Building resilience: 2011 Humanitarian Action for
Children
UNICEF's '2011 Humanitarian Action for Children' report, which appeals
for $1.4 billion to aid children and women affected by increasingly
severe emergencies worldwide.
“Strengthening communities and enabling them to manage anticipated
risks before crisis strikes is not only critical to reducing their
suffering when emergencies arise,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director
Hilde F. Johnson. “It also shortens their road to recovery.”
Catastrophic floods in Pakistan, and an earthquake that killed
hundreds of thousands in Haiti, were just two examples of disasters that
overwhelmed already fragile nations last year. “We know that the number
of natural disasters and people affected is growing year by year,” said
UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes Louis-Georges Arsenault.
Crises in 32 countries
Around the world, millions are affected by drought, famine, violent
conflict and long-term displacement. ‘Humanitarian Action for Children’
highlights 32 countries and stresses the need to help vulnerable
communities to help themselves.
The report also requests funding to respond to so-called forgotten
crises, such as those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
Afghanistan. In addition to basic needs such as water, food and
education, the children and families affected by these emergencies need
protection from violence and abuse.
“It’s about making sure that communities have a better capacity to
absorb risk or threat, triggered either by natural disaster or
conflict,” said Mr. Arsenault. “It’s about ensuring that there is a
level of preparedness.”
Emergency preparedness
Whether it means teaching children disaster safety techniques or
constructing sturdier health clinics and schools, preparation not only
saves lives – it builds confidence and hope in the future.
UNICEF is appealing for a 21 per cent increase in emergency funding
over the 2010 level. This amount reflects the growing severity and
frequency of natural disasters, as well as the need for immediate action
to avert the worst impact of crises to come.
“After a year of devastating natural disaster and human tragedy, it
has never been more timely to strengthen the resilience of people and
communities who are placed in harm’s way again and again,” said Ms.
Johnson.
“It’s true that the financial environment is very difficult, but we
have to make a strong case that we want to be able to decrease the need
in the future,” added Mr. Arsenault. “We need to invest now.
