Humanitarian Emergency Fund

The Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund is distributing £300,000 to help support people left homeless following floods that ravaged South Asia.

Severe monsoon rains have affected 40 million people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. More than 1,200 people are known to have died.

Tens of thousands of homes, as well as schools and hospitals, have been destroyed leaving people displaced and in urgent need of life-saving support.

International Development Minister Alasdair Allan said:

“We will do all we can to respond to global humanitarian challenges, such as the devastating floods in South Asia, and provide immediate assistance to people suffering as a result of disasters, disease or conflict.

“The Humanitarian Emergency Fund highlights Scotland’s role as a responsible global citizen. The expert panel that recommends how the fund is distributed brings together representatives from leading aid agencies across Scotland to work collaboratively.”

Background

The £1 million Humanitarian Emergency Fund, launched in April 2017, is intended to provide immediate, life-saving aid in the aftermath of a crisis.

An expert panel, made up of eight leading humanitarian aid organisations in Scotland, has been established to make recommendations on how it should be distributed: Tearfund, Oxfam, Save the Children, British Red Cross, SCIAF, Mercy Corps, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Christian Aid.