A monthly food distribution in Juba. Photo: Steve De Neef/Concern Worldwide

Our policy work on humanitarian response

There are hundreds of disasters around the world every year: floods, droughts, cyclones and conflict. These can vary from the local level to global scale. When local communities and governments are overwhelmed, Concern is among the first to help.

It is the poorest and most vulnerable who suffer most during disasters as they do not have the resources to prepare or react effectively. Many of those affected require humanitarian assistance just to stay alive. But they also need support to rebuild their shattered lives over the long term.

Why it's important

Concern’s analysis of trends in funding to the major coordinated humanitarian response mechanisms reveals worrying facts: the response to many ongoing disasters remains drastically underfunded; donors’ commitments are not being honoured; and donor countries have not effectively adapted their funding approaches to respond to protracted crises.

Whilst the number of people dying as a result of disasters has hugely decreased in the last 50 years, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased, with more than 134 million people in need of assistance and protection. This scale of need poses a major challenge to the international community – one which it is failing to meet. There are insufficient funds available to provide assistance to all those in need.

Concern is committed to ensuring that effective, timely humanitarian action is informed by humanitarian principles and is guided by policies and funding focused on the most vulnerable.

A long queue in front of Mainerghona food distribution center in Cox's Bazar Bangladesh

Concern staff working hard in the Somali Region, Ethiopia Photo: Jennifer Nolan/ Concern Worldwide

Zaccharia Roberto pushes his bicycle laden with charcoal across a flooded river near Nhamatanda, Mozambique. Cyclone Idai has disrupted infrastructure across the country, impacting livelihoods and hampering aid efforts. Photo: Tommy Trenchard / Concern Worldwide

Zaccharia Roberto pushes his bicycle laden with charcoal across a flooded river in Mozambique.

What we're calling for

An effective global humanitarian response system

Work towards a more effective global humanitarian response system which ensures timely, effective, and principled humanitarian action by providing rapid funding based purely on need, eliminating funding gaps.

Conflict prevention

An effective early warning and response system