Gap between the best- and worst-funded UN-coordinated appeals widens

In 2014 the gap between the best- and worst-funded appeals (Ukraine and Nigeria, respectively) grew to 78% in 2014, the widest since 2008. Funding to five major acute emergencies – the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, ‘Level 3’ emergencies in Syria, the Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan and Iraq – accounted for 53% of UN-coordinated appeals requirements.  The appeals also showed the clear stretch on humanitarian response – not only were there more appeals in 2014 (31) than in 2013 (23) but also the largest appeals grew.

A number of crises continue to receive less funding and less attention. For example, the conflicts in Algeria/Western Sahara, Colombia and Myanmar have consistently appeared on the Forgotten Crises Index of the European Commission’s Department of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO).

There is currently no global process for gathering information on donor preferences and intentions, as is required to inform a coordinated response to meeting competing needs. Understanding the preferences and behaviour of donors – DAC and other governments alike – is essential to an effective and globally needs-based response. Without this, individual donor responses can add up to a concentration of funding to certain appeals and crises while others are neglected.

For more please see our Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) report 2015.

Download the data in Excel and CSV format

Notes

The Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak Response Plan is not directly comparable with other appeals: launched in September 2014, its revised requirements of US$1.5 billion covered needs in 2014 and into 2015. Also as a health response it was outside the usual UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) or United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)-led Strategic Response Plan or Refugee Response Plan process. Led by the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, it appealed for development as well as humanitarian resources. Requirements for all other appeals represent the revised requirements at the year end. Funding data is in current prices.

The UN-coordinate appeals represent the largest collective request for international humanitarian assistance.

Source

Development Initiatives based on UN OHCA FTS