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Emergency response In recent years, increases in global emergencies and disasters, food insecurity, mass migration, climate degradation and the global financial crisis have posed significant challenges for humanitarian assistance. Australian NGOs continue to deliver accountable assistance through well-developed links into communities and support networks for the Pacific, Asia and Africa regions.
— ACFID: How can I help?
— Previous emergency responses
— AusAID: How you can help |
Haiti: Residents walk in a destroyed area after a major earthquake hit the capital Port-au-Prince, January 14, 2010.
Source: REUTERS/Jorge Silva
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| Emergency responses Tropical Cyclone Tomas, Fiji – 15 March 2010 Tropical cyclone Tomas (Category 4) hit Fiji on Monday 15 March. Warnings for hurricanes, storms and gale-force winds are still in place. The cyclone has caused severe damage to the southern island of Ono-i-Lau and extensive damage is expected in the northern and eastern divisions including the capital Suva. Over 12,500 people have been evacuated.
The Fijian Government has declared a national state of emergency and a national pre-positioned response plan has swung into action. The Australian Government has provided $1 million towards the humanitarian response.
Australian agencies continue to work with their partner’s in-country to provide emergency assistance such as shelter, food and clothing.
Chile earthquake – 27 February 2010 A magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Chile at 3:35am local time on Saturday 27 February. Aftershocks a large as 6.0 in magnitude are still continuing. The epicentre was 325 km southwest of the capital in the moderately populated region of Bio-Bio in central Chile. Countrywide about 1.5 million Chileans were affected and 200,000 homes severely damaged.
The Australian Government has provided $1 million in emergency assistance and an additional $4 million for reconstruction and recovery. Australian agencies are supporting their in-country partners' emergency assistance efforts.
Haiti earthquake - January 2010 A powerful earthquake of 7.0 magnitude affected Haiti on 12 January. The earthquake, reported to be the most severe to hit Haiti in over 200 years, struck 17km south west of the capital Port-au-Prince.
Two months into the response and 4.3 million people have received food assistance. The current death toll is 230,000 and 1.3 million remain homeless.
Port-au-Prince has been severely affected including critical city infrastructure such as electricity, water and phone services. Relief agencies are continuing to work tirelessly to provide emergency assistance such as water and sanitation, food, shelter and medical supplies.
The Australian Government's assistance package now stands at $15 million — $10 million in emergency humanitarian relief and $5 million for reconstruction assistance.
Donating cash continues to be the best way the Australian public can help the Haitian people. Donations can be made through ACFID's member agency appeals - Donations for Haiti: ACFID member agency appeals.
(Last updated 17 March 2010)
2009 emergencies in South East Asia and the Pacific Australian agencies responded quickly in accordance with established disaster preparedness plans and remain well-placed to contribute to the longer-term recovery effort with their established links to each affected community. The ACFID Code of Conduct contains guidance for responding to emergency situations to ensure that the sector responds in a transparent and effective manner.
Indonesia On 30 September 2009, a powerful earthquake struck just off the coast of Padang, West Sumatra. Another earthquake struck Jambi on the east coast of central Sumatra on 1 October. The Indonesian Government confirmed over 1,000 deaths and severe damage to around 200,000 buildings. Australian agencies continue to respond to the disaster. These include ActionAid Australia, Australian Red Cross, CARE Australia, Caritas Australia, Muslim Aid Australia, Oxfam Australia, World Vision Australia and Plan Australia.
Samoa/Tonga An 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa on Tuesday 29 September 2009 triggering a tsunami. Over a hundred people died and 20 villages were destroyed. In Tonga, 9 people were confirmed dead.
The Philippines Typhoon Parma struck the northeast of the Philippines on 3 October 2009 causing mass evacuations and hampering relief efforts a week after Typhoon Ketsana struck Manila displacing over 1.8 million people. The death toll for the two typhoons was in the thousands and millions were displaced. Australian agencies responding to the disaster are continuing to do all they can to assist in the recovery efforts. The emergency has had minimal funding from donors in the interntional community.
Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Typhoon Ketsana swept across South East Asia in late September and early October 2009 causing considerable damage and flooding. There were reports of over 200 people killed in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, with many more displaced. Australian agencies are assisting with urgent needs for shelter, water, food, medicine and livelihoods. There are several ACFID member agencies responding to the crisis and providing assistance.
India Following devastating floods in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in October 2009 caused by heavy rains in Canacona taluka, large quantities of aid material poured into the affected areas. The government did not request assistance and many Australian agencies are using their resources in-country to manage the response.
Nepal In October 2009, ten districts in the mid and far western regions were affected by floods and landslides caused by four days of continuous rain. More than 60 deaths were recorded and at least 4,000 families displaced. Around 25,000 families were affected and damage to crops means that food will be a major need in affected areas during the recovery period. |
| ACFID Humanitarian Reference Group In 2008, ACFID's Humanitarian Reference Group (HRG) was invited by ACFID’s Executive Committee to increase its role to that of an ACFID advisory committee. As an advisory committee, the HRG will continue to coordinate emergency response systems, work closely with ACFID's Executive Committee on policy and advocacy and further collaborate on operational activities/policy such as supply chain management, civil military coordination and human security issues. |
| Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) NGOs define CIMIC as 'the essential dialogue and interaction between civilian and military actors in humanitarian emergencies that is necessary to protect and promote humanitarian principles, avoid competition, minimise inconsistency, and when appropriate pursue common goals'.
Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Reference Paper: Civil-Military Relationship in Complex Emergencies ( 217kb)
ACFID Guiding Principles for Civil-Military Interaction |
| Protection Humanitarian protection is the effort to protect the fundamental well-being of individuals caught up in certain conflicts, or ‘man-made’ emergencies. People at risk are usually the main actors in their own protection, but there is also a role for humanitarian agencies to help them and to mobilise the responsible authorities. Protection is usually sought from direct violence, coercion (including forced displacement, slavery, or prostitution), or deprivation (including the restriction of access to humanitarian aid, or the destruction of property or livelihoods).
The ALNAP Guide to Protection is an excellent and practical resource for NGOs to better understand the complexities of protection, and how to implement protection into existing and new programs. | | |
