Caritas partners report Gaza’s children now sleep among rats and disease

Caritas Australia’s partners are responding to the devastating floods in Pakistan that have left a trail of destruction across the country, claiming the lives of more than 1,100 people.

After a remarkable career of 30 years, Caritas Australia is saying farewell to Sothy Lay, Caritas Australia’s Country Representative in Cambodia. 

To commence its annual Women for the World campaign, Caritas Australia yesterday held an event to celebrate and honour women as leaders across the world. Addressing the event as a special guest was Her Excellency Chiara Porro, the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, who spoke on women’s leadership, the Church and the role of women in development.

Caritas Australia has joined many of Australia’s leading aid and development organisations to urge the Australian Government to help prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Over 18 million people are facing hunger in the Horn of Africa after the worst drought in decades has devastated crops and livestock across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.  

Caritas Australia has been awarded the Royal Order of Sahametrei from the Cambodian Government, presented by their partner organisation Caritas Cambodia. 

A delegation from Caritas Australia has travelled to Ethiopia to meet with its partner Caritas Ethiopia to discuss the response to the ongoing food crisis gripping the Horn of Africa region.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: After three years of poor rainfall, some of the worst locust plagues in decades, ongoing conflict and now the impacts of the war in Ukraine, the Horn of Africa is currently facing what is potentially the worst food crisis we have seen in our lifetime.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has devastated Afghanistan and Pakistan, causing over 1,000 deaths and a further 1,600 injuries.   

On June 10, survivors from the Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation took part in a ceremony hosted by Transport NSW to formally recognise the role that the Bourke Railway station played during the Stolen Generation.

This Reconciliation Week, Caritas Australia calls on the government to continue to work towards closing the gap for First Australians.

Caritas Australia congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party on winning the federal election and welcomes Labor’s stated commitment to foreign aid and the Uluru Statement of the Heart.  

After three years of poor rainfall, some of the worst locust plagues seen in decades, and ongoing conflict, displacement and the impacts of COVID-19, millions of people are facing hunger and even starvation across the Horn of Africa.  

Since the start of the conflict, Caritas Australia has raised more than $3.5 million for its Ukraine Appeal.  

“We are so incredibly humbled by the generosity of our supporters, both long-term and new. The compassion that they have shown to the people of Ukraine during their hour of need is truly amazing,” said Kirsty Robertson, Caritas Australia’s CEO.    

Caritas Australia has welcomed Labor’s pledge to boost Australian Official Development Assistance for Pacific countries and Timor-Leste by $525 million over the next four years and urges the Coalition to increase its own funding commitments.

Caritas Australia mourns the devastating loss of two of Caritas Ukraine’s staff in the Mariupol centre, along with five other people who were sheltering at the office when it was struck by a Russian tank.  

Caritas Australia welcomes the new aid commitments at a time when there is greater global need than ever but expresses concern that these increases are not enough to meet growing needs.  

An enormous, largely Church-based, volunteer network is responding to the mounting humanitarian need in Ukraine, which is causing devastating consequences for civilians.  

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused over three million people to flee the country – mostly women, children and the elderly.

Despite the recent evacuation of at least 160 cars of civilians from Mariupol, there is still concern that the approximately 400,000 civilians left trapped in the besieged city cannot be left much longer without urgent humanitarian aid.   

Russian bombs have destroyed a children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol, despite efforts to set up a humanitarian corridor to get the 400,000 residents to safety. It is estimated that 17 people have been wounded, including children and even women in labour.