Standing in solidarity with people affected by the climate crisis this World Humanitarian Day

The theme of World Humanitarian Day 2021 is the human cost of the climate crisis. The United Nations calls it a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with people who need it the most. Millions of the world’s most vulnerable people, people who have contributed least to the climate emergency, are and will continue to be the hardest hit. While data on climate change’s impact on persons with disabilities isn't available, estimates suggest 20% of those most vulnerable to climate change are persons with disabilities. 

This World Humanitarian Day, we’re shining a light on the impact climate change is wreaking on the vulnerable communities we serve around the world. 

Watch the video to hear about the impact of climate change on people with a disability in rural Kenya

This year, in Madagascar, 1.14 million people are in need of urgent assistance due to devastating droughts.

Climate change exacerbates the risks of drought, floods and cyclones. Most people in the southern part of Madagascar depend on small, rain-fed agriculture or fishing for survival, but because of the drought, crops, rivers and dams have dried up. People are resorting to eating leaves, insects and cactus.

To make matters worse, the country is still grappling with the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on the economy: staple items are low and employment has been hit hard.

Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique on the 14th of March 2019 before continuing on as a tropical storm to devastate communities in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Idai left more than 600 people dead and an estimated 1.85 million people in need in Mozambique alone.

In Zimbabwe, the storm caused flash flooding and subsequent deaths. More than 4,000 households were destroyed, while the livelihoods of over 270,000 were hit.

Climate change is believed to increase the intensity of rainfall during a tropical storm like Idai, while sea-level rise increases the likelihood of flooding.