FUTURE THE OF By Silvia Mateyka
The 5th Humanitarian Congress, which brought international aid leaders together with their counterparts from politics, media, academia and civil society, was packed not only with people, but with fresh ideas and new insights. Currently, more than 134 million people around the word rely on humanitarian support – and needs are increasing. Armed conflicts last longer and global warming has changed the patterns of natural disasters, and made them more frequent. How well is the global humanitarian system prepared for the future? And what are the responsibilities of states, international institutions and humanitarian organizations? Austria‘s Foreign Minister
Dr Karin Kneissl stressed the need for sustainable solutions based on cooperation between aid organizations, NGOs and politicians. “Man-made crises triggered by conflict remain the main driver of humanitarian needs. Such crises require a more coherent interplay between humanitarian and development efforts,” she said. Although humanitarian assistance saves lives, it “should not be seen as a substitute for development assistance or a tool for political solutions,” she concluded. The President of Caritas
Internationalis, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, demanded human compassion and respect for those who need humanitarian aid. “We go to the people not with a feeling
HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATIONS IN SYRIA Implementing agency: UNHCR OFID grant: US$300,000
More than 200 families of internally displaced Syrians are benefiting from the rehabilitation and upgrade of 208 shelters located in Homs, Aleppo and Rural Damascus Governorate. OFID and UNHCR have partnered to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable internally displaced populations that are most exposed to risks, including violence and disease. The project has directly helped more than 1,000 Syrians.
OFID AND HUMANITARIAN AID
OFID is committed to finding solutions and helping mitigate the suffering of people around the world. OFID’s assistance is channeled through specialized relief agencies, such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Program (WFP). To date, OFID has extended emergency aid grants totaling US$80.5 million.
HUMANITARIAN
of superiority, but of solidarity,” he said, adding that people in need are “not just numbers, but people who should live in dignity.” Red Cross President Peter
Maurer, who had recently returned from Syria, called for a change in behavior related to aid for crisis regions away from funding 'a system' toward helping people become independent. According
AID
to his experience, just three days after a refugee camp is constructed, economic life on the ground begins again. Mark Lowcock from the United
Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) added that “people are very afraid of dependency, and what they really want is to be able to rebuild their lives themselves.”
HUMANITARIAN AID TO SOUTH SUDAN’S REFUGEES Implementing agency: WFP OFID grant: US$500,000
The World Food Program and OFID joined forces to provide nutrient dense commodities ('super cereal' with sugar) to 12,500 children under the age of five, and pregnant and lactating women. Those supported were among the 380,000 South Sudanese refugees who arrived at two sites in White Nile state and South Kordofan, Sudan. The majority of the new arrivals were women and children in urgent need of emergency food assistance due to undernourishment.
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PHOTO: UNHCR/Hameed Marouf
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