Every year massive floods, drought, earthquake and conflict affect the lives of millions around the world.
The hardest hit are the poorest communities; their development can be set back by decades. The frequency of disasters is also increasing at an alarming rate.
From 1996 to 2005, disasters killed over 934,000 people—nearly double the figure for the previous decade—while 2.5 billion people were affected across the globe.
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Concern staff responding to devastating floods in Bangladesh, 2007 |
HOW WE WORK
Many of the countries that Concern works are highly vulnerable to disaster—prone to floods, droughts, tropical storms, earthquakes and landslides or are experiencing or just emerging from years of conflict.
Concern is committed to meeting the humanitarian imperative to save lives and alleviate suffering. We recognize the need to respond quickly, effectively and creatively to sustain the lives and dignity of people affected by calamity or armed conflict. In countries susceptible to disaster, Concern believes that disaster risk reduction is an integral part of development.
We are also committed to helping communities establish early warning mechanisms to prevent and minimize the impact of future crises. Such measures allow us to focus not only on saving lives, but also on protecting people’s livelihoods. Our emergency response interventions include:
- Distribution of food, temporary shelter, household items, and water
- Camp management for refugees and internally displaced people
- Provision of emergency water and sanitation facilities
- Emergency nutrition programs, including Community-based Therapeutic Care
- Distribution of seeds, tools, fertilizer, and fishing equipment
- Rehabilitation and construction of infrastructure (roads, bridges, health care facilities, schools, and water systems)
- Construction and rehabilitation of homes
- Rebuilding livelihoods through small business loans
Meeting the Challenge
In recent years, Concern has further developed its emergency response capacity through strengthening its Rapid Deployment Unit and Emergency Response Team to ensure that we have a dedicated team of over 50 emergency professionals ready to respond within 24 hours.
The Purchasing and Logistics unit ensures that lifesaving emergency supplies ranging from vehicles , tents, blankets, medicines can be dispatched immediately to where they are needed most.
Last year, Concern responded to 45 emergencies in 18 countries, reaching 2.5 million people affected by conflict, drought, floods, earthquakes, and crop devastation. In Haiti, Concern is responding to the short- and long-term survival needs of over 109,000 people affected by the epic January 12, 2010 earthquake. In all crises, Concern is committed to ensuring the dignity of people in desperate need and to staying to help populations not only survive, but also recover for the long term.
Here are examples of our emergency response interventions over the past year:
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The Darfur region of
Sudan is among the most critical areas of need, and represents one of Concern’s largest current humanitarian responses, besides Haiti. With deteriorating security threatening 2 million displaced people in camps, Concern is responding with shelter, education, food and non-food items, and health and nutrition.
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In Haiti, Concern responded within the first 48 hours to the January 12, 2010 earthquake that brought colossal destruction to Port-au-Prince and other communities, killing an estimated 230,000 and destorying the homes of 1.5 million. Concern is meeting basic survival needs and providing clean water; shelter; education; cash for work programs; emergency nutrition for pregnant women, mothers, and children under five; and is managing camps for displaced families, reaching close to 110,000 people.
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In Zimbabwe, Concern responded to Africa's largest recorded cholera outbreak and massive food shortages in 2009, distributing hygiene kits and clearn water as well as supplementary food, reaching 72,983 people.
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In
Pakistan, Concern provided families displaced from their homes in 2009 in Swat Valley by conflict between government forces and armed rebel groups. Concern provided emergency medical assistance as well as essential survival supplies such as plastic sheeting, blankets, jerry cans, and hygiene kits, reaching 77,360 people.
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In Kenya
, chronic food shortages in 2009 threatened 4 million people. Concern responded with an innovative social protection program that provided emergency cash transfers by way of mobile phone technology in the urban slums. This and other interventions such as emergency nutrition programs, cash vouchers for seeds, tools, and fertilizer; water programs reached 191, 194 people.
Standards and Codes
In our emergency work, we have chosen to adhere to the following international humanitarian codes of practice:
- The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief
- the Humanitarian Charter
the Sphere Project Minimum Standards in Disaster Relief
- the People in Aid Code of Good Practice in the Management and Support of Aid Personnel
In addition, our humanitarian aid interventions—particularly in conflict situations—are informed by three main bodies of international law: human rights law, refugee law, and international humanitarian law as laid down in the Geneva Conventions and their protocols.
LINKS
IRIN (Integrated Regional Information Networks) Humanitarian News and Analysis
[part of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]
Relief Web [website providing time-critical information on complex emergencies and humanitarian affairs, administered by UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
UN Millennium Goals