In a short time, armed conflicts, natural disasters or epidemics can give rise to humanitarian crises and endanger the lives of thousands of people. Particularly in the event of crisis, governments and local civilian populations often lack sufficient capacities to alleviate the impacts of an emergency. This is where international support is needed: Countries with adequate resources, such as Austria, can be asked for help.
This assistance is provided in keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, that is, only where the afflicted country cannot manage on its own. Aid aims at meeting the humanitarian needs of the victims and adheres to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Relief organisations are quick to help in humanitarian crises and mobilise large amounts of funds via donation campaigns, but they also operate with public funding. This means that instead of providing humanitarian aid directly, Austria as a state funds relevant projects and programmes run by qualified Austrian and international relief organisations.
Along with ministries and federal states, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) also administers funds. It cooperates closely with partners that have gained sound experience in humanitarian aid and provides these with public funds for relief programmes. The only way to ensure that people in an acute crisis receive the best possible help and that public funds are put to efficient use to meet needs is with professional partners, such as the UN humanitarian agencies (UNHCR or UNICEF), the organisations of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and qualified Austrian non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
FUNDING HUMANITARIAN MEASURES:
In the event of a humanitarian crisis, funds are allocated by ADA in response to appeals for aid from international organisations or via calls for proposals from accredited Austrian NGOs.
To assess their qualification, Austrian NGOs can submit an application to ADA for accreditation. This accreditation procedure applies solely to funding for humanitarian aid and in response to a humanitarian crisis or disaster situation.
Ten Austrian NGOs are presently accredited with ADA to implement public aid funds: