El Niño: the silent emergency
In April 2016, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, alerted governments gathered in Geneva that they collectively faced “an alarming funding gap of over $2.2 billion” to respond to El Niño food crisis. As the same donor officials prepare to attend the high level event on El Niño and La Niña on July 19th in New York, the funding gap has increased to a staggering $2.5 billion. Despite this apathy from the international community, organisations like ActionAid are working on the frontline, responding to food shortages and other human impacts of this silent crisis. Through local partners, ActionAid is mobilising and supporting communities, women and other actors to face one of the most interminable and complex slow onset natural disasters encountered throughout the organisation’s history.