliticise funding, and channel support through pooled global mechanisms to ensure equitable attention to all crises.
Read the full article on The Conversation: Race and erasure: why the world’s other humanitarian crises don’t see the same response as Ukraine