Humanitarian response

Scotland has a long history of responding to humanitarian crises around the world.

We established the Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) in 2017 – £1 million per annum - to respond to humanitarian emergencies, and to ensure that this funding is used effectively and transparently.

Funds from the HEF are allocated to crises that meet a range of criteria, based on recommendations from the HEF Panel. The panel is made up of representatives from humanitarian aid organisations based in Scotland: British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Save the Children, SCIAF and Tearfund.  

The HEF Panel meets regularly to assess global crises and advise on how our funding would have the greatest impact. We have appointed the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) secretariat to support the HEF Panel.

In early 2025, our approach to humanitarian emergency funding will be reviewed by an independent consultant. The report will be published on this website.

Humanitarian Emergency Fund: annual report 2023-2024

HEF annual report video

Responses to recent humanitarian crises

The HEF has helped save and rebuild lives in 24 countries since it was established in 2017.

This is a list of where humanitarian support has been allocated recently following recommendations from the HEF Panel:

Sudan and neighbouring countries: In December 2024, £375,000 was pledged to alleviate suffering in conflict-torn Sudan and neighbouring countries. The funding empowered trusted charity partners Christian Aid, Tearfund and Islamic Relief to deliver life-saving assistance in Sudan, South Sudan and neighbouring Chad.
Middle East: In October 2024, we awarded £250,000 to support humanitarian aid efforts in the Middle East. £200,000 contributed to a fund shared between the Disaster Emergency Committee’s 15 member organisations helping to provide food, water, medical assistance and shelter to displaced people in the region. SCIAF and Mercy Corps each received £25,000 to support aid activities
Southern Africa: In October 2024, we provided £175,000 each to SCIAF and Christian Aid to help drought-affected communities in Zambia and Zimbabwe meet their immediate basic needs, including food and safe drinking water
Kenya: In June 2024, the Cabinet Secretary announced funding of £125,000 each to Oxfam and Islamic Relief to support those affected by the severe flooding in Kenya
Malawi: In early 2024, we awarded £500,000 in response to the food crisis in Malawi. Following an expedited peer review process and Ministerial approval, we awarded £250,000 each to SCIAF and to Christian Aid.
Zambia: In March 2024, we awarded £500,000 to respond to the cholera outbreak in Zambia. The funds were granted directly to the British Red Cross as they are the partner of choice for the Government of Zambia and had a live appeal running.
Libya: In December 2023, we awarded £125,000 each to British Red Cross (BRC) and Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) in response to the devasting effects of Storm Daniel which hit north-eastern Libya
Afghanistan: In November 2023, we awarded £125,000 each to Christian Aid and SCIAF after the Herat province of Afghanistan following a series of earthquakes
Sudan: In April 2023, a violent power struggle broke out in Sudan’s capital city, Khartoum. We awarded £125k each to Oxfam and British Red Cross to meet their immediate food and other basic needs through cash transfers alongside access to safe water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH), emergency shelter and life-saving medical supplies

Additional humanitarian funding: responding to Gaza and other crises

In 2023 and 2024, we provided funding for humanitarian support separately from the £1 million per year HEF funding. This included:

£750,000 in aid as a result of the conflict in Gaza, spent through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA)
£5.3 million to Ukraine following the Russian invasion
£1.25 million for flooding in Pakistan (in addition to £250,000 from the HEF)
£800,000 for Storms Ana and Freddy in Malawi
£500,000 for earthquakes in Türkiye-Syria

Background

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) defines a humanitarian crisis as ‘a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people’.

With the climate crisis accelerating, often in combination with other conflicts, the number of people around the world who are in acute hunger or without a safe home is at record levels.
As part of our broader humanitarian commitment, we also support the Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship Programme, the current phase of which is due to end in October 2024.

Later in 2024, we will announce the winners of the competitive Call for Proposals for the Scottish Peace Platform.

If - as an individual, a business or organisation - you would like to contribute directly to humanitarian responses, please take a look at the Ready Scotland website, which has a range of resources and guidance.

International development