New
New
Lesson 1 of 6
  • Year 11

What are global humanitarian problems?

I can explain what a global humanitarian problem is and the range of responses from countries and international organisations.

Lesson 1 of 6
New
New
  • Year 11

What are global humanitarian problems?

I can explain what a global humanitarian problem is and the range of responses from countries and international organisations.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Humanitarian problems can be sudden or long-term and often lead to widespread human suffering and displacement.
  2. Short-term responses to humanitarian crises focus on saving lives, providing immediate aid and preventing further harm.
  3. Countries support long-term responses through development aid, peacebuilding and human rights protections.

Keywords

  • Humanitarian problem - a situation or event, often large-scale, that poses a serious and immediate threat to the health, safety or wellbeing of a community or group of people

  • Refugee - a person who has been forced to leave their home due to a well-founded fear of being persecuted

  • Natural disasters - a harmful event caused by natural forces, like a volcanic eruption, earthquake or drought, that can damage communities and the environment

Common misconception

Humanitarian problems are just conflicts.

Humanitarian problems can be a range of issues, including conflicts. It could be a natural disaster such as an earthquake or it could be other events which lead to a refugee crisis. Conflicts are one example of humantiarian problems.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: What are global humanitarian problems?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to make connections between real-world events and the concepts of humanitarian crises. Use current examples like the Ukraine conflict or climate-related disasters to show how countries respond in both short-term and long-term ways.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match these global issues to their descriptions.

Correct Answer:poverty,when people live without enough money to meet their basic needs

when people live without enough money to meet their basic needs

Correct Answer:famine,the suffering of people due to extreme scarcity of food

the suffering of people due to extreme scarcity of food

Correct Answer:climate change,long term change in weather patterns

long term change in weather patterns

Correct Answer:human rights,basic freedoms and protections that every human is entitled to

basic freedoms and protections that every human is entitled to

Q2.
What is a humanitarian problem?

a problem that only affects animals
Correct answer: a problem that affects the health, safety and wellbeing of people
a problem that only affects governments
a problem related to technology

Q3.
Which of the following is not a humanitarian problem?

a natural disaster
an armed conflict
Correct answer: space exploration
a refugee crisis

Q4.
Which organisation is known for providing humanitarian aid worldwide?

FIFA
Correct answer: UN
NASA

Q5.
Which of these is a direct effect of a natural disaster on people?

price of petrol decreases
Correct answer: people lose their homes
more people buy smartphones
governments make more money

Q6.
What term is used for a person who has left their home country and is now living in a different country, seeking protection so they don't have to return to their home country?

Correct Answer: asylum seeker

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to its definition.

Correct Answer:humanitarian problems,serious threats to health or safety of a community or people

serious threats to health or safety of a community or people

Correct Answer:refugee,a person forced to flee due to danger or persecution

a person forced to flee due to danger or persecution

Correct Answer:natural disaster,harmful events caused by nature, like earthquakes or storms

harmful events caused by nature, like earthquakes or storms

Q2.
Which of these is an example of short-term aid following a humanitarian crisis?

Correct answer: providing food parcels
running employment programmes
deploying Human Rights Watch
rebuilding infrastructure

Q3.
Which country experienced severe flooding as a result of a monsoon in 2024, and was supported by the UK to improve its infrastructure?

Correct Answer: Bangladesh

Q4.
Since 2008, how many people have been displaced by natural disasters?

over 6.9 million
over 16.9 million
over 276 million
Correct answer: over 376 million

Q5.
Which of the following is not an example of a humanitarian problem?

a refugee crisis caused by war
an earthquake destroying homes and roads
a famine due to prolonged drought
Correct answer: a debate about tax rates in Parliament

Q6.
Which agency works with the UN to uphold basic rights that everyone is entitled to?

the Red Cross
Disaster Emergency Committee
Correct answer: Human Rights Watch
the World Food Program