Latest Emergencies

Now down to its final week as president of the United Nations Security Council, Australia has a real chance to make its mark on the powerful body.

The Syria crisis has reached another tragic milestone, with the United Nations refugee agency today announcing the number of Syrian refugees has passed two million.

Pushing for a peaceful resolution to the Syrian conflict must be the top priority for Australia as it takes on its month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council from today, Oxfam Australia said.

International aid agency Oxfam welcomes Australia’s announcement of an additional $21.5 million in humanitarian assistance for people affected by the conflict in Syria.

I recently met Reema*, a 19-year-old Syrian girl, in a refugee camp in Lebanon. Back in Syria, Reema had her whole life before her. She’d just finished high school, and was about to go to university to study. She was eager to work and set up her future.

Australians’ urgent help is desperately needed by the Syrian people to help prevent lives being lost as the humanitarian crisis escalates with 7000 people fleeing the country every day, according to Oxfam Australia.

As the United Nations launches its biggest ever humanitarian appeal, international aid agency Oxfam Australia is urging the Federal Government to increase its support for people affected by the Syrian civil war.

Nahed is 30 years old, the same age as me. She’s married with two daughters, whereas I’m single. I go home to my parents’ house on the Gold Coast when I’m not working overseas. She’s also living with her parents again. But that’s only because they fled the civil war in Syria together and came to Lebanon.

Urgent Security Council action on Syria is desperately needed as suffering in the war-torn country increases by the day, international aid agency Oxfam warned today.

With the recent escalation of the conflict in Mali, including the intervention of French and Malian armed forces, the dire situation for tens of thousands of Malian refugees is set to worsen, according to a new report published today by international aid agency Oxfam.