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Aurora Humanitarian Index 2016: Who can make a difference?

Aurora Humanitarian Index 2016: Who can make a difference?

On April 23, 2016 the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative unveiled the results of the first annual Humanitarian Index, a global study of the top humanitarian issues, their causes and who is best positioned to address them. According to the findings, the majority of respondents believe that international institutions are best placed to solve the refugee crisis, yet half feel refugees have been abandoned by the international community.

Global publics overwhelmingly agree (70%) that it is down to international bodies to resolve the global refugee crisis. At the same time one in two believe the international community has turned its back on Syrians. However, only one in two would actually help Syrian refugees if they could, and most doubt their ability to make a real difference.

Despite inertia and cynicism, the public sees helping as a badge of honor. Seventy-one percent of the public have great respect for individuals who travel to conflict areas to deliver humanitarian aid and 69% believe it takes great courage for aid workers to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people who need it most, despite risks to themselves. As they assess their personal sense of responsibility, 49% of those who have abstained from taking action have done so due to concerns about how their monetary contribution will be used.

The public are also generally aligned on what it would take to foster further action:

  • A clear sense of individual responsibility to help
  • Transparency with regard to the use of donations
  • Creating a global community that rewards those delivering humanitarian aid

You can read more about the Aurora Humanitarian Index 2016 here.