Humanitarian appeal 2016 climbs to $21.6 billion but remains only a quarter funded

(New York, 27 June 2016): The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in the world has soared to a record 130 million and US$16.1 billion is still required to help 95.4 million of the most vulnerable of them this year.

In December 2015, when UN and partners launched the 2016 Global Humanitarian Appeal, the aim was to provide humanitarian assistance to 86.6 million people and the requirements stood at $19.7 billion. This amount has now climbed to $21.6 billion.

But as needs are steadily rising, the 2016 appeal remains only one-quarter funded. “The generosity of our donors is not in dispute. Each year they give more. The 2016 appeals have received $5.5 billion in funding so far – the highest amount ever received at mid-year.

Nonetheless, we are facing a funding gap of $16.1 billion, due to the unrelenting exponential growth of humanitarian need,” said Stephen O’Brien, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, releasing the 2016 Global Humanitarian Overview mid-year Status Report in New York.

Protracted humanitarian crises driven by conflict but also new disasters lie behind the rise in need. This year Fiji faced Cyclone Winston and Ecuador was hit by a devastating earthquake.

The El Niño phenomenon has led to severe droughts in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, while continuing crises in Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan and Syria require large-scale efforts year after year and receive the majority of funding.

The increase in forced displacement, now at 65.3 million people worldwide, is also testing the capacities of the humanitarian system and its donors. This year, the appeal draws attention to for example Lake Chad Basin, an area spanning Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, which represents the fastest growing displacement crisis in Africa, but is also one of the most underfunded emergencies. “The global appeal will support millions of mothers to feed their malnourished children. It will help doctors give lifesaving care to children injured by bombing. It will help pastoralists keep their cattle alive. And it will help protect women and girls from sexual abuse and violence,” Mr. O’Brien said, urging donors to scale up their support.

To explore the 2016 Global Humanitarian Overview Status Report go to: http://www.unocha.org/stateofaid/

`For further information, please contact:

Jens Laerke, OCHA Geneva, laerke@un.org, Tel. +41 22 917 11 42
OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or cerf.un.org