Topic: Crisis Response

CARE and others welcome UN appointments on El Niño

Water is something that many of us in the developed world have the luxury to take for granted. It is available, on tap, hot and cold, 24/7, any given day of the week. But in the countries of Southern Africa affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon it is the difference between eating today or not, between being able to wear clean clothes and wash yourself or not, and, ultimately, between life or death.

Over the past five years CARE has invested significantly in working on gender in emergencies. A new report demonstrates CARE’s progress on this work, and highlights the impact and importance of gender sensitive and equality approaches for ensuring that women and girls are reached and empowered through humanitarian action.

CARE urges world leaders to come to Istanbul and agree on key actions to avoid a global humanitarian crisis spiraling out of control.

Ten days ahead of the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit (May 23-24), CARE International calls upon world leaders to participate in Istanbul and use this historic opportunity to improve the humanitarian system.

With all eyes on the agreement between Greece and Turkey, and with the border to Macedonia basically closing off the Balkan-route, 46,000 people are holding out under difficult conditions on mainland Greece. The majority is living in run-down camps in more than 30 different accommodation sites dispersed in remote areas. They do not have sufficient access to sanitation facilities, quality food, safety or information about their options to seek asylum in Greece, apply for relocation or family reunification.

“You thought you came for human rights. But you are like animals; you don’t have any human rights.” This is how Kamal was greeted by a border guard on his arrival in Greece, his first steps on European soil. Kamal is a lawyer from Aleppo, a loving father who has risked his life to save what was left of his family after his parents were killed when his house was hit by a bomb.

I have been here before. It has been half of my life time ago, but I remember sitting in these very same chairs when I was 15 years old, waiting to buy tickets for the ferry to spend a vacation on the Greek islands with my friends. Now, hundreds of people are waiting in the departure hall at gate E1 in Piraeus port. They have been waiting for weeks, for months, not to go on a holiday, but to find a safe place for themselves and their children.

Is there commonality between an earthquake and surfing? Not really, some might think. But the 18-year-old Iven teaches us something different