The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
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.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights Office report released today on Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on Tuesday concerning the deadly blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul:
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on the impact of Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR , WFP
Middle East war may deepen global hunger; mass displacement, rights violations on the rise
The Middle East war could cause the worst disruption to humanitarian work since COVID, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
The UN’s top human rights forum gathered in Geneva on Monday, where Member States highlighted the growing civilian toll of war in the Middle East, sparked by Israeli and U.S. bombing of Iran, counter-strikes by Tehran against Gulf states and Israeli shelling of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response to attacks by the armed group.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNFPA , IOM , UNHCR
As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Russia’s deportations of Ukrainian children amount to crimes against humanity: independent UN rights probe
Scores of Ukrainian children are still missing after being deported far and wide across Russia and occupied territories while their families continue to search for them, human rights investigators said on Thursday.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war roiling the Middle East, at a time of severe cuts to the global body’s humanitarian work in emergencies and “soaring” needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Middle East war: UN warns of ‘toxic rain’ danger from oil depot strikes as mass displacement, aid supply shocks spread
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to humanitarian supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.