World Vision UK Statement on the Global Humanitarian Overview 2024
Press Statement. 11 December 2023 - World Vision UK stands firmly behind the joint NGO statement delivered at the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) launch in Geneva, echoing our deep concern about escalating humanitarian needs and the disproportionate impact on children. We emphasize the need for political will and immediate action to address the root causes of the global humanitarian crisis.
“The world is facing a humanitarian funding crisis, with just a third of humanitarian needs funded in 2023, and 300 million people expected to urgently need humanitarian assistance in 2024. The consequences of a lack of funding can have a serious impact on the lives of extremely vulnerable children and their families, leaving them open to disease and extreme hunger and placing lives at risk. But as well as meeting the urgent humanitarian funding needs, more needs to be done to address conflict and climate change which are some of the biggest causes of humanitarian needs. “ Said David Westwood, Director of Policies and Programmes at World Vision UK.
The overall picture is incredibly bleak, as evidenced by the World Food Programme's November 2023 report that highlights the grim reality of 333 million people facing acute food insecurity and an estimated 45 million children under five years of age suffering from acute malnutrition, underlining the urgent need for increased and sustained international support.
World Vision UK remains unwavering in our commitment alongside our partners to building a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive. We believe that through collective action, targeted assistance, and a focus on long-term solutions, we can overcome global challenges and build a future of hope and prosperity. World Vision is working to address the root causes of hunger and poverty through a global campaign ENOUGH and the Global Hunger Response, through which we are committed to:
- Investing $3.4 billion to provide sustainable solutions to the growing hunger crisis, reaching 125 million of the most vulnerable children across 28 countries by 2026.
- Empowering communities to become self-sufficient by building resilience through long-term development programmes focusing on food security, clean water, educationand healthcare.
- Advocating for policy change that prioritise long-term solutions to hunger and poverty, including addressing climate change and conflict prevention.
However, to achieve this vision, we urge the international community to:
- Fully fund the 2024 GHO ensuring adequate resources reach those in dire need, including those involuntarily left behind by "boundary setting" and protect child-focused programming.
- Support international, national, and local NGOs and recognise their unique ability to reach and serve the most vulnerable communities.
- Uphold impartial needs-based targeting using age, gender, and disability disaggregated data in guiding needs assessments and resource allocation.
- Increase development funding and invest in long-term solutions that address the root causes of humanitarian crises and build resilience.
- Focus on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus to strengthen the interconnectedness of humanitarian crises, development challenges, and peacebuilding efforts.
The international community has a collective responsibility to address the root causes of suffering and ensure that no one is left behind, and World Vision UK stands as always ready to play its part in this global humanitarian endeavour.
ENDS
For media inquiries, please contact: karla.harvey@worldvision.org.uk
