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Kiwis stand together to ask Government to step-up for Afghanistan

The United Nations has called for the international community to stand together for Afghanistan as world leaders meet at a flash appeal on Monday 13 September. Charity groups, local communities and other organisations in Aotearoa have taken the opportunity to call upon the New Zealand government to commit to more humanitarian aid. Executive Director of Oxfam Aotearoa Rachael Le Mesurier says that New Zealand needs to do more to contribute as a global citizen:  

“The need is severe. Forty years of war, natural disasters, and now Covid-19 have conspired to push Afghanistan to the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. The $3 million of aid the government has recently provided pales in comparison to the hundreds of millions of dollars the New Zealand government spent on the military campaign in Afghanistan over the last two decades. 

“We ask the government to commit to $10 million of new humanitarian aid to help people in Afghanistan. The global flash appeal for Afghanistan is asking for more than NZ$840 million to support around 11 million Afghanistan people in crisis, particularly women and girls. New Zealand can and must step-up.”  

This week it was reported that even before the Taliban took over the country, the people of Afghanistan were already struggling to feed their families due to drought, loss of crops and soaring food prices. A combination of conflict, Covid-19 and drought could mean that soon millions of Afghans may experience starvation. Women are going hungry to feed their children, as 50 per cent of children under five are facing acute malnutrition and need life-saving treatment.   

New Zealand was part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for the past twenty years. Charity groups, local communities and other organisations say that New Zealand has an obligation to help the Afghan people who remain in their country even though we have left.  

Along with Oxfam Aotearoa the following support this ask: 

  • ActionStation 
  • Afghan Cultural Association of Wellington  
  • Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand  
  • Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand
  • Christian World Service  
  • ChildFund New Zealand
  • Council for International Development
  • Hazara Association of New Zealand  
  • Save The Children New Zealand  
  • Tearfund NZ 
  • United Afghan Association of Canterbury 
  • World Vision New Zealand 

Oxfam Aotearoa, Amnesty International and ActionStation: More support needed urgently for Afghanistan

ActionStation, Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand and Oxfam Aotearoa support the Council of International Development (CID) statement released asking the Government to step up support for Afghanistan communities. The three charities said in a joint statement: 

“We whole heartedly support the statement released today by CID. As we understand, Cabinet is meeting imminently to discuss the next steps of the lives of those left behind in Afghanistan and we encourage the Government to make sure they engage with and listen to the Afghan community in New Zealand as they make decisions. We also join CID in their ask to the government.” 

CID’s statement asks the New Zealand government to play its part, which includes: 

  • At least double aid to Afghanistan to support local organisations 
  • Increase humanitarian aid for surrounding countries taking in refugees now 
  • Welcome at least 1500 Afghan refugees in this year’s current refugee intake, over and above the current Refugee Resettlement Quota, for those at most immediate risk 
  • Expedite visa processing of both Refugee Family Support Category Visa and Critical Purpose Visas for those with a connection to New Zealand 
  • Support the reunification of families

Last month, Canada committed to taking 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan, the UK committed to 20,000, and Australia 3,000 refugees; however, New Zealand has made no such commitments. More than 18 million people in Afghanistan are now dependent on aid. 600,000 people have fled their homes in the last few weeks. 

Recently, Amnesty International, Oxfam Aotearoa and ActionStation handed over a petition to the Minister of Immigration Phil Twyford asking for the safe passage of people in Afghanistan to Aotearoa. The petition gained the support of over 21,000 Kiwis. 

Oxfam Aotearoa and Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade announce partnership

A historic moment for Oxfam Aotearoa and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) as both sign a partnership for a new programme called Kōtui that will support our Pacific neighbours.  

The total $12.4 million investment will help those people who have the least power to get the resources and opportunities they need to keep themselves and their families safe, well and cared for through climate breakdown and extreme weather.   

Anna Mosley, International Portfolio Manager at Oxfam Aotearoa said that the joint initiative will change so many lives for the better, and expressed how proud Oxfam is to be working with civil society organisations across the Pacific and Timor-Leste that have a wealth of experience and deep connections to communities: 

“Our partner organisations in the Pacific will bridge the gap between communities and policy makers, making sure that governments are responsive to those hit hardest by climate change,” said Mosley. “Across the Pacific, women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change because they are more likely to depend on gardening and selling produce rather than formal employment, and because they have less say in decision making and fewer resources.  

“There is international funding available for climate change adaptation, but it’s not always reaching those women who need it most, or meeting their needs. Kōtui will help women to negotiate better access to the resources they need.” 

MFAT’s Partnerships Manager Salli Davidson said about the partnership and the Kōtui programme:  

“We’re excited to be embarking on a new phase of our partnership with Oxfam Aotearoa.  With MFAT’s $9.7m co-investment, together we will make a difference in the lives of women and girls in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu.   

“Within the next five years, we expect they will be more actively involved in local governance so that communities, including the vulnerable and marginalised, are more resilient to climate change. Oxfam Aotearoa’s resources and relationships will help to achieve this.” 

Kōtui will improve women’s access to key adaptation resources – climate finance, land, water, services, information – building sustainable resilience for 238,000 people across Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu. 

Oxfam’s partners in the Pacific and Timor-Leste also expressed their excitement for the programme and partnership: 

Raijeli Nicole, Regional Director at Oxfam in the Pacific said:  

“Our excitement for the Kōtui programme stems from our own experience in partnering with others in building more inclusive, accountable and transformative governance mechanisms that deliver to marginalised groups, particularly women and girls in all their diversity, the promise of full agency and autonomy.  

“We are incredibly excited to be a partner with Oxfam Aotearoa as well as with local NGOs WARA and SICAN in Solomon Islands, and Touching the Untouchables in PNG to implement this programme.”  

Dr Alice Aruheeta Pollard, co-founder of the West ’Are’Are Rokotanikeni Association (WARA), said: 

“We are looking forward to this new partnership with Oxfam. It is a positive step forward that will enable WARA to expand its important work of reaching out to rural communities to empower women and shift norms and expectations around the role of women. Making decisions together will mean that rural families and communities in Solomon Islands are better able to prepare for and cope with king tide/serious high tide and other climate change impacts.”  

Fausto Belo Ximenes, Country Director of Oxfam in Timor-Leste said: 

“We are honoured to be working with MFAT and Oxfam Aotearoa on this very critical and timely programme initiative – Kōtui – that will undoubtedly bring positive changes to the lives of women, girls and other vulnerable groups in Timor-Leste and the Pacific Region as a whole. We believe Kōtui is critical to building our vision of a truly just, inclusive and sustainable Timor-Leste.” 

/ENDS 

 

Notes:

  • What is Kōtui? The te reo Māori word kōtui means the binding together, or interlacing, during weaving. The woven mat represents dialogue and joint problem-solving in Pacific countries and in Timor-Leste. It is an appropriate symbol for a programme focused on inclusive and equitable governance. The term “haere kōtui” describes people walking together arm in arm. This programme seeks to walk together with people across the wider Pacific, binding us together to weave a more resilient future. The purpose of the Kōtui  
  • MFAT will fund $9.7 million of the programme, whereas Oxfam will fundraise the remaining $2.7 million through public donations 
  • Read more about Kōtui here. 
  • Oxfam Aotearoa is a part of the wider Oxfam confederation and works specifically within Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific. Much of the work Oxfam Aotearoa does includes working towards ending gender inequality, tackling climate change in the fight against poverty and inequality, and more recently, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Oxfam helps people build better futures for themselves, hold the powerful accountable, save lives in disasters, and create lasting solutions. 

No one safe until we are all safe: NZ aid agencies call for global action on pandemic

Fourteen leading New Zealand aid agencies have today called on the New Zealand government to step in with immediate humanitarian assistance to save millions of lives in the world’s worst crisis and emergency situations.

The organisations have published a joint statement calling for extra humanitarian funding for people in places less able to fight the coronavirus pandemic, to prevent a catastrophic human toll in conflict areas and developing countries.

Ian McInnes, Council for International Development Chair and Tearfund CEO said: “New Zealand is in the extraordinary position of potentially beating Covid-19, but we can’t stop here. Opening our borders and resuming life as normal requires we now act to support communities far more vulnerable than our own, in countries with far weaker health systems and just as much to lose.”

“The severe challenges responding to the devastation of Cyclone Harold in places like Vanuatu show, right on our doorstep, the double-whammy of a crisis situation with coronavirus. In crises like this, people are living in makeshift shelters, crowded close together, sharing water sources with often hundreds of others, and very basic, or no, health services.”

“Pandemics know no borders, and neither does compassion. We must not leave anyone behind as we fight this virus. The New Zealand government is rightly taking radical action to eradicate it from our nation and support people through these hard times, even as many of us worry about our health and our jobs. Across the world the coronavirus is threatening to set the fight against poverty back by decades, but we can turn the tide by increasing funds for vital humanitarian work, especially through NGOs who know their local communities and have strong relationships with people in need.”

According to the group, millions of lives are at stake in developing countries that have limited resources, weak health systems and high debt levels. Imperial College estimates that without interventions at least 40 million people across the world may die.

As a first step towards New Zealand’s fair share, the letter calls on the government to provide NZ$25million in immediate, additional humanitarian funding as part of an emergency coronavirus response to boost life-saving assistance for people already living in the world’s worst crisis and emergency situations.

Needs were already high before coronavirus hit. Now they are even higher, the agencies say we must provide more resources and not divert support already committed to poor countries. The group asks the New Zealand government to help free up spending for global public health by advocating for the immediate cancellation of all external debt payments due to be made in 2020 by developing country governments, and to protect and maintain existing commitments to aid and climate finance.

The aid agencies are currently responding to the global pandemic in developing countries, partnering with local organisations to provide access to soap and clean water, promote good hygiene, and provide accurate information to communities on how to protect themselves against the virus.

-ends-

Notes to editors:

– Signatories to the open letter include Care, Caritas, CWS, Council for International Development, Engineers Without Borders, FairTrade A/NZ, Family Planning, Hagar New Zealand, Oxfam, Rotary New Zealand, Tearfund, Transparency International New Zealand, UnionAid, World Vision.

  • The new OECD data shows that overall aid spending from 30 OECD members totalled USD 152.8 billion in 2019. This was a 1.4 percent increase from 2018. Rich countries only committed 0.30 percent of their gross national income (GNI) to development aid, down from 0.31 percent in 2018, and well below the 0.7 percent they promised back in 1970. In 2019, just five countries – Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Kingdom – have lived up to this promise. Overall, despite significant need, total humanitarian assistance fell by 2.9 percent in 2019.
  • The proportion of bilateral aid spent in low income countries was up by 0.4 percent.
  • New Zealand gave NZ$46 million in humanitarian assistance in 2018, which was 11 percent of the total aid budget. This was an increase on previous years, placing New Zealand in about the middle of the pack for humanitarian assistance amongst OECD peers.
  • New Zealand gives approximately 0.28% of Gross National Income to overseas aid. The internationally agreed target is 0.7% of GNI to overseas aid.
  • The coronavirus will most likely have a devastating impact in developing countries.
  • With limited resources, high debt levels, massive capital outflows and weak, underfunded and unequal health systems, poor countries are ill-equipped to protect their populations and their economies. Without urgent action, the economic, social and health toll in these countries will be incomparably devastating. The recent Oxfam report ‘Dignity not Destitution’ found that the economic fallout of the pandemic could force half a billion people into poverty unless dramatic action is taken. This could set back the fight against poverty by a decade, and as much as 30 years in some regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa.
  • The United Nations has called for US$2 billion in urgent humanitarian assistance for the people living in the worst crisis situations, to begin to fund the Global Humanitarian Response Plan. UN estimates developing countries need US$500bn in aid to face the Coronavirus. On 30 March 2020, the UN called for a US$2.5 trillion coronavirus crisis package for developing countries. This includes: a US$1 trillion liquidity injections to be made available through the expanded use of special drawing rights; the cancellation of US$1 trillion of debts owed by developing countries this year; and US$500 billion in overseas aid to fund a Marshall Plan for health recovery and dispersed as grants.

Open letter – seeking urgent humanitarian assistance for world’s most vulnerable people

An open letter to the New Zealand Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Finance, from fourteen leading New Zealand international aid agencies.

Dear Prime Minister Ardern, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Peters, and Finance Minister Robertson,

We thank you for the unprecedented steps your government has taken to protect people in New Zealand from the coronavirus and its impacts. Today, we ask that you extend assistance to people in places far less able to withstand this pandemic.

With your inspiring leadership and guidance, here in New Zealand we have accepted the need for radical action to stop the coronavirus and are coping as best we can. Yet, as you know, even with all your government has done to support people through these hard times, people remain worried about their health and their jobs.

Like here, family life has been turned upside down across the world. It’s hard to imagine families crammed into refugee camps in Iraq and Syria, or in the squatter settlements on the outskirts of Port Moresby, living in close quarters, with no clean water close by, no soap, and the knowledge that there will be little help from struggling public health systems.

We’ve all become experts at hand washing and staying at home as we try to stop coronavirus and save lives. It is not easy, but we know how crucial it is to stop the virus. What would it be like trying to do this at a single tap in your part of the refugee camp, that 250 other people also rely on? This is the reality for more than 900,000 people in Cox’s Bazaar refugee camp in Bangladesh.

It is for these people that we ask your government to respond immediately to the unprecedented global coronavirus crisis by doing the following.

  • Provide NZ$25 million in immediate, additional humanitarian funding as part of an emergency coronavirus response to boost life-saving assistance for people already living in the world’s worst crisis and emergency situations.
  • Advocate for the cancellation of all external debt payments due to be made in 2020 by developing country governments.
  • Protect and maintain existing commitments to aid and climate finance.

Coronavirus is anticipated to exact a catastrophic human toll in developing countries. Governments are taking rapid measures to stop the virus’s spread, but with limited resources, high debt levels, and weak health systems, they struggle to protect their citizens and economies. Imperial College estimates that without interventions at least 40 million people across the world may die.

The coronavirus has spread to every corner of the globe, but so can our compassion. We request that New Zealand contribute to the collective pandemic response: no one is safe until we are all safe, and New Zealand is in a position to help.

Yours sincerely,

  • Care
  • Caritas
  • CWS
  • Council for International Development
  • Engineers Without Borders
  • FairTrade A/NZ
  • Family Planning
  • Hagar New Zealand
  • Oxfam
  • Rotary New Zealand
  • Tearfund
  • Transparency International New Zealand
  • UnionAid
  • World Vision.

 

Minister Peters encouraged to keep turning the dial on aid

In response to the New Zealand Government’s Budget announcement today, which included slightly more than the anticipated increase in spending towards aid, Jo Spratt, Oxfam New Zealand’s Advocacy and Campaigns Director said:

“We didn’t expect a significant increase in this year’s government aid budget. We’re pleased there was a small increase of about $30 million dollars, and similar increases in future years. This is a great start and we welcome this positive trend. But we need to do more.

“Currently, for every dollar of government spending, less than one cent goes to help countries eradicate poverty and inequality. That’s not enough if we are to meaningfully support partner governments with the development challenges they face,” Spratt said.

“Minister Peters agrees we need to give more and we recognise his efforts to go some way to fixing this. Our aid currently sits at about 0.27 percent of Gross National Income, putting us below many of our OECD peers and way off the 0.7 percent of GNI that we have said we will provide. Last year Minister Peters said he wanted 0.35 percent by 2024. Now we need to see a clear timeframe for a considered, step-by-step approach to meeting this interim target.

“Development challenges are significant for countries that receive our government aid both in the Pacific and beyond. The World Bank estimates that in the coming decades many of our Pacific neighbours will struggle to find the government revenue to provide for the human development needs of their people.

“Aid can’t transform entire economies, but spent well, it can support governments to educate their people, provide health services, build and maintain important infrastructure, and respond to climate breakdown.

“Developing countries are increasingly facing the brunt of climate destruction – which they on the whole did not cause. Factor this in and it is evident we need to be increasing funding if we are to match our words with actions.”

Last year, the New Zealand Government announced it was increasing its support for climate action up to $75 million annually for the next four years. But while the move was a welcome start, it is not nearly enough, Spratt said.

“Wealthy countries, including New Zealand, have committed to providing US$100 billion by 2020 so that developing countries can protect themselves from climate destruction. After factoring in creative accounting – which Oxfam has calculated brings the running tally to just US$21 billion so far – New Zealand’s $75 million a year is a woeful contribution to this pool of funds.”

Spratt said recent shifts in the focus of New Zealand government aid towards crucial areas like good governance, women’s empowerment and young people were a step in the right direction. However, more funds are needed, especially to help Pacific communities adapt to the effects of climate breakdown.

“Time and time again, Kiwis say they want their aid to be spent on making sure nobody has to suffer the indignities of poverty. We still have some way to go before we are contributing enough to make this achievable goal a reality.”

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Oxfam is a worldwide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against injustice. Oxfam Aotearoa is a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Register (registration CC24641). Donations are tax refundable.

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