By Caelin Briggs, Senior Policy Advisor on conflict and displacement. At the start of this year, an estimated 13.1 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There was one other country that recorded the same number of people in need: Syria. But while the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) provided more than $50 million to the Syria humanitarian appeals in the past five years, it has given less than $5 million to the DRC humanitarian appeals over the same period.
Opinion Pieces, Africa
ALP elders have called on their party to restore humanitarian aid ahead of the ALP conference next week. They lamented the damage aid decline has done to Australia’s international reputation — and they are right to do so.
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Foreign Aid, Tim Costello, Australian Government, World Vision
Australia is a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child. It is designed to protect children before they suffer lifelong damage - the sort of damage Australia has inflicted on the refugee children trapped on Nauru.
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Children's Rights, Human Rights, Claire Rogers
The Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru brought attention to the refugee children stuck in limbo on their island prison - some for five years. These children and their families need true leadership from Australia's politicians to end their suffering.
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Children's Rights, World Vision, Refugees, Claire Rogers
Mosul's two million past and current residents still need our help. We owe it to children like Omar and Ahmed to not forget them.
Opinion Pieces, Middle East, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Humanitarian, Iraq, Child literacy
We've made great progress reducing the number of malaria cases. But recently we’ve taken our foot off the pedal. Still, a child dies from malaria every two minutes. This week’s Malaria World Congress could not come soon enough.
Opinion Pieces, Tim Costello, Malaria, Child Deaths, World Vision, Child Health
When you you know small enterprises account for 60-70 per cent of total global employment and 50 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, it makes sense why small businesses and the markets they comprise affect everyone.
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and Carribean, Middle East, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, World Vision, Microfinance, Farmers
"To see a World in a grain of sand, And a Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour." – Auguries of Innocence
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, World Refugee Day, World Vision, Refugees, World Food Program
We have little to be proud of in our treatment of refugees. We need to honestly shine a light on our country's shame.
Opinion Pieces, Foreign Aid, Refugee Crisis, Refugee Camp, Refugees, Claire Rogers
The Government's agreement to fund the undersea cable between Australia and the Solomon Islands demonstrates that the importance and effectiveness of development assistance generally is now dawning on more minds in Canberra.
Opinion Pieces, Asia and the Pacific, Foreign Aid, Tim Costello, Solomon Islands