Caritas Australia has welcomed Labor’s pledge to boost Australian Official Development Assistance for Pacific countries and Timor-Leste by $525 million over the next four years and urges the Coalition to increase its own funding commitments.

Caritas Australia mourns the devastating loss of two of Caritas Ukraine’s staff in the Mariupol centre, along with five other people who were sheltering at the office when it was struck by a Russian tank.  

Caritas Australia welcomes the new aid commitments at a time when there is greater global need than ever but expresses concern that these increases are not enough to meet growing needs.  

An enormous, largely Church-based, volunteer network is responding to the mounting humanitarian need in Ukraine, which is causing devastating consequences for civilians.  

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused over three million people to flee the country – mostly women, children and the elderly.

Despite the recent evacuation of at least 160 cars of civilians from Mariupol, there is still concern that the approximately 400,000 civilians left trapped in the besieged city cannot be left much longer without urgent humanitarian aid.   

Russian bombs have destroyed a children’s and maternity hospital in Mariupol, despite efforts to set up a humanitarian corridor to get the 400,000 residents to safety. It is estimated that 17 people have been wounded, including children and even women in labour.

This International Women’s Day, Caritas Australia invites Australians to join a series of online public forums this month, held by the global Caritas network for Caritas Women’s Month.  

Caritas Australia joins the international Caritas network and World Health Organisation in calling for an urgent humanitarian corridor in Ukraine to prevent further loss and suffering. Increasing numbers of people are trapped in cities under constant attack, unable to leave as wide-scale evacuations have not been possible.  

Caritas Australia welcomes the initial $35 million commitment from the Australian Government for urgent humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.    

“This humanitarian aid is desperately needed in Ukraine right now,” said Kirsty Robertson, Caritas Australia’s CEO.   

On March 2, Ash Wednesday, Caritas Australia will be holding “Pray for Ukraine”, a special prayer in solidarity with Ukraine open to all via Zoom at 4pm AEST. Caritas Australia’s Director of Mission, Michael McGirr, will be leading the vigil.  

Ash Wednesday on March 2 marks the official launch of Project Compassion 2022, Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten appeal, which runs for the six weeks of Lent.   

Caritas Australia stands in solidarity with the people of eastern Ukraine in response to the recent significant escalation of armed conflict.   

Caritas Australia is deeply alarmed at the deteriorating conditions faced by many people in Afghanistan. The country is facing one of the worst droughts seen in decades, the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as decades of political instability and chronic poverty.

Case numbers of COVID-19 have soared from zero to 2,790 in the small Pacific nation of the Solomon Islands. The first case was reported on 19 January, and within 12 hours more than 100 cases had been reported. So far 25 people have died from COVID-19 in the country. 

Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos will be left homeless this Christmas in the wake of the catastrophic Typhoon Rai, many without clean water, power, food, telecommunications or medicine. At last count around 662,000 were displaced by the storm, and at least 159,000 homes have been damaged.  

Lebanon is facing a dire humanitarian crisis as the country has been plunged into what the World Bank says may be one of the three worst economic crises the world has seen in the past 150 years. 

At least 200 people were killed and a further 780,000 impacted by Typhoon Rai, which slammed into the Philippines with wind gusts of up to 235 km/h last Thursday, 16 December.   

This festive season, you can support some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people around the world through Caritas Australia’s Christmas Appeal. 

After another challenging year, Caritas Australia is calling on Australians to renew their faith and commitment to helping those less fortunate by giving a gift that makes a real difference for those in need this Christmas. 

Protests have broken out this week in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, prompting aid workers to raise concerns about the impacts of the unrest on access to food and livelihoods.