Angola is once again number one among the top ten forgotten humanitarian crises that received the least media attention last year, according to the international humanitarian organization CARE. For the eighth time, CARE has published its "Breaking the Silence" report to draw attention to forgotten crises around the world which are most neglected. Zambia and Burundi follow this year on second and third place.
© CARE Niger-Burkina Faso / Foto: Rakietou Hassane Mossi
“In a world where news cycles are becoming more short-lived, it is more important than ever that we collectively remember that every crisis, whether forgotten or not, brings with it a human toll. Our obligation to tell these stories and take action is more urgent now than ever”, the report, released Wednesday, said.
CARE says it remains determined to reach out to those who need help the most, while drawing attention to neglected crises in the hope that others will step up too.
“Global humanitarian needs have never been greater than in 2023. This was reflected in international media reporting as the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, the war in Ukraine, and the escalating conflict in the Middle East have dominated the headlines,” said Andrea Barschdorf-Hager, Managing Director of CARE Austria, in a statement.
“Many crises in Africa have existed for a long time, which makes it challenging to raise awareness, while international reporting is becoming more expensive.”
The aid organization reports the crisis in Angola, for the second year in a row, received the least media attention in 2023. For example, in 2023, there were 273,279 online articles worldwide about the new Barbie movie, but only 1,049 articles about the humanitarian crisis in Angola, according to CARE. Yet, more than 7.3 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian and have been affected by droughts, floods, and hunger in the Southern African country.
In Zambia, second on the list, 1.35 million people are affected by hunger, and the country is particularly affected by the consequences of climate change. Burundi, third on the list, also regularly experiences climate related disasters, such as flooding. Almost 70,000 people have been displaced as a result. Malnutrition is a major problem in Burundi, especially among children.
As in 2022, all ten forgotten crises are in Africa. The following countries are 2023 included in the list of forgotten crises: (1) Angola, (2) Zambia, (3) Burundi, (4) Senegal, (5) Mauritania, (6) Central African Republic, (7) Cameroon, (8) Burkina Faso, (9) Uganda, and (10) Zimbabwe. People suffer severe hunger in these crisis countries, millions are affected by extreme poverty and by climate-related disasters.
“We must not forget that hunger is almost always man-made. Conflicts, economic shocks, extreme weather, poverty, and inequality are key drivers. To save lives, we need more attention and sufficient funding for humanitarian aid,” said Deepmala Mahla, Global Humanitarian Director of CARE.
According to the United Nations, around 300 million people worldwide will need humanitarian aid in 2024 - almost half of them in Africa.
In collaboration with media monitoring service Meltwater, CARE analyzed those humanitarian crises that received the least media attention in 2023. In the period from January 1 to September 30, 2023, more than five million online articles were analyzed. CARE identified those countries – 48 crises - in which at least one million people were affected by conflict, wars or natural disasters. The media analysis is based on online articles in Arabic, English, French, German and Spanish.
CARE is a major international humanitarian agency delivering emergency relief and supporting long-term international development projects. C.A.R.E. now stands for "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere". The non-governmental organization, founded in 1945 as "Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe C.A.R.E.", is one of the largest and oldest humanitarian aid organizations focused on fighting global poverty and social injustice.
CARE International is organized as a global confederation with a specific emphasis on the empowerment of women and girls. The NGO and its global network of independent national organizations work together across more than 100 countries.
Further information
Full text: Breaking the Silence. The 10 most under-reported humanitarian crises of 2023, CARE International, report, released January 10, 2024
https://www.care-international.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/CIUK%20Breaking%20the%20silence%202023%20FINAL%20ENGLISH.pdf