More support needed for local humanitarian actors in disaster response: IFRC

A new report by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned on Thursday that though playing a crucial role in carrying out humanitarian operations, local actors often lack both the funding and support they need to operate.

Entitled the 2015 World Disaster Report, the findings show that out of the total funding allocated to international, regional, national and local NGOs between 2010 and 2014, only 1.6 percent went towards those qualified as national or local.

Calling for a shift towards the localization of aid, the report supports the creation of a more equal partnership between international and local actors.

"Local actors are always the first to respond. In 2015, we saw local people and organizations at the centre of operations rescuing thousands trapped in the rubble after the earthquake in Nepal, setting up evacuation centers in the wake of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, and on the frontline of the protracted conflict in Syria," said IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy.

Though the number of natural disasters was the lowest of a decade in 2014, figures show that 317 natural disasters, affecting 94 countries, were recorded last year.

Statistics show that 87 percent of disasters in 2014 were climate-related, while floods and landslides accounted for 49 percent of all natural disasters last year, causing 63 percent of disaster-related deaths and impacting 34 percent of the total number of people affected by disasters.

Though 8,186 disaster-related deaths were recorded last year, the report indicated that the mortality level was almost 90 percent lower than the decade average and the lowest since 1986 (7,303 disaster related deaths worldwide). Enditem