Tag: emergency supplies

UK provides further humanitarian aid focused on most vulnerable in Ukraine

  • £45 million in UK funding confirmed for UN and humanitarian organisations working in Ukraine and the region
  • Support will protect the most vulnerable, including women and children, both in Ukraine and fleeing the conflict
  • Further UK medical equipment, food and other urgent lifesaving aid to be delivered in coming weeks

A package of UK support will help reach the most vulnerable people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss announced today.

United Nations (UN) agencies and charities working on the ground to provide care, support and protection for those in Ukraine and at its borders will receive £45 million in UK funding, as part of a wider package of support.

Nearly 16 million people are reported to be in need of humanitarian assistance within Ukraine. Over five million refugees have arrived in European countries since the conflict started, making it the fastest-growing refugee crisis since the Second World War.

Women and children are particularly vulnerable to abuse and harm. Of the £45 million, £15 million will go to the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF), to provide immediate life-saving assistance and help tackle sexual and gender-based violence through targeted services, legal support and crisis accommodation.

A further £15m will go to UNICEF, the UN children’s agency, to fund vital services like nutrition for pregnant women and mental health support for children.

The Foreign Secretary is also announcing today that the UK will provide further deliveries of medical supplies, on top of more than five million items already delivered, including wound care packs to treat over 220,000 patients and around 380,000 packs of medicine.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Britain has stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of Ukraine throughout this conflict. As one of the largest humanitarian donors we will continue to make sure those bearing the brunt of Putin’s vile war have the lifesaving aid they need.

“British aid is supporting the most vulnerable in Ukraine, particularly women and children, who are facing increased risk of sexual violence and exploitation.”

These latest allocations mean the UK’s full £220 million package of support has now been committed to governments and partners to deliver support in Ukraine and the surrounding region.

Following a request from the Government of Ukraine, the UK has already committed up to £2 million in vital food supplies like dried food, tinned goods and water to areas of Ukraine encircled by Russian forces. Seventeen trucks of food with over 50,000kg of pasta, 10,000kg of rice, 60,000 tins of corned beef and over 80,000 litres of water have already been delivered.

The UK has already tripled its humanitarian support to Poland, providing £30 million to ensure vital supplies reach those in need, both inside Ukraine and those fleeing the conflict.

We are also playing a critical role providing expert assistance to countries bordering Ukraine. The UK is deploying a specialist team to Poland to assist the Ukrainian government with gathering evidence and prosecuting war crimes, including experts in conflict-related sexual violence.

Martin Griffiths, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said: “The war in Ukraine has caused immense human suffering and as always, the highest price is paid by civilians.

“This generous contribution from the United Kingdom will enable the UN’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund to scale up the delivery of fast, effective and life-saving aid to people who are caught up in this unfolding nightmare.

“Managed in-country, the Fund is uniquely positioned to support partners, including front-line local and national NGOs, providing an agile response to the fast changing needs on the ground.”

Scotmid among UK’s retail co-ops providing over £100,000 of support to the India Covid crisis

Scottish convenience retailer, Scotmid, has joined nine other retail co-ops across the UK to provide much needed emergency supplies to co-ops and communities in India during the Covid crisis.

The announcement comes on International Day of Co-ops (Saturday 3 July 2021).

Over £100,000 was donated via the Self Employed Woman’s Association (SEWA), the Co-operative Federation in India which works with 106 women’s co-ops, enabling them to provide a sustainable livelihood for female workers.

The support from the retail societies allowed SEWA to provide essential basic supplies through their female networks, including masks and paracetamol, critical supplies including oxygen, and supporting Indian co-ops to restart their businesses after lockdown.

Established in 1972 SEWA currently has 1.8 million members, across 18 states in the country.

Mirai Chatterjee, Chairperson, SEWA Cooperative Federation said: “We would like to thank you for the solidarity of the co-operative spirit in action. We are very happy to be your partners in the rebuild.

“The situation in India is thankfully slowly improving and we are seeing a reduction in cases in the urban areas, although we are less sure about the rural areas as the data is sparse.

“Our country is now slowly coming out of the health emergency, but we are now staring in the face of a huge livelihood and humanitarian crisis. Workers and families have been busy with the health emergency but now they are extremely anxious about how they can restore their livelihoods and that’s where your contribution and your support to us has been critical.”

During the crisis period, 4,000 household health kits were prepared by the Indian co-operatives that form part of SEWA. These included masks made by an artisan co-operative and soap and immune boosters produced by a health co-operative distributed across eight states across India.

Crucially they also provided lifesaving information about the symptoms and spread of Covid to families in rural and low income urban areas – to dispel myths and provide accurate health information.

The support from the UK retail societies will support seven Indian co-operatives to restart their businesses, buying raw materials and re-establish market links. SEWA also used this substantial donation as a bargaining tool to leverage support from corporate donors, securing additional funds for women farmers and a catering co-operative in this way.

The emergency response was co-ordinated by Co-operatives UK and the Co-operative College, who worked together as part of the International Working Group to collect and co-ordinate the donations from The Co-op Group, Midcounties Co-op, Central England Co-op, Scotmid, Lincolnshire Co-op, Southern Co-op, East of England Co-op, Channel Islands Co-op, Chelmsford Star Co-op, Heart of England Co-op and Co-op News.

Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK said: “This is true co-operation in action, with some of the largest co-ops in the UK collaborating to provide financial support and solidarity to co-ops on the other side of the world.

“Our global co-operative movement is based on values and principles that are as strong today as they ever were. It’s fitting that we are sharing news of the impact of this donation on International Day of Co-operatives, which has a theme of Rebuild Better Together, which is exactly what this support will help to do.

“The response from the co-operative community was really quite phenomenal and it meant that we were able to get funds directly through this female network of co-operators to provide support on the ground, where it was needed, at speed with minimal red tape or admin fees,” she added.

John Brodie, CEO of Scotmid, said: “This worthwhile initiative, which came through the co-operative national buying group, demonstrates the strength of co-operation.

“We’re pleased to see this donation is having an impact on the ground in India, helping co-ops to restart their businesses after the lockdowns.

“Working with SEWA as our overseas partner, we can ensure we are truly collaborating with co-ops in India. It’s not just handouts, its sustainable support through solidarity and self responsibility.”

Sarah Alldred from the Co-operative College said: “One of the aims of the International Working Group is to be able to respond quickly to international crises. It is made up of representatives from co-ops across the UK who want to keep links to the global movement alive and well.

“And it’s not just emergency response, we’re proactively working towards the UN sustainable development goals too, to help create a better world through co-operation.”

On advising the ICA President of the UK’s response to the India crisis Ariel Guarco, President, International Co-operative Alliance said: “The whole world is suffering the scourge of the pandemic. However, your effort to cooperate with those who are most affected at this time is extremely valuable and necessary.

“This expresses the co-operative values and principles in action and shows us that the only way to get out together from the health, social and economic crisis that we are going through on a global scale is through solidarity, mutual aid and co-operation.” 

Watch a video from SEWA explaining the impact of the support in India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-0DYEydtjw

Flight from China delivers vital NHS supplies to Scotland

A charter flight carrying essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and NHS supplies has landed in Scotland.

The cargo which included around 10 million face masks as well as infusion pumps for Intensive Care Units and virus collecting kits for use in health laboratories, landed at Glasgow Prestwick Airport from China on Saturday morning.

Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation Ivan McKee said: “Scotland’s health and social care system is facing unprecedented demand.

“Protecting staff working on the frontline is an absolute priority which is why we have been working at pace with the NHS and manufacturers both in Scotland and internationally to improve and increase the supply of PPE.

“This charter flight, carrying additional equipment ordered by the Scottish Government, is significant and we will be focusing the distribution of these supplies to health and social care settings over the coming days.

“In these incredibly challenging times the Scottish Government will continue to do all it can to make health and social care staff feel as safe as possible in their workplace.”

Jim Miller, Director of Procurement, Commissioning and Facilities at NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), said: “This delivery is the result of a painstaking collective effort involving multiple partners working together to provide our NHS and social care colleagues with the PPE they need to keep them safe.

“Together with supply partners and Scottish Government, NSS continues to work 24/7 to source and supply the PPE that Scotland needs to fight COVID-19.”