Category: New Zealand NGOs

Source: Save The Children

What’s forcing people to flee?

Bombardment:

Since the escalation on October 7th, families have been attacked in their own homes and over 60% of homes have been destroyed completely by continued bombardment. Whole communities have been wiped off the map. Hundreds and thousands of Palestinians had to flee their homes with little more than the clothes on their back.

Relocation orders:

Israeli forces have issued several relocation orders to civilians to force the population south ahead of military operations. As civilians tried to relocate southwards, they faced bombardment, shelling, and sniper fire along the ‘one way’ prescribed routes. Israeli officials have declared a so-called ‘safe zone’ in the town of Al-Mawasi, a tiny slither of land which is 14km long and 1km wide, but this lacks the basics to support human life.

For the children left in the north, they have no basic services, no access to aid and no protection from the deadly fighting and bombardment.  

The decimation of infrastructure:

Places that would usually be safe for children have been ripped apart. Homes, schools, playgrounds: decimated. A lack of electricity, fuel, medicine, and water mean that hospitals can no longer admit patients. This has forced people southwards in the hope of safety. But the bombardment continued around Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, forcing families to flee once again further south towards Rafah.

Starvation:

The siege on the Gaza Strip has cut children off from the basic things they need to survive such as food and clean drinking water, services such as electricity and water supply, and goods such as fuel and lifesaving equipment. The trickle of aid which has been entering via the Rafah border has forced hungry families to move south in desperate search of food and water. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people still remain in the north, cut off from aid. Children are at risk of dying of starvation and dehydration. 

The weaponisation of aid:

Even before the escalation on October 7^th, 80% of people in Gaza relied on international aid like food, water and medical supplies which primarily came through the Kerem Shalom crossing under Israeli authority control. Some aid has entered via the Rafah crossing with Egypt, but even this has severe restrictions and delays. Since 21 October, 1,616 trucks carrying mainly medicines, food and water have entered Gaza, addressing only a fraction of the needs. Prior to the escalation, 500 trucks with aid and commercial supplies per day were crossing over. 

Every war is a war on children. We need a ceasefire now.

Source: Save The Children

Naomi, 13 from South Sudan speaking at COP28 in Dubai. [Photo credit: Randa Ghazy/Save the Children] 

 

DUBAI, 13 December 2023 – An agreement to ‘transition away’ from fossil fuels is a step in the right direction butfalls short of the rapid fossil fuel phase-out desperately needed to secure a just transition for children globally. The time for half measures is over, Save the Children said as COP28 came to an end. 

Save the Children’s latest data paints a stark picture for children showing that   extreme weather events in 2022 pushed more than 27 million children into the clutches of hunger, a jump of 135% from the previous year.

The production and burning of fossil fuels are the largest contributors to climate change, and Save the Children said it has hoped for more robust language from COP.

The child rights organisation urged world leaders to step up national actions and ambitions to secure a safe and sustainable future for children, with those in high-income countries and historical emitters leading the way.

Without a unified front against the climate crisis, these numbers are set to rise, casting a long shadow over children’s lives now and in the future, said the child rights organization.  

The adoption of the Loss and Damage Fund to support low and middle-income countries suffering losses and damages caused by climate change was agreed on the first day of the UN climate summit, but more needs to be done to urgently fill the fund in order to protect children now and in the future. 

Michael, 15 from Malawi spoke at COP28 on the need for just climate finance: 

“In my country a lot of people, including my mother, can’t afford to buy biogas for cooking. So, we have to rely on charcoal and firewood. If we want countries like Malawi to make the transition to biogas, they should be supported with funds to decrease its cost.” 

Faith, 15, also from Malawi, added that children in communities affected by cyclones should be better supported, with funds to promote safer and resilient schools that can adapt to climate impacts. 

The importance of access to climate finance for local communities, and the integration of human rights are painfully limited in the new agreement. Climate finance pledges have also been woefully insufficient at COP28. Rich countries and historical emitters must urgently lead the way in providing the huge sums needed for climate finance supporting children and local communities in low and middle-income countries to adapt to climate change.  

Save the Children asked children ahead of COP what they wanted from the summit, and they said that their priorities were climate education, more funding for climate-resilient infrastructure, and most importantly a place at the table so their voices are heard. 

Children are rarely invited into climate negotiations, and if they are, information is often inaccessible to them. This year’s COP summit saw a positive increase in child participation, with at least 40 children receiving accreditation to the ‘blue zone’ which hosts the formal negotiations at the heart of COP. However, there is still a long way to go to ensure that COP is a safe, meaningful and accessible space for children. 

Naomi, 13 from South Sudan said: 

“I came to COP to represent the voice of the voiceless, the children of my country. Climate change is affecting badly the children of South Sudan. It’s causing floods in different areas and children have to move from one place to another, losing their rights to safety and education. That’s how climate change is taking away our success and the development of our nation. We need climate action now. If climate action had been taken, we wouldn’t have had 28 COPs.” 

Save the Children said that it was positive to see children finally have a space on the agenda of COP with an expert dialogue on the disproportionate effects of climate change on children, and that hopefully this is just the first step towards a COP process that prioritises children’s rights, needs, voices and equity. 

Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International said: 

“The agreement on transitioning away from fossil fuels can only be a starting point to protect children who continue to bear the brunt of the climate crisis, a crisis not of their making. 

Year after year, children like Naomi, Faith, and Michael share how the climate crisis impacts their lives. Imagine a world where your home, your school, and your family’s livelihoods are swept away. It’s a harsh reality that children on the frontlines of the climate crisis are facing today.  

It’s high time we stand with children and placee their voices at the heart of every aspect of climate change decision-making and financing. Governments worldwide must take this decision to heart, accelerate towards a greener, safer, and more sustainable future for our children. We need to act now, our children’s lives depend on it.” 

-ENDS 

For more information or to organise an interview please contact:

Randa Ghazy, Randa.ghazy@savethechildren.org;   WhatsApp +44 (0) 7429 980 655

Our media out of hours (GMT) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

 

 

Source: Save The Children

LONDON/GENEVA, 12 December 2023 – It is with profound sadness we confirm that a staff member of Save the Children and his family have been killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. 

 Sameh Ewaida, 39, had been with Save the Children since 2019. He was the proud father of four children – Mohammad (12), Heba (11), Zeina (3), and Zein (2). All of his children, his wife Fatima, and many other members of his extended family of 28 are also believed to have been killed following an Israeli airstrike on Sunday 10 December or Monday 11 December. 

Sameh, a member of the administrative team, will be remembered by his colleagues for spreading such joy and kindness, dancing at staff workshops, and always stepping in to make breakfast and coffee for everyone. 

 

Inger Ashing, Chief Executive of Save the Children, said: 

“We cannot find words strong enough to express our horror and grief at the loss of Sameh, his four children and members of his extended family. Sameh was a much-loved member of our teamof 25 in Gaza, all of whom have been working tirelessly to support children in the most challenging and dangerous conditions. 

“Our staff are experienced humanitarian responders but today they are also among those in need of protection and support. Like all civilians in Gaza, many have been forced from their homes, seen loved ones killed, and are cut off from what they need to survive.  

“We condemn the continued bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces which is causing untold suffering among the civilian population in Gaza and the deaths of Sameh, his family and so many others. This conflict has been the deadliest on record for the killing of UN and humanitarian staff. It is a stain on our collective conscience that they were killed while trying to help others survive this brutal conflict.  

“The loss of our colleague Sameh and his extended family is an outrage. We will be relentless in continuing to demand adherence to International Humanitarian Law and accountability for those who violate it.  

“Sameh and his family will be deeply mourned and will never be forgotten. Too many families like Sameh’s have been killed, too many communities ripped apart. Thousands of others in Gaza have been killed. Enough is enough. We urgently reiterate our call for a definitive ceasefire.” 

 Save the Children has been providing essential services and support to Palestinian children impacted by the ongoing conflict since 1953 and has had a permanent presence in the occupied Palestinian territory since 1973. We are present in the West Bank and Gaza. 

 
ENDS 

*******************************************************************************************************************

For further enquiries please contact:

Belinda Goldsmith Belinda.goldsmith@savethechildren.org  

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

LONDON/GENEVA, 11 December 2023 – Hunger is the most concerning issue affecting children around the world this year, according to almost half of adults surveyed in almost every continent by Save the Children. 

The survey of more than 25,000 adults between September and October was the largest global audience insights study of its kind for the aid agency, and reflects the urgency of the hunger crisis that has been sweeping across the world due to a combination of the climate crisis, conflict, and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

{cta| Hunger hurts a whole child’s world. They urgently need your help. | https://donate.savethechildren.org/en/donate/child-hunger | Donate now   

The study found that 45% of adults surveyed in 13 countries believe hunger is the issue affecting children the most in their country and globally.  

Save the Children conducted the survey in a range of high-, middle- and low-income countries, such as Canada, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.  

Survey participants could choose up to three options from a list of 10 issues affecting children. ‘Poverty’ emerged a close second to hunger at 40% of respondents identifying it as a primary concern they have for children, followed by ‘violence towards children’ at about 39%. 

In contrast, ‘climate change’ and ‘emergencies and natural disasters’ received the least number of votes, at about 14% and 10% respectively. When children are directly asked about the issues affecting them, climate change takes centre stage. Last year, Save the Children found that 83% of children in 15 countries reported witnessing climate change or inequality, or both, affecting the world around them.  

Children at COP28, which is drawing to a close this week in Dubai, said that growing up is hard enough, let alone now having to worry about the ripple effects of the climate crisis. 

 

“It’s not just about rain and sunshine; it’s about how these changes make life so much harder. Children stop dreaming about their futures because they have to focus on finding food and water instead,” 16-year-old Nafiso, from Somalia, said at COP28. “The scary part is that even though everyone feels the effects of climate change, children are the ones who suffer the most.” 

Globally, about 20% of people surveyed reported ‘conflict and war’ was among their top concerns for children. The survey was conducted before the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel on 7 October.  

Conflicts, economic instability, and repeated climate shocks have fueled a devastating hunger crisis around the world, with an average of 33 children born into hunger every minute in 2023. The hunger crisis has continued largely unabated in places such Sudan, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have a combined 7.8 million children facing emergency levels of hunger — just one step away from starvation, death, and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels.  

However, hunger extends beyond just conflict-affected countries. Extreme weather events drove at least 27 million children into hunger last year. In addition, a deepening cost-of-living crisis is pushing adequate and nutritious food further out of reach for many families in the U.S., the U.K., and much of Europe.  

Alexandra Saieh, Head of Humanitarian Advocacy and Policy at Save the Children, said:    

“It is abundantly clear that hunger is a concern for children worldwide. These findings underscore the need for immediate action and collective efforts to address the global hunger crisis and improve the well-being of children everywhere. 

“It is vital we not only address the immediate needs of the global hunger crisis but also tackle the root causes, including conflict, poverty, and climate change. We’re seeing hunger used as a method of warfare in many contexts. This is a global crisis and requires a global solution. Without this, hunger will continue to destroy dreams and eat away at childhoods everywhere.”  

Save the Children is calling on world leaders to address the root causes of acute food and nutrition insecurity. Only by putting an end to global conflict, by tackling the climate crisis and global inequality, and by building more resilient health, nutrition, and protection systems that are less vulnerable to shocks like COVID-19, conflicts, and the climate crisis, will we be able to ensure the same warnings are not ringing out again in the coming years. 

Save the Children is also calling for greater collaboration between governments, development and humanitarian organisations, climate groups, and the private sector. Children and other community members need to be able to have their say in these discussions. No sector or intervention alone can respond to the many causes and vulnerabilities leading to food and nutrition insecurity, but combined, the impact will be more effective, efficient and at scale. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors: 

• Save the Children’s global audience insights study in collaboration with Eden Stanley, surveyed more than 25,000 people in 13 countries between 13 September and 4 October 2023. The survey asked participants ‘Which of these issues affecting children in your country and around the world are you most concerned about’ and had the option to select up to three.  
• The final global results from Save the Children’s survey, include: 

1. Hunger and malnutrition 45% 
2. Poverty 40.1% 
3. Violence against children 38.8% 
4. Education 36.6% 
5. Healthcare 32.8% 
6. Conflict and war 20.5% 
7. Denial of children’s rights 14.8% 
8. Inequality and discrimination 14.6% 
9. Climate change 14.2% 
10. Impact of emergencies and natural disasters 10.5% 
11. None of these 1.7% 

• The global margin of error is 0.61% for ‘Hunger and malnutrition’ reported as the most concerning issue affecting children (45%).  
• Using data from the Integrated Food Security Classification or IPC scale, a monitoring system for assessing hunger emergencies in 58 countries, along with theUN population prospects, Save the Children found that 7.8 million children are in IPC 4 – emergency levels of hunger – just one step away from IPC 5, the worst phase, classified as ‘famine’ where extreme lack of food and other basic needs where starvation, death, and destitution are evident.    

*******************************************************************************************************************

For further enquiries please contact:

–          Samantha Halyk, Senior Global Media Manager, Samantha.halyk@savethechildren.org (based in London)

–          Save the Children’s Global Media Unit GMU@savethechildren.org

–          Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Source: Save The Children

GAZA, 9 December 2023 – Two months of relentless bombardment, an Israeli-imposed siege, and dangerous relocation orders have stripped families’ options for survival in Gaza, warned Save the Childrentoday. 

Whilst the UN Security Council has failed yet again to secure a definitive ceasefire and provide respite for civilians in Gaza, Save the Children has continued to hear harrowing accounts of families going multiple days without food, shelter, water and access to healthcare, including in the so called ‘safe zone’ of Al-Mawasi.   

Deliberately depriving the civilian population of food, water and fuel and wilfully impeding relief supplies is using starvation as a method of warfare, which inevitably has a deadly impact on children.  Consecutive relocation orders issued by the Government of Israel forcing civilians into deadly “safe zones” have only endangered civilians further as they are pushed into areas that cannot accommodate them or provide the necessary access to basic services – and that continue to be attacked, said the aid agency.

“The repeated failure of the international community to act signifies a death knell to children. Israel is squeezing Palestinian children and families into ‘death zones’ dubbed as ‘safe zones.’ I’ve seen children and families roaming the streets of what hasn’t been flattened in Gaza, with no food, nowhere to go, and nothing to survive on. Even the internationally-funded humanitarian aid response – Gaza’s last lifeline – has been choked by Israeli-imposed restrictions.  

“Gaza’s children are being condemned to further bombardment, starvation, and disease. We must heed the lessons from the past and must immediately prevent ‘atrocity crimes’ from unfolding,” said Jason Lee, Save the Children’s Country Director, currently in Gaza.  

The UN has repeatedly warned that Gaza’s food system collapse means there is a high risk of famine. In early December 2023, data from the Nutrition Cluster in Gaza showed that at least 7,685 children under five were suffering from severe wasting, the deadliest form of child malnutrition requiring urgent medical treatment to avoid death.¹   

A new food security assessment from WFP found that nine out of ten people in Gaza reported spending at least twenty four hours without food, and almost a fifth experienced it for more than ten days in the past month. Basic food items are being sold at unprecedented, inflated prices due to scarcity in the markets. No bakery has not been operational in northern Gaza in more than a month.   

Save the Children staff members have reported a bag of flour being sold for up to 500 ILS (equivalent of $140 USD). Others, including one responsible for a household of 20 people, could not find any flour at all.  Staff described the situation in the so-called safe zone of Al-Mawasi as desperate, with one staff member said, “I know people who have not eaten food for 3 days.”  

The Israeli forces are pushing civilians to move towards Rafah along the Egyptian border where the situation is equally dire. Another staff member said, “Life in Rafah has become more difficult than death. Thousands of people are in the streets with their children, and people with disabilities are sleeping in the open without any assistance.”  

The WHO have also warned that the near-total collapse of the healthcare, water and sanitation system means more people could die from disease than from bombings in Gaza. Facilities are being decimated by fighting, crippled by fuel and supple shortages, and exhausted by the mounting pressure on those that are still functioning. Access to clean water has been denied for weeks, with people consuming 59-89% less water than prior to the current escalation. Families are left with little option but to drink from unsafe water sources in a bid to survive, which risk the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.   

The sanitary conditions in camps and shelters, where more than a million people have sought refuge are dire with hundreds of people sharing a single toilet. Most sanitation services are inoperable, resulting in a pile-up of approximately 400,000 kilograms of waste per day in camps and shelters – equivalent to the weight of 9,000 toilets. This is a grave concern for the health of children and families, with diseases such as Hepatitis A, likely only to worsen as more people are forced into even smaller so called “safe” areas.  

Save the Children is calling on the international community to secure an immediate and definitive ceasefire and for the Government of Israel to reverse the conditions that have made a meaningful humanitarian response almost impossible, including unfettered humanitarian access to all of Gaza, and the restoration of the commercial sector entry into Gaza. Starvation must never be used as a method of warfare.   

Notes to Editors  

[1] Clusters are groups of humanitarian organizations, both UN and non-UN, in each of the main sectors of humanitarian action, e.g. nutrition. The cluster says that due to lack of safe humanitarian access, it is difficult to have an accurate estimation of the increasing gravity of the situation.   

[2] According to the WHO, child wasting, also known as severe acute malnutrition, refers to a child who is too thin for his or her height and is the result of recent rapid weight loss or the failure to gain weight. A child who is moderately or severely wasted has an increased risk of death, but treatment is possible. 

[3] The World Food Programme’s (WFP) latest Gaza Food Security Assessment for December 2023 can be found here. According to the Nutrition Cluster, 100% of Gaza’s families are believed to be food insecure.   

******************************************************************************************************************* 

 For further enquiries please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409 

Source: Save The Children

NEW YORK, 8 December 2023 – We are appalled at the failure of the UN Security Council to authorise a resolution demanding a humanitarian ceasefire and unconditional release of hostages held in Gaza. If implemented, this would have provided much needed respite for civilians in Gaza who are under constant bombardment. This was a missed opportunity to stop the violence.  

 We are two months into the crisis and complete siege of Gaza. Gaza is now the deadliest place for civilians in the world. Nowhere is safe. Humanitarians are unable to operate effectively and safely under the current conditions. Supply of aid is severely restricted, and not even a fraction of what is needed. The only way for civilian lives to be protected and for adequate humanitarian assistance to be provided is for the fighting to stop.

 People do not have access to food and water. The healthcare system has collapsed, attacks on hospitals have left much of Gaza’s population without access to any treatment. The outbreak of disease is threatening lives further. We need to reach people now.  It is unjustifiable that Security Council members would veto a resolution calling for a halt to fighting when the humanitarian case for a ceasefire is so clear. 

 The Secretary-General sent a clear demand for the fighting to stop, invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since 1989.  Council members cannot ignore the horrific conditions in Gaza. Action must be guided by the urgent humanitarian imperative to stop fighting, rather than politics.

 We call on the UN Security Council to urgently reconvene and pass a resolution, which demands a sustained ceasefire, for parties to uphold their obligations under international law and to create the conditions needed to enable humanitarian aid to reach civilians. 

Signed by,

Action Against Hunger

CARE International 

Mercy Corps

Norwegian Refugee Council

Oxfam International

Plan International

Save the Children International

*For further enquiries please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409 

Source: Save The Children

Jason Lee, Save the Children’s Country Director of the occupied Palestinian Territory, has been in Gaza since 28 November.

GAZA, 8 December – “At night I hear the air strikes, the constant humming of the drones, the boom of the tanks, and the naval ships shelling. I can hear the firing of guns, the rounds going off. The nights are lit up with the flares used for the troops. At times, there’s smoke in the room, remnants of the airstrikes. I don’t hear people talking, just the noise of war.  

I’m scared. Worried one of the strikes will hit the building I’m in. I’m sleeping on the floor, sharing a room with another aid worker. We talk to each other; try to reassure each other that we are making a difference, that tomorrow will be the day that we can finally get more supplies in, that we will be able to deliver assistance. And that we will be safe. We are both scared, scared that if we can’t bring in the goods, the situation on the ground will become even more catastrophic for the people we are here to serve because the Israeli authorities have eroded our ability to do our job effectively. 

This is so different from when I first arrived during the pause in fighting. There is tension and fear in the air. We are all waiting – aid workers and families alike – waiting for something even worse to happen. It is terrifying. At the same time, I have to keep hope – hope that we will be able to stop the senseless loss of life, to stop this horror from unfolding, and to be able to do what we need to do – to protect humanity and to save lives.  

This is my fourth year in the occupied Palestinian territory – and I’ve been to Gaza many times. My memory of Gaza months ago, when I was last here before October 7th, is so different from what I see now. I don’t recognise parts of Khan Younis. I don’t recognise the destruction, the masses of humanity that are now crowding and sheltering along the streets, in front of buildings, jammed into schools. 

People in Gaza have known 16 years of hardship under the blockade, and have an incredible resilience and dignity. This time though, it feels different. The violence is so extreme in scale and scope that I wonder what will be left, not only of Gaza, but of its people – if the international community does not bring an end to this. I ask myself how anyone could withstand it.  

Though the usual social fabric has been broken with the sheer displacement of numbers of people, there isn’t widespread disorder or chaos yet. There is grief and fear. There is pain that people’s rights and lives don’t seem to matter, along with disbelief and frustration that they are still under siege, with no respite in sight.  

People here are asking why aid workers can’t deliver the assistance that is so desperately needed. We aren’t allowed to move where we need to, we aren’t allowed to bring in the necessary goods and amounts required, we aren’t allowed to bring in the people we need to support a response of this scale or scope. It is also unsafe for us to do so. 

I cannot stress enough that the situation is dire, and things will deteriorate further if we are not able to get more supplies in to meet the immediate lifesaving needs of the people. There needs to be a definitive ceasefire now. The international community must play its role now to ensure this.”  

Source: Save The Children

Photo by Roberto/Save the Children. Roberto took part in the participatory photo project. 

 

IMAGES HERE:  

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SZMCG_F

VIDEO OF WORKSHOPS: 

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3E2CRH

 

ARTWORKS: 

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3LLBBH 

 

BOGOTA, Friday 8 December – Children from the Wayuu indigenous group in Colombia have documented how the climate crisis is drying up their land, putting food, water and a healthy life further out of reach, in a series of photographs released by Save the Children to mark Children and Youth Day at COP28.

Sony Award winning photographer Angela Ponce delivered a workshop for the children in La Guajira, Colombia, teaching them the fundamentals of photography and providing them with their own film camera for a week to capture their environment, cultural traditions, and daily life. Each child also kept a notebook to document why they have taken their images, making this a truly unique participatory project. 

As part of the project, the children also learned to develop their own images relying only on the power of the sun, through the process of “Cyanotype” printing, to symbolise the environmental challenges they face. Each artwork has a distinctive blue hue illustrating the desperate need for water in their community, and the indigenous plants that are vital for their survival.     

For centuries, the Wayuu people have lived off the land, but the climate crisis has seen a series of crippling droughts, erratic rainfall, and soaring temperatures meet with high levels of pollution to devastate the environment in their home of La Guajira.

The current El Nino weather pattern is also projected to bring reduced rainfall to the area.

Iveth,16, who took part in the project, said:

 “Before we had orchards, it rained, the plants grew. We didn´t water the plants, the rain did. Now there´s no rain, the weather has changed so we can´t sow. The plant´s leaves dry out due to the temperature and die….” 

“Here, the Wayuu suffers from the lack of water. It can´t be found, as the weather is changing there aren’t seasons anymore.”  

“I liked when we started to take photos, we learned how to use the camera and how to take the pictures…. I´m taking pictures of where the animals eat and drink water… I would like to take photos of issues like climate change, everything regarding the drought.” 

After years of drought, water levels have hit historic lows, and only 3.3% of Wayuu communities have access to clean water[i]. The water that is available is often taken from a “jaguey”, a natural aquifer in the form of a pond which collects rainwater and is shared with livestock. This results in regular occurrences of diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases among children who are forced to drink the water.  

Hunger is also looming, with communities struggling to sow crops because of the drought. The mortality rate for malnutrition in children under five years is 7.8 more than the national average[ii]. La Guajira is also the poorest region in the country, where over 60% of the population live in poverty. La Guajira is also the fourth poorest region in the country, where 58% of the population live in poverty.

Due to climate change, things are set to get worse as temperatures rise. Earlier this year, the Colombian government declaring an economic and social emergency in La Guajira[iii].

Ismael, 14 said: “It hasn´t rained for a long time, and I think that we need the water and the animals do too. We drink the water from the cattle pond.”  

In his photo he took of the sun, he said; “I took a picture of the sun because it was too hot and that is harmful for the trees, and it makes us thirsty. The heat makes us thirsty, and the cattle pond is far away, as I told you, sometimes it’s empty and we need something to drink. 

Sony Award winning photographer Angela Ponce, whose work focuses on the impact of the climate crisis on indigenous groups said: 

“The climate crisis hits the most vulnerable the hardest, and it’s heartbreaking to see children bearing the brunt of a problem they didn’t create. Handing the Wayuu children their own cameras gives them a voice to show the world the challenges they face. Their photos tell a powerful story of strength and resilience, highlighting the urgent need for all of us to protect our planet and support those most affected”. 

Felipe Cortes, Head of Advocacy and Communications at Save the Children in Colombia said:

“Wayuu people have relied on their land to grow crops for many generations – but for years, they have struggled due to increasing drought, erratic rainfall and extremely high temperatures. Just one in ten Wayuu children has access to clean drinking water. In La Guajira, the official death rate for children from malnutrition is six times that of the national average.

“The climate crisis, caused by adults, is putting nutritious food further and further out of reach – and harming children first and worst. Wayuu children, like others across the world, will be affected by decisions made at COP28 – and their rights and needs must be at the forefront of these decisions.”

The children involved in the project are all part of a Save the Children programme with the Wayuu community, supporting them to address issues around climate change, deforestation and waste management. This programme is community-led and encourages intergenerational dialogue to help the Wayuu people preserve their traditional way of life while building resilience to the impacts of climate change.

In Colombia and across the world, Save the Children supports children to get their voices heard on issues like climate change.  At COP28, the child rights organisation is calling on governments and all relevant organisations to recognise children as key agents of change in the climate crisis, and to ensure children have platforms to say what they want on climate policy, financing and more.

Save the Children is also calling for progress towards an ambitious new goal on climate finance that moves far beyond the pledge to mobilise at least $100bn annually  with a particular focus on reaching children impacted by inequality and discrimination, such as Wayuu children.

The child rights organisation also called for ambitious and urgent action now to limit warming to a maximum of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.  Failing to do this will have dramatic consequences for children’s health, safety, and wellbeing.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:

 

Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org

Daphnee Cook, Daphnee.Cook@savethechildren.org

Simon Edmunds at s.edmunds@savethechildren.org.uk or +447515855180. 

 

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

 

IMAGES HERE:  

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SZMCG_F

VIDEO OF WORKSHOPS: 

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3E2CRH

 

ARTWORKS: 

www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3LLBBH 

Source: Save The Children

Children engage in Catchup club activities at a Primary School in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Uganda.Esther Ruth Mbabazi / Save The Children.

As we approach the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in just five days, the urgency to spotlight the rights and the needs of refugee children and emphasize responsibility sharing in discussions about the world’s refugee crises could not be more pressing. This fundamental approach sets the tone for processes like the Global Refugee Forum and discussions surrounding the Global Compact on Refugees.

In most refugee crisis, the voices of refugee children are alarmingly muted. Despite constituting 40% of the global forcibly displaced population [1], refugee children encounter numerous barriers, from lack of access to documentation, to quality education, to spaces where they feel safe and protected, hindering their meaningful participation in decision-making processes [2]. From 2018 to 2022, 1.9 million children were born as refugees [3] disregarding their voices is tantamount to sidelining the majority of the refugee population.

Moreover, three-quarters of refugees live in low- and middle-income countries, mostly neighbouring their place of origin. Countries like Türkiye, Islamic Republic of Iran, Colombia, Pakistan, Uganda or Sudan among other low and middle-income countries, disproportionately bear the responsibility of hosting 76% of the world’s refugees [4] despite their limited resources. In Uganda, 60% of refugees are children,[5] illustrating the acute need to address the specific challenges faced by this vulnerable demographic within the refugee population.

For comprehensive solutions, the narrative needs a radical pivot—one that prioritizes the rights, needs and perspectives of refugee children, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Failure to integrate these voices perpetuates inadequate representation and undermines policy formulation.

Despite this imperative, major refugee responses and forums like the GRF often falter in adequately championing refugee children’s voices. Simultaneously, nations hosting large number of refugees consistently advocate for fairer responsibility sharing, underscoring the need to acknowledge their disproportionate burden and resource strain.

All four objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees profoundly impact childhood and host countries. Any viable plan or solution must inherently include this 40% of the refugee population—children, and the countries hosting the largest number of refugees.

In essence, the upcoming GRF serves as a pivotal juncture to instigate this transformative approach—where responsibility sharing and the meaningful inclusion of refugee children form the cornerstone of robust, inclusive, and politically astute responses to the global refugee crisis.

Source: Save The Children

Humanitarian organisations warn of looming food crisis if immediate resolution to negotiations is not reached

Sana’a, 07 December 2023 – Twenty-two humanitarian organisations in Yemen today are voicing our deep concern regarding the World Food Programme’s (WFP) recent announcement of a “pause” of the General Food Assistance (GFA) programme, which will impact 9.5 million people experiencing food insecurity across northern Yemen.

The suspension of food assistance reportedly comes after unsuccessful negotiations between Ansar Allah (AA) and WFP to reach an agreement on reductions to food assistance, which have been ongoing for nearly one year. Global humanitarian funding cuts have resulted in the need to retarget to reach the most vulnerable. Due to the disruption of food supply chains caused by this pause, it will take at least four months for the resumption of food assistance even if an agreement is reached.

The decision to pause food assistance will exacerbate the already critical humanitarian situation, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly, leading to malnutrition, worsening health conditions, increased economic strain, and potentially fueling social unrest and conflict.

According to the WFP, there are currently 17 million people – more than half of the population of Yemen – at crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC 3 and 4), including 2.2 million malnourished children and 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Food assistance has been critical to averting disaster in Yemen, where an estimated 6.1 million people are just one step away from famine.

Even before the suspension was announced, gaps in the food assistance programme have limited the ability to fully meet the needs of vulnerable communities. In October, Mohammad, an elderly man with 10 family members and no income, told us about the impact of food scarcity. Mohammad’s family is among the 4.5 million internally displaced Yemenis and it had been three months since they last received food assistance. As a result, he was forced to sell some of the little furniture he had remaining in his home in order to secure food for himself and his family.

In one district in Amran Governorate alone, 12,270 families (85,890 persons) received only two food baskets so far this year, down from the expected six they would have received as a minimum based on their needs. Skipping meals is becoming a common reality for families and the risk of resorting to irreversible negative coping mechanisms, such as pulling children out of school for child labour and early marriage, both of which are rising rapidly.

“After years of conflict and economic decline, food aid is a lifeline for millions of Yemenis and suspending it as the country works towards peace is a catastrophic scenario. We understand the fears and concerns of the affected Yemeni people, and we stand in solidarity with them. Humanitarian responders are doing all they can to alleviate suffering and continue our advocacy efforts for renewed food principled assistance,” said the undersigned NGOs.

In order to prevent a disastrous food crisis in Yemen, we urgently call on:

• WFP and AA to reach an agreement allowing the resumption of principled food assistance to the most vulnerable communities in Yemen. The sooner an agreement is reached the more likelihood of averting the risk of famine conditions returning to Yemen.

• The international community and donors to urgently mobilize additional resources to mitigate the impact of the suspension particularly through scale up of nutrition as well as health and cash assistance.

• Donors to provide funding for resilience building and development programming to enable communities to recover from the impact of the war and economic decline, while also ensuring those in need of humanitarian assistance are not left behind.

Humanitarian organisations in Yemen operate independently of any political or governmental agendas. Our sole focus is on delivering humanitarian aid to those in need.
We have played, and will continue to play a critical role in addressing the ongoing crisis, always prioritizing the needs of the communities we serve.

While these developments are deeply troubling, we recognise the challenges ahead and reaffirm our commitment to do everything within our capacity to mitigate these impacts and urge parties to reach a resolution so that much-needed food assistance can resume and we can work to meet the needs of Yemeni communities.

Signed by the following NGOs in Yemen:

Accept International Yemen
Acted
ADRA
CARE
Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe
Dorcas
Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International
International Medical Corps (IMC)
International Rescue Committee
INTERSOS
Islamic Relief
Mariestopes International Yemen (MSIY)
Médecins due Monde (MdM)
Muslim Hands
Norwegian Refugee Council
OXFAM
Qatar Charity
Relief International
Save the Children
Vision Hope International
ZOA

ENDS

*******************************************************************************************************************

 For further enquiries please contact:

–          Save the Children’s Global Media Unit, GMU@savethechildren.org

–          Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.