Living on the edge logo

Millions are living on the edge of emergency

The number of people living on the edge of emergency has rocketed to 220 million.

The world's poorest are paying a high price for the international aid system's failure to address factors keeping them in chronic poverty.

With food price rises adding to the problem many people just don’t have enough to eat.

Most of them live on the edge because we keep them there. Money raised to respond to emergencies often leaves them worse off than they were before.

CARE is demanding that we put a stop to this by calling for a dramatic overhaul of the system which is keeping them trapped.

Our report calls on the international community to give higher priority to recovery and prevention programmes like seed distribution and improved veterinary services so that families can pull themselves back from the edge and be in a stronger position to fight off the next emergency themselves.

What's the solution?

World leaders are meeting in New York to discuss the progress of the Millennium Development Goals, including pledging to halve poverty and hunger by 2015.

CARE International is warning that millions in emergency aid will be wasted responding to emergencies that could be prevented, unless the following recommendations are heeded:

  • Donors must meet existing aid commitments, and then deliver significant new funds to meet the specific needs of the 100 million newly hungry.

  • Aid money must focus on disaster risk reduction, investing in food production and providing long-term safety nets to prevent the poorest falling over the edge into starvation.

  • The international aid system, including the UN must bridge the divide between emergency and development, ensuring that aid responses are better coordinated, avoid gaps and duplications and provide early and adequate funding.

Watch our video and find out how you can help >>

Read the report (PDF 304KB) >>