Salvos back budget plea for more famine funding
Salvos back budget plea for more famine funding
21 October 2022
Supporters of Micah Australia’s Help Fight Famine campaign, including Baptist minister and former World Vision Australia CEO Tim Costello (far right) outside Parliament House in Canberra. The Salvation Army is also backing the campaign for more Government funding.
Fifty million people in 45 countries worldwide are on the brink of starvation, and more than 800 million people are going to bed hungry every night.
These mind-boggling statistics have haunted Tasmania Divisional Commander Captain Kim Haworth since she represented The Salvation Army in Canberra last month as part of Micah Australia’s Help Fight Famine campaign.
Captain Kim Haworth says The Salvation Army is committed to supporting Micah Australia’s Help Fight Famine campaign.
Kim was one of 40 female leaders from 14 church denominations advocating for the campaign. Launched by Micah Australia this year, the Help Fight Famine campaign is calling on the Australian Federal Government to contribute $150 million to prevent famine in five at-risk countries.
Kim said the Government’s decision to initially commit $15 million in emergency assistance to the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa and Yemen was a solid first step in addressing the crisis.
Micah hopes for a more “robust” commitment on Tuesday when the Federal Budget is handed down.
“It is both heartbreaking and an immense privilege to lobby the Government with Micah to help end famine,” Kim said. “Hearing and retelling the stories of individuals and families facing starvation in countries like Ethiopia and Somalia puts into perspective just how well-off we really are in Australia.
“As Salvos, we work diligently every day to transform the lives of Australians who are suffering hardship or injustice. The people in Africa currently starving are our global neighbours. As followers of Jesus, we are compelled to get involved. We have the resources and no justifiable excuse not to.”
Further pressure
The Horn of Africa is on the brink of widespread famine. Somalia is close to an official famine declaration, while in Ethiopia, more than 20 million people urgently need food assistance. Other hunger hotspots include Afghanistan and Syria.
Help Fight Famine spokesman Tim Costello said last month’s $15 million announcement was a “good start”.
“One of the key lessons from the previous famine in Somalia was the importance of moving swiftly. The crisis is well and truly upon us, and people are already dying of hunger,” he said. “The faster we move now, the more lives we save.
“Help Fight Famine recognises this commitment as a very solid foundation. We will continue to make the case for a full and robust commitment at the Federal Budget [being delivered on Tuesday 25 October].
“Without a significant step up from the global community, we will witness a humanitarian catastrophe like the world has never seen. The looming famine will claim many more lives than COVID. Our ask of the Government is reasonable and equates to little more than $5 per Australian. The Australian people would happily part with such a modest sum to prevent children from dying.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong with five of the Micah women’s delegation following their 30-minute meeting in September.
Salvation Army support
The Micah Women Leaders Network brings together established and emerging female Christian leaders from across the Australian Church who have a heart for Biblical justice and the world’s poor. The Salvation Army is a strong supporter of Micah’s initiatives.
Kim hailed the delegation to Canberra in early September a success, with 46 meetings being conducted with Members of Parliament across all sides of politics.
At a breakfast event, Minister for International Development Pat Conroy gave a powerful speech on the case for Australian Aid and praised the advocacy work of Micah and its advocates, including The Salvation Army.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong set aside 30 minutes to meet with five delegation members, where she affirmed Micah’s calls for famine action, noting the ongoing need to build bi-partisan support for this ask and the ALP’s broader commitment to rebuild Australian Aid.
“We know the Government has the ability to move quickly on urgent situations requiring assistance around the world,” Kim said. “Significant financial aid for Ukraine and support for vaccines in developing countries during COVID has shown us this.
“A wealthy country like Australia is morally bound to assist in this new, unprecedented crisis. The Government and every Australian can prevent the imminent deaths of millions of people by giving to provide urgent food supplies. We must act now!”
Long-term measures
Leading up to the Federal Budget, the Help Fight Famine campaign is urging the government to go further with the following actions:
A humanitarian camp in Somalia for some of the two million internally displaced people due to crippling food insecurity.
- Deliver an urgent $150 million Famine Prevention Package to stop a catastrophe in the worst-affected hunger hotspots in the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen.
- Invest long-term in a targeted Global Food Security Strategy.
- Include measures to strengthen the resilience of the Asian Pacific region to climate change, disasters, and economic shocks by increasing Australia’s development assistance.
The government’s assistance will deliver food, water and other essential support through the World Food Program and the Emergency Action Alliance.
For more information, go to micahaustralia.org. Or to add your voice to the campaign go to fightfamine.com.au/micah
*Matt Darvas is a journalist with Micah Australia
The female leaders’ delegation to Canberra in September as part of Micah Australia’s Help Fight Famine campaign. The Salvation Army’s Captain Kim Haworth is in the back row behind the purple ‘Save Lives’ sign.
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