Current emergencies 

The sudden escalation of conflict in Ukraine is having devastating consequences for children, families and vulnerable populations across the country. Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes in freezing temperatures where they are exposed to injury, hunger and terrifying uncertainty as to what their future holds. Our response is providing urgent support for families in evacuation sites and villages under threat. We are distributing emergency items such as blankets, medicine and hygiene kits to those in need. We are working in neighbouring countries, including Poland, Romania and Lithuania to support children and families fleeing Ukraine.

In the first hours after children were evacuated from their homes in the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires, we were there to support them through our Child-Friendly Spaces in evacuation and relief centres. When devastating floods claimed lives and destroyed homes across Australia’s east coast in 2022, our Child-Friendly Spaces gave children an opportunity to leave their stress behind and express themselves through play. We work with local authorities to mobilise outreach psychosocial support in communities that have been hit hardest by a crisis. Once the immediate emergency passes, we continue to work with families and schools through our school-based Journey of Hope program, to ensure the most heavily impacted children receive the support they need to process what they’ve experienced.

While COVID-19 impacts us all, some of our nearest neighbours are on the brink of a human disaster. In Fiji, the virus is devasting lives and livelihoods, forcing families to rely on food relief packages. In Papua New Guinea it is overwhelming the poorly resourced health system. And in India and Indonesia children and families continue to suffer as the tragic body count swells. We are supporting local health authorities to speed up vaccine roll outs, providing COVID care kits, food, nutrition, financial and psychological support to help protect the most vulnerable children while our neighbours struggle to cope with this human crisis.

After a century of progress, we are now seeing a reversal in the number of children surviving around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is compounding the effects on vulnerable communities that are already living in conflict settings or with the burdens of climate change. It is causing the ‘perfect storm’ that is pushing millions to the verge of starvation. Across the globe, 174 million people are at crisis levels of food insecurity, having to make difficult choices to ensure they have enough to eat. In fragile and conflict-affected states, our teams are working to strengthen health and nutrition systems, while we campaign to address the underlying causes of this avoidable crisis.

An entire generation of Syrian children have been displaced by more than a decade of conflict and are struggling to survive without food, medicine and clean water. As the violence and disruption continues, their lives continue to be at risk. We are working in Syria and in the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan where many Syrian families have fled, to deliver lifesaving support. We are helping parents feed their babies and children, providing safe spaces, warm clothes, shelter, and psychological support for traumatised children.