CRS Global Emergency Update/2022 End of Year Review

CRS Global Emergency Update:
2022 End of Year Review

In mid-December, Catholic Relief Services put out their Global Emergency Update: End of Year Review which highlights their emergency efforts in 2022 as well as urgent priorities for 2023. This 10 page update provides perspective on a range of emergency response, including the following:

A comprehensive two year look at COVID-19 activities which reached over 69 million people. View a world map that indicates where CRS was active and the numbers that were helped by each of their outreach services.

Ukrainian Conflict— Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, more than 7 million people have crossed the border into neighboring countries, while 6.3 million people are displaced within Ukraine. This update includes reports on CRS services provided in each of the 8 nearby countries where refugees landed.

In Haiti, CRS has had ongoing rebuilding efforts in response to the August 2021 7.2 magnitude earthquake that was followed by a devastating tropical storm. The combined disasters killed over 2,200 residents and destroyed or severely damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses as well as public infrastructure.

In Afghanistan, the August 2021 Taliban takeover led to a political and economic crisis compounded by severe drought and the deep wounds left by decades of violent conflict. The report recaps CRS emergency assistance to 45,500 in several provinces and their measures to build resilience in families.

Urgent priorities for 2023 include:

Global Food Crisis—CRS is focusing particularly on East Africa (Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia) and The Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger) where the worst drought in 40 years along with armed conflict have caused near famine conditions in some areas. Today in Somalia, 1.4 million children under age 5 face acute malnutrition, with 330,000 at risk of dying without immediate treatment. Please view this brief first-person report by Rebecca Hallam, CRS’ Country Representative for Kenya and Somalia, on Somalia's food crisis.

Central American Migrant Crisis-- Particularly in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, gang violence and organized crime coupled with chronic poverty, lack of job opportunities and failed harvests have caused tens of thousands of families to flee north since 2018. The report details CRS’ work across the region to help displaced people find the resources to stay in their countries of origin, or to access relief and safety in countries of refuge.

Across Pakistan, more than 33 million people have been affected by monsoon rains and floods 2022. Nearly 1700 died and an estimated 7.9 million people are displaced and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. CRS is supporting its partner agencies to provide immediate emergency assistance as well as long term rebuilding and recovery work.

The emergency update also provides information on several other countries where Catholic Relief Services has been at work this past year and where it is placing high priority in 2023. In addition, a couple of programs are highlighted that have been successful in helping to increase CRS’ capacity and effectiveness in providing life-saving services.

Read the Full Report Here