Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

NZ NGOs come together to respond to humanitarian crisis

New Zealand NGOs come together to respond to humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar

22nd November 2017

New Zealand’s aid agencies and the government are coming together to respond to the world’s fastest-developing refugee emergency on the Myanmar border of Bangladesh.

“We welcome the announcement from Foreign Minister Winston Peters that the New Zealand government will contribute a further $2.5 million for humanitarian assistance in help of Rohingya refugees seeking safety in Bangladesh,” says Mark Mitchell, Chair of the Council for International Development’s humanitarian network, the NDRF.

More than 600 thousand people have fled conflict in Myanmar in the last three months, most arriving in neighbouring Bangladesh urgently needing help with the basics for survival. There are thousands of new arrivals in Bangladesh every day, and the United Nations Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) two refugee camps in Bangladesh are now completely overcrowded. Many other informal camps are being established, none have sufficient basic services such as water and sanitation and the impact on the surrounding environment is unsustainable. The lack of safe shelter in the increasingly crowded conditions leads to risks of abuse or violence, especially towards women and girls and persons with disabilities.

The Government is working with New Zealand NGOs and will match dollar for dollar, up to $1 million for funds raised from the New Zealand public to help people affected by this crisis.

“New Zealanders wanting to help are urged to donate to any of our NGOs active in the region, listed below. While the refugees wait to see if they can return safely to their homes, we need to ensure their basic needs are met. This includes 4.5 million litres of clean water, and 4 million food rations to the camps, as well as shelter and protection,” says Mark Mitchell.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Earlier this year New Zealand’s international NGOs came together to raise funds for the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. The public’s generosity exceeded expectations, and in response the government increased its funding for the emergency.

“We are coming together again to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled Myanmar. The root causes of this crisis must be addressed and we encourage the New Zealand government to use its voice and relationships to protect the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children affected. This includes advocating that all people are treated in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law, and durable solutions for refugees are found to enable them to rebuild their lives in dignity.”

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.