HUMANITARIAN aid organisations and charities across Australia, such as World Vision, CARE, and UNICEF, have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have begun launching appeals to help innocent Ukrainian civilians caught up in the deadly conflict.
CARE Australia has launched a fundraising appeal to support those in need with food and other necessities.
They will be supporting local partners in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to distribute food, water, hygiene kits and money for essential supplies.
After eight years of conflict, Ukraine’s humanitarian needs are already significant, with nearly 3 million people needing humanitarian support.
“Tragically, we can expect to see civilian casualties, mass displacement, the destruction of homes, livelihoods, and infrastructure.
“Not to mention the fear and uncertainty people across the country face every minute that violence continues,” CARE Australia CEO, Mr Peter Walton, said.
VISIT care.org.au/ukraine to make a tax-deductible donation.
UNICEF’s Executive Director, Ms Catherine Russell, says UNICEF is working across eastern Ukraine to scale up life-saving programs for children.
“UNICEF is deeply concerned that intensifying hostilities in Ukraine pose an immediate threat to 7.5 million children,” Ms Russell said.
“Unless the fighting subsides, tens of thousands of families could be forcibly displaced, dramatically escalating humanitarian needs.
“UNICEF is trucking safe water to conflict-affected areas; prepositioning health, hygiene and emergency education supplies as close as possible to communities near the line of contact; and working with municipalities to ensure immediate help for children and families in need,” Ms Russell added.
“The children of Ukraine need peace, desperately, now.”
VISIT www.unicef.org.au/appeals/ukraine-emergency-appeal to make a tax-deductible donation.
World Vision Australia has been gearing up to deal with a mass displacement of Ukrainians escaping the conflict over recent weeks.
The Ukraine Government has estimated that the conflict could force three to five million people to flee their homes.
World Vision Australia CEO, Mr Daniel Wordsworth, said the charity was ready to respond and support Ukrainians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries.
“This has the potential to be Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War Two,” Mr Wordsworth said.
“We are equipped and ready to respond through our office in Romania in the expectation that children and their families will be forced from their homes in Ukraine and need emergency assistance.”
Mr Wordsworth said that Ukraine was already in a dire humanitarian situation after almost eight years of conflict that had claimed 13,000 lives (3400 civilians), displaced more than 850,000 people, and led to nearly three million needing humanitarian assistance.
“People everywhere are sick and tired of brutes and bullies ruling the world and fuelling situations like this,” Mr Wordsworth added.
“It’s heartbreaking that countless children will bear the brunt of this conflict, forced from their homes and schools, as they flee in search of safety and facing the prospect of long-lasting trauma,” he added.
“We’re asking the Australian people to join with us in coming to the aid of a country already ravaged by conflict and uncertainty and facing the prospect of a disastrous humanitarian crisis.”
VISIT www.worldvision.com.au/global-issues/world-emergencies/ukraine-appeal for a tax-deductible donation.
CONSERVATIONISTS and The Bob Brown Foundation is calling on UNESCO to strip Russia of its role as chair and host of the World Heritage Committee in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations whose mission is to promote world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences, and culture.
Currently, the meeting will take place in the Russian city of Kazan in June.
“Russia has forfeited the right to chair and host this year’s meeting of the World Heritage Committee,” The Bob Brown Foundation spokesperson, Mr Geoff Law, said.
“President Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine violates UNESCO’s mission to foster peace through science, culture, and education.
“It’s no longer appropriate for people who subscribe to the peaceable objectives of UNESCO to travel to a country whose leadership is carrying out an unprovoked war of aggression.”
Ryan Fritz
Ryan Fritz started The Advocate in 2014 to provide not-for-profits and charities another media platform to tell their worthwhile hard news stories and opinion pieces effortlessly. In 2020, Ryan formed a team of volunteer journalists to help spread even more high-quality stories from the third sector. He also has over 10 years experience as a media and communications professional for not-for-profits and charities and currently works at Redkite, a childhood cancer charity.
