STORYLINE
United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA warned on Friday that the funding shortfall for aid operations is the biggest it’s ever been, at nearly $34 billion.
The news comes at a time when global needs are at an all-time high, with a record 303 million people in crisis worldwide. “UN appeals aim to reach 204 million of the most vulnerable. Never before have humanitarians been called to respond to this level of need and they are doing so in ever more dangerous environments,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.
UN-coordinated relief projects have been costed at almost $50 billion dollars this year.
Although funding pledges have reached their highest ever level - at more than $15 billion - needs are outpacing the money coming:
“This is the largest gap we've ever had. However, it is also the largest amount of donor funding that has ever been committed. So the problem is the following: that the needs in the world are rising much, much faster than the donor funding is coming in,” Mr. Laerke added.
According to data from the NGO Humanitarian Outcomes, with whom the UN partners every year to highlight these numbers, more than 140 aid workers were killed in the line of duty last year, the highest number of fatalities since 2013.”
All but two of the aid workers who died were national staff, highlighting the perils that national aid workers often face, said Mr. Laerke, who noted that another 203 aid workers were injured and 117 were kidnapped last year.
The OCHA spokesperson explained that “the most violent countries for aid workers continue to be South Sudan, followed by Afghanistan and Syria.” According to Humanitarian Outcomes, 168 aid workers have been attacked so far this year, leading to 44 fatalities. “Most of the over 140 fatalities in 2021 were killed by small weapons and shooting incidents, with the second highest cause of death being airstrikes and shelling, most of them in Syria,” said Mr. Laerke.
To commemorate their sacrifice, World Humanitarian Day is held annually on 19 August. This year’s theme for the Day is “It Takes A Village”, to focus on how aid workers of all nationalities work together to alleviate extreme suffering.
The UN General Assembly designated the annual event in 2008 to commemorate the anniversary of the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 aid workers. WHD has evolved to highlight different aspects of humanitarian action, mobilizing people from around the world to advocate for the broader humanitarian cause.
STORY: Humanitarian Funding Gap, OCHA
TRT: 02:22”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATA
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 12 AUGUST 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
2. Wide shot, press briefing.
3. Soundbite: (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA Spokesperson:
“Global needs are at an all time high with a record 303 million people in crisis worldwide. UN appeals aim to reach 204 million of the most vulnerable. Never before have humanitarians been called to respond to this level of need and they are doing so in ever more dangerous environments.”
4. Camera filming OCHA spokesperson.
5. Soundbite: (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA Spokesperson:
“More than 148 workers were killed in the line of duty last year, the highest number of fatalities since 2013. All but two of them were national staff, highlighting the perils that national aid workers often face. Last year 203 aid workers were also injured and 117 were kidnapped.”
6. Wide view of cameraman and journalists.
7. Soundbite: (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA Spokesperson:
“The most violent countries for aid workers continue to be South Sudan, followed by Afghanistan and Syria. Most of the over 140 fatalities in 2021 were killed by small weapons and shooting incidents, with the second highest cause of death being airstrikes and shelling, most of them in Syria.”
8. Close shot of panel at the press briefing.
9. Soundbite: (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA Spokesperson:
“We need $48.7 billion to join coordinated humanitarian response globally. Almost 50 billion USD. The shortfall is currently more than 33 billion. So that means that we have received 15 billion. 33 billion shortfall and 15 billion has been received.”
10. Mid shot of attendees of press briefing.
11. Soundbite: (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA Spokesperson:
“So this is the largest gap we've ever had. However, it is also the largest amount of donor funding that has ever been committed. So the problem is the following: that the needs in the world are rising much, much faster than the donor funding is coming in.”
12. Close shot of panel at the press briefing.
13. Close shot of attendees of press briefing.
14. Close of journalist.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians
Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.
1
1
1
Edited News
Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC
Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Gaza: As world waits for US peace plan news, UN aid teams stress need for ceasefire
UN agencies reiterated calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday to help alleviate Palestinian suffering, as a new US 20-point plan raised hopes of a halt to the fighting.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza City continues to overwhelm the war-torn enclave’s medical professionals, with four more hospitals forced to shut down this month alone, the UN World Health Organization said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights report released today details the dire situation of thousands of civilians detained since Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine in 2022.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF
Sudan war: Life-saving cholera vaccination campaign begins in Darfur
Amid the devastating war in Sudan, UN aid teams are overcoming major obstacles to curb a cholera outbreak claiming lives across the country, with young children particularly at risk.
2
1
2
Edited News , B-roll | UN WOMEN
Women and girls still reeling from Afghanistan's recent deadly earthquake face even greater suffering rebuilding their lives and livelihoods without much more help from the international community, UN Women said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Rising civilian casualties, growing ethnic violence and the grim humanitarian situation in Sudan underscore how the crisis there is deepening, according to a UN Human rights report published today.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS
United Nations agencies staff demonstrates on Place des Nations in Geneva to denounce the killing of their colleagues in Gaza.