Somalia: World Vision appeals for civilian safety and more aid

May 21, 2010 Nairobi - As donors and other stakeholders meet in Istanbul, Turkey, from 21 May 2010 to 23 May 2010 to discuss the stability and future of war-torn Somalia, World Vision calls on the international community to do the following:

· Place the safety of Somali civilians at the top of their agenda and align their humanitarian, security and state-building plans accordingly. Donors should make every effort to extend the protection afforded by international humanitarian and human rights law to every Somali civilian.
· Provide additional humanitarian funding to build the capacities of local Somali agencies to respond to disasters by supporting programs that train them in humanitarian work. The low level and unbalanced funding trends in 2009 have continued into 2010, creating extreme concern within the humanitarian community in Somalia. The 2010 Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) for Somalia is seeking US$689 million.
· Continue to be generous in its support for humanitarian operations. Donors should ensure that funding for humanitarian operations remains a key priority.
· Ensure that foreign policy/political decisions do not contradict or obstruct ongoing humanitarian assistance to thousands of needy Somalis.
· Engage more closely with humanitarian partners on aid delivery in a complex environment, in order to develop a better understanding of how to support aid operations.
· Pursue a comprehensive peace framework that incorporates all parties involved in the conflict, including war affected communities.

Key Facts and Figures:
The above appeals are based on the dire humanitarian state in Somalia where:
· 3.6 million People (47% of the population), are in need of emergency and/or livelihood support
· 240,000 children under 5 years of age are acutely malnourished, of which 63,000 are severely malnourished.
· The IDP and refugee status is getting worse, with 1.4 million internally displaced and another 500,000 are international refugees.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org/press.