Aid agency commits to reaching 20 per cent of vulnerable children during conflict and natural disasters

• World Vision commits to reaching 20 per cent of vulnerable children when responding to conflict and natural disasters.
• US$500 million will be spent on health, nutrition and WASH in relief and fragile settings by the year 2020 as part of World Vision’s existing US$3 billion pledge to Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health
• Up to 20 per cent of World Vision development funding will be rapidly re-allocated to respond to emergencies and protect development gains.

Monday, May 23rd 2016 – World Vision will reach 20 per cent of vulnerable children when it responds to conflict and natural disasters, to protect the next generation, says the international aid agency.

World Vision International President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Jenkins made the commitment during the World Humanitarian Summit’s High Level Roundtable From Delivering Aid to Ending Need.

World Vision will spend US$500 million on health, nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in relief and fragile settings by the year 2020.

“This is part of our three billion dollar commitment to the Global Strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health,” Mr Jenkins said.

“World Vision will rapidly re-allocate up to 20 per cent of our development funding to respond to emergencies and protect development gains.”

Additionally, World Vision will employ innovative digital payment and identification systems for cash delivery, and build on existing safety nets to strengthen social protection systems.

“We will share data and analysis tools and build multi-stakeholder partnerships with civil society, the private sector and others to foster more innovative solutions to crisis,” Mr Jenkins stated.

Moderated by Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Jan Eliasson, the roundtable saw speakers representing countries from across the globe. In addition to World Vision, commitments were made by a number of global organisations, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, African Development Solutions, World Bank Group and European Investment Bank.

At the beginning of his remarks, Mr Jenkins said the Summit should “mark the moment when we stop thinking of relief and development as a sequence”.

“Together, let’s find new ways to comprehensively reduce vulnerability while meeting pressing humanitarian needs,” he said.

“Peace is essential if we are to succeed.”

Mr Jenkins reiterated World Vision’s commitment toward eliminating conflict and fragility as a threat to development. He said the international aid agency would continue to advocate for unequivocal respect for International Humanitarian Law.

“We commit to work with children and youth, faith communities and civil society to support dialogue and conflict prevention,” he said.  

World Vision also urged organisations to adopt the Core Humanitarian Standard. The Standard includes nine commitments for use in a humanitarian response to improve the quality and effectiveness of assistance by organisations and individuals. World Vision will carry out a self-assessment against this standard by the end of 2017.

“The aim is to make humanitarian response more effective and responsive – a goal I know everyone here shares,” Mr Jenkins said.

The World Humanitarian Summit is being held in Istanbul from May 23rd to May 24th.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• For more information please contact Tanya Penny – Director Global Humanitarian Communications from World Vision on +971 50 550 5803 or tanya_penny@wvi.org.
• Follow @wv_humanitarian on Twitter for more news and updates.
• World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. For more information, visit http://wvi.org/disaster-management/media-centre