Contribution to international development: report 2021 to 2023

9. Humanitarian Emergency Responses

This reporting period has seen the world become increasingly unsafe for vulnerable communities. Armed conflict returned to Europe when Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, and we are continuing to witness the horrific aftermath of Hamas’ abhorrent attack on Israel and subsequent humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Climatic disasters, disproportionately affecting those who have done the least to cause climate change, have led to the large-scale loss of life and livelihood with floods in Pakistan, and tropical storms across south and central Africa. Devastating earthquakes in Türkiye, Syria and Afghanistan have caused significant damage.

These diverse crises have placed immense strain on vulnerable communities across the globe, causing widespread hunger, mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and the spread of disease.^[30]

In 2017, the Scottish Government established the £1 million per annum Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) to respond to humanitarian emergencies. It comprises an expert panel with representatives from eight leading humanitarian aid organisations based in Scotland; British Red Cross, Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Save the Children, SCIAF, and Tearfund. Funds from the HEF are allocated to crises that meet a range of criteria, based on recommendations from the HEF Panel, supported by the HEF Secretariat which is administered by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).

The aim of the HEF is to provide immediate and effective assistance to reduce the threat to life and wellbeing caused by disasters, disease or conflict. The HEF additionally works to build public awareness in Scotland of humanitarian crises while enhancing transparency and predictability of the Scottish Government’s emergency funding.

9.1 ODA Spend Projects: Humanitarian Emergency Fund

In this reporting period the Scottish Government have provided a total of £10.9 million in humanitarian funding in support of 39 projects and appeals across 15 countries.

During 2021/23 the Humanitarian Emergency Funding has contributed to:

Afghanistan Hunger Crisis

At the end of 2021, families across Afghanistan were experiencing unprecedented levels of hunger and malnutrition due to the combined effects of economic collapse through continuing conflict and the worst drought in living memory, as well as COVID-19. The UN warned that 22 million people, including young children, were in crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity^[31].

In response, the Scottish Government provided £192,000 in funding for the DEC Appeal. The DEC’s Afghanistan Crisis Appeal raised £51.8 million from the UK public and other donors. The majority of the funds have been used to provide cash to households; supply families with packages of essential food and household kits containing cooking equipment and fuel for cooking; support vulnerable families to stay warm during the harsh winter months by providing warm clothes and cash to buy blankets and heating supplies; improve access to health services by setting up mobile health units and providing mother and child healthcare and mental health and psychosocial support; and provide families with improved access to safe water and with hygiene support.

In December 2021, £360,000 was distributed through Christian Aid and Islamic Relief in a joint project and Tearfund. Christian Aid and Islamic Relief worked to improve food security for nearly 10,000 vulnerable people, with pregnant and breastfeeding women and malnourished children under five prioritised for special food packages. In addition, 1,285 households were given hygiene kits to help protect communities from COVID-19 and other water-borne diseases. Tearfund’s 4-month project supported over 19,000 people from 2,500 internally displaced households with food relief packages that provided them with sufficient food to meet their immediate needs. In addition, the households were given hygiene supplies such as soap, toothpaste and face masks as well as blankets to help keep them warm through the harsh Afghanistan winter.

A further £48,000 was released to SCIAF to support extremely vulnerable families to buy basic food and critical farming inputs, such as fodder or seeds, in order to meet their nutritional needs and minimise negative coping strategies, such as reducing meals, selling off productive assets or emigration.

Horn of Africa Hunger Crisis

The driest conditions in 40 years and an unprecedented four consecutive droughts led to a food security crisis in the Horn of Africa in May 2022 as more than 36 million faced hunger and the risk of starvation. In response, the Scottish Government provided £250,000 in funding via the HEF for Christian Aid and Islamic Relief.

This additional HEF funding came at a critical time, allowing Christian Aid to deliver an emergency cash distribution programme in the Dasenach and Gnangtom districts, supporting 629 households (4,161 people) to buy food and other essential items. Cash was also distributed to 300 young children as well as 300 pregnant and lactating women which led to a significant reduction in malnutrition and training was delivered to 27 community and health workers, giving them better skills to help prevent sexual abuse and exploitation and how to refer to wider protection and psychological services.

Funding of £125,000 for Islamic Relief supported their delivery of unconditional cash transfers for targeted households with a focus on the most vulnerable families, those led by women or disabled people. The same households were also supplied with clean safe water delivered by water trucks for two months along with hygiene kits that included soap, detergents, containers and water purification tablets. This was accompanied by hygiene awareness sessions including booklets and posters with key messages about prevention of water-borne diseases.

Libya Floods

5,923 people were reported to have died in floods after Storm Daniel struck north-eastern Libya on 5 September 2023. At least 44,000 people were displaced, 7,000 families stranded and around 9,000 people remain missing^[32].

The storm affected major population centres with massive flooding, and roads and other vital transportation arteries blocked. Houses, public institutions, power networks, communication networks, water systems and sewage systems were all destroyed, amplifying concerns about transmission of waterborne illnesses.

The Scottish Government provided £125,000 each to Islamic Relief and British Red Cross. This funding contributed to the resumption of essential primary health care, provided free of charge by Libyan Red Crescent Society and a one-off distribution of essential medical supplies and commodities to provide medical treatment for 10,000 people. In addition, 1,500 flood-affected households had enhanced food security with access to essential nutrition for one month through the provision of food kits to 7,500 flood-affected individuals.

9.2 ODA Spend Projects: Climate Justice Loss and Damage Funding through the HEF Panel

In December 2023, the Scottish Government announced a pilot programme to test the HEF Panel as a mechanism for disbursing Loss and Damage funding. An additional £1 million Loss and Damage HEF Funding round (funded from the Climate Justice Fund) supports the delivery of gender responsive work in climate-impacted communities. The projects are being delivered in partnership with Tearfund in Pakistan, Oxfam in Kenya, Christian Aid in Ethiopia, and SCIAF in Zambia.

Speaking at COP28, Net Zero Secretary Màiri McAllan said:

“I am pleased to announce that four projects, in Pakistan, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia, have been selected to address loss and damage through Scotland’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund as part of a £1 million programme of work announced at New York Climate Week earlier this year.

“It is the first time, that we know of, that loss and damage funding has been dispersed through a humanitarian framework in this way.

“These projects will address the disproportionate impact of climate change on women and marginalised groups, and local communities will be involved in each step of project design and delivery.

“We hope that this will provide valuable learning and will support a growing evidence- base to inform the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP discussions.”

9.3 ODA Spend Projects: Additional Humanitarian Funding

Response to Russia’s Illegal Invasion of Ukraine

On 24 February 2022, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated to a full-scale invasion as Russian troops crossed the border. The ground assault and accompanying artillery bombardment of civilian and military targets led to widespread loss of life, damage to essential infrastructure such as hospitals and power stations, and the fastest growing displacement crisis in Europe since World War Two with millions fleeing their homes. Scotland continues to be vocal in its condemnation of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and is shocked and appalled at the violence and humanitarian crisis this has caused.

The speed, scale and severity of the ongoing crisis prompted the Scottish Government to rapidly announce the release of funds in support of the people of Ukraine. In total, over £5 million in humanitarian aid has been funded by the Scottish Government to help provide basic humanitarian assistance, including in health, water and sanitation, and shelter for those fleeing Ukraine to neighbouring countries. This included an immediate response in March 2022 of £4 million. Of this, we contributed £2 million to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal; £500,000 to each of British Red Cross and SCIAF; and £1 million to UNICEF to support work providing life-saving services and support families, including children with disabilities. This was from additional Scottish Government funding given the scale of humanitarian need.

UNICEF's response included the creation of UNICEF-UNHCR Blue Dots (child and family protection hubs) in countries receiving refugees from Ukraine, which served 741,157 people in 2022 (including 241,915 children) by providing children with a safe place to play and their families with information, referrals and protection. The Scottish Government’s grant was the equivalent of funding 7 Blue Dot Hubs which could provide a safe space for up to 35,000 children and families each day.

In addition to this financial support for Ukraine, in March 2022 the Scottish Government also sent five consignments of medical supplies to Poland for onward transport to Ukraine, totalling 156 pallets worth almost £3 million.^[33]

In September 2022, an additional £300,000 of funding was committed to Scottish-based demining charity the HALO Trust, from the IDF, over two financial years.^[34] As well as saving lives, the work to be carried out by The HALO Trust would improve food security, in Ukraine and in the Global South, by enabling famers to safely farm their land again^[35].

In February 2023, we committed to provide a further £1 million in support of Ukraine, split between four of our Humanitarian Emergency Fund Panel members, the British Red Cross, SCIAF and Christian Aid, focusing on cold weather resilience and recovery. This additional funding came from the IDF, given the ongoing scale of humanitarian need at this time.

Providing support and sanctuary to the people of Ukraine will continue to be a priority for Scotland.

Response to Tropical Storms Freddy and Ana in Malawi

In 2022, Tropical Storms Freddy and Ana caused disease, devasting damage to infrastructure, and loss of life across Malawi^[36]. The Scottish Government, in solidarity with our valued partners in Malawi, provided a total of £1.2 million to support the delivery of food, shelter and improved access to water, sanitation and healthcare.

In March 2022, £400,000 was awarded to the British Red Cross to support those who had been displaced by severe flooding as a result of Tropical Storm Ana. The response included distribution of food items and essential non-food items like related to shelter, WASH, health, and protection issues, including tents, blankets, soap, and hygiene kits as well as camp management for displaced families. The funding has also contributed to multi-purpose cash transfers, efforts to contain a cholera outbreak and in due course will help families rebuild their homes, livelihoods and community infrastructure combining a longer-term community-based disaster risk reduction approach.

In April 2023, £200,000 each awarded to Save the Children and SCIAF to provide essential food, shelter and healthcare in the wake of Storm Freddy. A further £400,000 was provided from the Climate Justice Fund.

Pakistan Floods

Between June and August 2022, heavy rains and flooding caused a major disaster in Pakistan. According to the National Disaster Management Authority, around 33 million people, or one in seven, were affected by the floods, including nearly 8 people million who were displaced. The floods resulted in over 1,700 deaths, with a third of those being children. The floods also caused enormous damage to infrastructure, submerging villages under flood water and destroying livelihoods^[37].

With the country facing its biggest flood disaster ever, the Government of Pakistan requested support from the international community. Funds from the HEF and CJF both contributed to a total of £1 million in support of the Government of Pakistan’s emergency response. Scottish Government funding provided vital food packages, clean drinking water, shelter and essential household items, and mobile health clinics.

''In 2022 a devastating flood wreaked havoc with the lives and property of 33 million Pakistanis. Approximately one-third of Pakistan was inundated with floods for months. Pakistan deeply values Scottish assistance for the flood affectees during this natural calamity.'' Summar Javed, Consul General of Pakistan, Glasgow

Response to Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

In response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza the Scottish Government provided a total of £750,000 in funding from the IDF to support displaced people in Gaza access urgently needed food, water, shelter and medical supplies. Funding in support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) Flash Appeal was made from the IDF in November 2023.

UNRWA was initially selected as the only organisation with the operational capacity for providing aid at scale in Gaza, and remained the organisation best placed to make most effective use of unrestricted aid in the Gaza Strip.