Advocacy

In Liberia since 1990, Action Against Hunger / Action Contre la Faim’s (ACF) latest round of nutritional surveys shows extremely disturbing results that indicate a significant nutritional crisis in Grand Monrovia: of the 800 children weighed, measured, and examined, 17.6% (Z-score) suffer from acute malnutrition.

Since 1980 when the UN first celebrated World Food Day, October 16th has served as a day to “heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.” Action Against Hunger marks the day by renewing its call for governments, foundations, and private philanthropists around the globe to join us and our colleagues in our efforts to eliminate hunger.

Despite the fact that efforts of humanitarian workers in Darfur have been jeopardized by widespread insecurity, for the moment the humanitarian situation remains relatively stable. Nonetheless, both residents and displaced populations in Darfur are in an extremely precarious position, and even seemingly minor incidents can have a catastrophic impact on their lives.

As the International Contact Group on Darfur/Sudan convenes in Paris on June 25, 2007, Action Against Hunger offers these comments on the humanitarian situation in Darfur.

Médecins du Monde France (Doctors of the World) and Action contre la Faim (Action Against Hunger) have been present in Darfur since 2004. Tens of expatriates and more than a thousand national employees have acquired substantial knowledge of the area, working relentlessly to save the lives of people affected by the bloody civil war. In respect of our principles of impartiality and humanity and in line with our humanitarian mandate, we reserve the right to express some concerns.

There is no conflict in Chechnya: that's what the Russian government, and the Chechen government in place since October 2003, are striving to demonstrate, both in word and in action.

To them, the lack of security in Chechnya is only marginal, and not an obstacle either to the reconstruction of the territory and its institutions, or to the supposedly voluntary return of refugees displaced in Ingushetia since 1999.