The double issue No. 3–4/2025 of the Humanitarian Observatory for Central and Eastern Europe reflects a period of intensifying pressure on humanitarian action in the region, shaped by the convergence of war, political recalibration, infrastructure collapse and the shrinking space for civil society. The analyses collected in this issue document not only escalating humanitarian needs, but also the growing complexity of the environments in which humanitarian and human rights actors operate.
What’s inside this issue?
- Ukraine remains at the centre of compounded humanitarian risks: rising attacks on humanitarian workers, the systematic targeting of energy infrastructure and winter blackouts as a crisis multiplier, and renewed geopolitical uncertainty linked to discussions of a potential US–Russian deal. At the same time, the 2025 localisation progress report points to a familiar gap between procedural advances and limited structural change, with power, resources and decision-making still concentrated among international actors.
- Belarus illustrates the deepening fusion of repression, migration control and digital authoritarianism. Alongside the conditional release of political prisoners, civil society organisations document the expansion of digital repression, cyber-surveillance, online criminalisation and disinformation practices that increasingly affect activists, migrants, journalists and humanitarian actors.
- Poland stands at a crossroads between integration-oriented reforms and restrictive border practices. As most international organisations complete their exit, local NGOs face widening protection and research gaps, while migration debates are shaped by selective narratives, securitisation and the growing influence of online disinformation and hostile rhetoric.
This issue also features a dedicated VARIETES section, which broadens the analytical lens beyond country updates. It includes the announcement of a new research project examining the consequences of USAID funding cuts for civil society organisations in Poland from a decolonial perspective, as well as insights from the AfriquEurope International Webinar, which explored climate-induced migration, humanitarian governance and Europe–Africa policy responses. Together, these contributions highlight the importance of research, dialogue and knowledge exchange
in addressing complex and interconnected humanitarian challenges.
