ACT Alliance launches new report on the role of faith actors in effecting positive change in social gender norms
ACT launches report on social norms at CSW69
ACT Alliance urges Member States to adopt Political Declaration at CSW69
A Call for peace and security for the people in Goma and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
UKRAINE: 3 YEARS OF AID – POWER TO THE COMMUNITIES
As we mark three years since the full-scale Russian invasion and eleven years of ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. Amidst these challenges, ACT Alliance members remain at the forefront, providing life-saving aid to over 530,000 Ukrainian people to date.
We are pleased to share “POWER TO THE COMMUNITIES,” a publication highlighting the vital role of local leadership in the ACT response. Rooted in the Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) approach, this model ensures communities are not just recipients of aid but active leaders in their own recovery. This approach, key to decolonizing aid, is also featured in a short animated video.
ACT Alliance’s commitment remains steadfast with the upcoming launch of a new Ukraine Appeal, dedicated to sustaining critical humanitarian efforts and ensuring continued support for those in need.
👉 [Click here] to explore POWER TO THE COMMUNITIES.
👉 [Click here] for more stories of ACT members’ work in Ukraine.
🙏 [Join us in prayer] for Ukraine, with reflections from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, available in multiple languages.
🇺🇦 Ukraine (UA) 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (UK) 🇩🇪 Germany (DE) 🇨🇿 Czech Republic (CZ) 🇭🇺 Hungary (HU) 🇪🇪 Estonia (EST) 🇩🇰 Denmark (DK) 🇸🇰 Slovakia (SK) 🇷🇴 Romania (RO) 🇳🇱 Netherlands (NL) 🇫🇷 France (FR) 🇮🇹 Italy (IT)
ACT Alliance, Norwegian Church Aid, Caritas Internationalis and CAFOD Urgently Call for Increased International Support as Sudan’s Conflict Nears Two-Year Mark
ACT General Secretary statement of concern over US administration policies’ impacts on humanitarian aid
Escalation in DRC calls for increased support
In the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) an an increasingly complex conflict is unfolding creating widespread instability and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in North and South Kivu.
Over the last 2 years, the conflict had already significant impacts in communities especially through food insecurity, challenges in water and sanitation, and widespread violence. After the recent escalations, , the number of people in need of assistance has increased , while humanitarian access has been restricted by the presence of armed groups.
According to UNHCR, the number of people displaced has surged to more than 400,000 this year alone and with continued fighting, the number is expected to increase. The South Kivu and North Kivu provinces host over 4.6 million internally displaced people and there is growing concern over the news of indiscriminate bombing of IDP sites.
People are fleeing the conflict, finding refuge in neighboring Uganda. The UNHCR Refugee Arrival Monitoring Dashboard reports that Uganda has been receiving a daily average of 270 refugees from DRC since January 1st 2025. The two main transit centers of Nyakabande and Matanda are overwhelmed and operating over capacity with the Nyakabande transit centre at 184% occupancy and the Matanda Transit Centre at 224% of capacity.
The majority of the new arrivals are being sent to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement where ACT Uganda forum members are operating, with increased occupancy of 166% of the maximum capacity. Fleeing the violence is not easy. The Goma- Rutshuru – Bunagana road remains under rebel control preventing people from seeking refuge in Uganda. There is, however, an anticipation of a significant increase in the influx of refugees crossing into Uganda as soon as safe passage becomes possible.
ACT’S Response
Through ACT Appeal CEA241, ACT members in Democratic Republic of Congo; Bureau Œcuménique d’Appui au Développement (BOAD), Église du Christ au Congo (ECC), The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Congo (EELCo), as well as Christian Aid, are responding to Internally Displaced persons (IDPs); the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Fin Church Aid (FCA), HEKS-EPER, and Church of Uganda are providing humanitarian response in Uganda, and Tanganyika Christian Refugee Services (TCRS) is providing emergency response in Tanzania. Humanitarian services provided by the implementing members in the appeal include cash transfers, shelters and basic non-food items, water and sanitation services, livelihood support, food and nutrition support, GBV prevention and response, education support, mental health and psychosocial support and peace building.
The DRC Conflict is putting communities at risk. As the violence is increasing more needs to be done to support those affected. As cuts have been made worldwide to humanitarian financing there is a growing risk of leaving these communities behind. ACT Alliance calls for more funding for humanitarian response to assist those impacted by the conflict in DRC, and also for humanitarian access to the communities affected.
“We need to act for humanity, justice and peace. The crisis we are facing at the moment is rapidly escalating and affecting every aspect of people’s lives, making thousands of people homeless. Access to essential services is dangerously limited. While we hope for peace, in this challenging times we seek to support communities as best as we can” says Obed Buhendwa ,Senior program officer at Christian Aid-DRC.
Infographic :Emergency Response to DRC Conflict – CEA241
ACT Alliance Statement on the Announcement of a Ceasefire agreement in Gaza
After 471 days of relentless violence, devastation and investigations around the claims of genocide1 in Gaza, ACT Alliance welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire agreement. We also express our satisfaction with the agreement to release the detainees and hostages that have been held captive by both parties. We thank all those who supported the demand for a ceasefire and the respect of humanitarian principles and human rights for all civilians. This emerging agreement marks a critical first step towards an end to the war, the loss of lives and the widespread suffering.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the countless families who have lost loved ones and to those who have been displaced or injured. The toll of this prolonged conflict has been profound, affecting every aspect of life, including access to essential services, education, and basic human dignity. This moment of respite must be a time for reflection, solidarity, and urgent action. We underscore the need for a long term and sustained ceasefire that ensures peace, security and justice in the region.
ACT Alliance urges the international community to maintain pressure on all parties to respect the agreement and not to violate it to keep hope for a better future alive. All parties should abide by the agreement after completion of the first phase. All possible efforts must be made to keep the borders open for humanitarian assistance and peoples’ movement from and to Gaza. We reiterate our position that violence and aggression cannot build peace; the only path to peace and security is through justice that upholds the Palestinian people’s rights, especially their right to self-determination. This is a call to not only support the immediate cessation of violence but also to address the profound injustices and root causes of this conflict. The world must ensure that the people of Gaza are not once again abandoned in their time of greatest need but are instead met with compassion, solidarity, and the means to rebuild their lives.
The future is vague and unclear. The scale of destruction is staggering, Homes, schools, hospitals, and vital infrastructure have been obliterated, leaving survivors to navigate a landscape of grief and ruin. As families begin to return to what remains of their homes, they are confronted with the harrowing reality of loss—the absence of their loved ones, the trauma of violence, and the daunting task of rebuilding their lives from the ashes. This moment of respite must be a time for reflection, solidarity, and urgent action. As faith-based organizations, we maintain hope and faith in this process, and we will work alongside the Palestinian people to restore and rebuild.
We call on all governments and donors to direct funds reflecting the extent of the destruction, to help the reconstruction of Gaza and support its people to build a future of hope.
Today, as the smoke begins to settle, the air is heavy with cautious relief and extreme grief. This is not the end—it is the beginning. The time has come to rise, to rebuild, and to save what remains of Gaza. The tears of the grieving oblige us to act, now more than ever. This ceasefire brings much-needed relief to the people of Gaza, who have endured unimaginable hardship and destruction during this war.
Cash and Voucher Assistance: the future of people-focused humanitarian operations?
