ACT member International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is responding to the urgent needs of the Ukraine conflict’s most vulnerable victims with emergency food assistance for 900 children under age three living in areas directly affected by the violence in Eastern Ukraine.

Nearly two years of armed conflict has driven 1.5 million Ukrainian people from their homes.  UNICEF estimates that nearly 180,000 of those displaced are children.

Among the most severely impacted are infants and toddlers, as well as mothers with special needs children.

As Ukraine’s brief autumn turns into winter, the living conditions these children face will only worsen.

IOCC, working in cooperation with a local relief partner, is distributing kits containing essential baby food and hygiene items such as infant formula, baby cereal, juice, and baby wipes.

The kits are being directed to vulnerable families living in Svyatogirsk, a small town in the Donetsk region sheltering the highest number of displaced families; and to Svetlodarsk in the Donetsk region and Bryanka in the Luhansk region.

Families in these two towns live near the front line of conflict.  They face hunger daily as food prices climb and supplies grow scarcer due to damaged roadways and ongoing fighting restricting the movement of commerce in these volatile regions.

The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues to deteriorate as the number of Ukrainians in need of assistance has now reached a total of five million people.

For information on how you can help click here

As the UN General Assembly post-2015 Summit closes today, ACT Alliance calls on governments to take clear responsibility for financing the implementation of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The global humanitarian and development network said that to ensure synergy between global policy and national realities, governments must fund sustainable development and poverty eradication projects primarily through domestic resource mobilisation, such as building progressive and just tax systems, and realising the commitments to Official Development Assistance (ODA) that wealthy states have made to developing states.

ACT Alliance said that while private sector funding is also essential for the effective implementation of the SDGs, they should not be the primary source and will require safeguards to ensure that investments positively impact those living in poverty and do not exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

“While we celebrate the accomplishment of the SDGs as a political decision made by states, in order to move forward effectively, funding for the SDGs should come from states first and foremost,” said John Nduna, ACT Alliance General Secretary. “Private sector funds are an important and welcome contribution to global development, particularly in the areas of job creation and infrastructure development and maintenance; however, essential public services should never be the responsibility of business. This is a duty of the state. While all funds dedicated to social and economic sustainable development are welcome, governments must ensure that people, not profits, are at the heart of any funding scheme.”

“Poverty is a construct of human greed and the existing systems of power,” Nduna continued. “To effectively address the root-causes of poverty, we cannot sustain the current paradigm of an ultra-rich minority and an ultra-poor majority. Our hope in the ambitious SDG agenda is that governments will seek to address global inequalities, promote better governance and universally apply them – meaning that all countries will be held to the same standard, benefitting those in both absolute and relative poverty.”

ACT Alliance has been engaging with the United Nations and its member states on sustainable development policy dialogue since 2012, particularly focusing on issues of environmental sustainability and climate change, inequalities, peace and security and good governance which it sees as essential to eradicate the systems that create and maintain poverty.

The 17 SDGs are global goals that have been adopted by governments and now replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

As the UN General Assembly post-2015 Summit closes today, ACT Alliance calls on governments to take clear responsibility for financing the implementation of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The global humanitarian and development network said that to ensure synergy between global policy and national realities, governments must fund sustainable development and poverty eradication projects primarily through domestic resource mobilisation, such as building progressive and just tax systems, and realising the commitments to Official Development Assistance (ODA) that wealthy states have made to developing states.

ACT Alliance said that while private sector funding is also essential for the effective implementation of the SDGs, they should not be the primary source and will require safeguards to ensure that investments positively impact those living in poverty and do not exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

“While we celebrate the accomplishment of the SDGs as a political decision made by states, in order to move forward effectively, funding for the SDGs should come from states first and foremost,” said John Nduna, ACT Alliance General Secretary. “Private sector funds are an important and welcome contribution to global development, particularly in the areas of job creation and infrastructure development and maintenance; however, essential public services should never be the responsibility of business. This is a duty of the state. While all funds dedicated to social and economic sustainable development are welcome, governments must ensure that people, not profits, are at the heart of any funding scheme.”

“Poverty is a construct of human greed and the existing systems of power,” Nduna continued. “To effectively address the root-causes of poverty, we cannot sustain the current paradigm of an ultra-rich minority and an ultra-poor majority. Our hope in the ambitious SDG agenda is that governments will seek to address global inequalities, promote better governance and universally apply them – meaning that all countries will be held to the same standard, benefitting those in both absolute and relative poverty.”

ACT Alliance has been engaging with the United Nations and its member states on sustainable development policy dialogue since 2012, particularly focusing on issues of environmental sustainability and climate change, inequalities, peace and security and good governance which it sees as essential to eradicate the systems that create and maintain poverty.

The 17 SDGs are global goals that have been adopted by governments and now replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

As the UN General Assembly post-2015 Summit closes today, ACT Alliance calls on governments to take clear responsibility for financing the implementation of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The global humanitarian and development network said that to ensure synergy between global policy and national realities, governments must fund sustainable development and poverty eradication projects primarily through domestic resource mobilisation, such as building progressive and just tax systems, and realising the commitments to Official Development Assistance (ODA) that wealthy states have made to developing states.

ACT Alliance said that while private sector funding is also essential for the effective implementation of the SDGs, they should not be the primary source and will require safeguards to ensure that investments positively impact those living in poverty and do not exacerbate existing social and economic inequalities.

“While we celebrate the accomplishment of the SDGs as a political decision made by states, in order to move forward effectively, funding for the SDGs should come from states first and foremost,” said John Nduna, ACT Alliance General Secretary. “Private sector funds are an important and welcome contribution to global development, particularly in the areas of job creation and infrastructure development and maintenance; however, essential public services should never be the responsibility of business. This is a duty of the state. While all funds dedicated to social and economic sustainable development are welcome, governments must ensure that people, not profits, are at the heart of any funding scheme.”

“Poverty is a construct of human greed and the existing systems of power,” Nduna continued. “To effectively address the root-causes of poverty, we cannot sustain the current paradigm of an ultra-rich minority and an ultra-poor majority. Our hope in the ambitious SDG agenda is that governments will seek to address global inequalities, promote better governance and universally apply them – meaning that all countries will be held to the same standard, benefitting those in both absolute and relative poverty.”

ACT Alliance has been engaging with the United Nations and its member states on sustainable development policy dialogue since 2012, particularly focusing on issues of environmental sustainability and climate change, inequalities, peace and security and good governance which it sees as essential to eradicate the systems that create and maintain poverty.

The 17 SDGs are global goals that have been adopted by governments and now replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

• restoring right relationships among people
• affirming human dignity, and
• opening the door to the holistic development of all people 

• restoring right relationships among people
• affirming human dignity, and
• opening the door to the holistic development of all people 

• restoring right relationships among people
• affirming human dignity, and
• opening the door to the holistic development of all people 

As world leaders acknowledge the links between climate change and poverty at the UNGA Post-2015 Summit, which opened in New York today, ACT Alliance called for increasing urgency to address the impacts of climate change.

Addressing a parallel event focusing on the role of faith-based actors in sustainable development, the international humanitarian and development network said that the SDGs must steer the world onto a sustainable pathway towards poverty eradication.

“Ending extreme poverty starts with addressing climate change, as a key pillar of our moral imperative,” said ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna, addressing faith leaders and political dignitaries. “Mother earth weeps for climate justice. As long as we human beings abuse mother earth, ending extreme poverty will be an illusion.”

“Climate change denies people and communities the ability to overcome poverty,” he continued. “Without  rain in sub-Saharan Africa, people cannot grow their food or feed their families. When streets and fields flood in Asia, communities lose their livelihoods and lives. As the sea level rises in the Pacific, people are stripped of their land and risk statelessness. Our leaders must urgently and adequately confront climate change.”

ACT Alliance has engaged in work related to climate justice and sustainable development since 2010, from community mobilisation to high level political engagement.

“While we celebrate the adoption of the  SDGs,” said Nduna, “we must now urgently stand together, ready, excited and motivated begin working in partnership with one another for the effective implementation of these goals.”

The negotiations towards the new global development framework continues to build momentum towards the UN climate change meeting (COP21) which will take place in Paris, France, in December.

“The ambition that we see with the adoption of the SDG framework today must translate to concrete action in Paris at COP21,” said Nduna. “Sustainable Development and poverty eradication is largely dependent on the ambition of the climate agreement to be adopted in Paris. Progress on SDGs should encourage parties to come up with a strong, fair and equitable climate agreement.”

As world leaders acknowledge the links between climate change and poverty at the UNGA Post-2015 Summit, which opened in New York today, ACT Alliance called for increasing urgency to address the impacts of climate change.

Addressing a parallel event focusing on the role of faith-based actors in sustainable development, the international humanitarian and development network said that the SDGs must steer the world onto a sustainable pathway towards poverty eradication.

“Ending extreme poverty starts with addressing climate change, as a key pillar of our moral imperative,” said ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna, addressing faith leaders and political dignitaries. “Mother earth weeps for climate justice. As long as we human beings abuse mother earth, ending extreme poverty will be an illusion.”

“Climate change denies people and communities the ability to overcome poverty,” he continued. “Without  rain in sub-Saharan Africa, people cannot grow their food or feed their families. When streets and fields flood in Asia, communities lose their livelihoods and lives. As the sea level rises in the Pacific, people are stripped of their land and risk statelessness. Our leaders must urgently and adequately confront climate change.”

ACT Alliance has engaged in work related to climate justice and sustainable development since 2010, from community mobilisation to high level political engagement.

“While we celebrate the adoption of the  SDGs,” said Nduna, “we must now urgently stand together, ready, excited and motivated begin working in partnership with one another for the effective implementation of these goals.”

The negotiations towards the new global development framework continues to build momentum towards the UN climate change meeting (COP21) which will take place in Paris, France, in December.

“The ambition that we see with the adoption of the SDG framework today must translate to concrete action in Paris at COP21,” said Nduna. “Sustainable Development and poverty eradication is largely dependent on the ambition of the climate agreement to be adopted in Paris. Progress on SDGs should encourage parties to come up with a strong, fair and equitable climate agreement.”

As world leaders acknowledge the links between climate change and poverty at the UNGA Post-2015 Summit, which opened in New York today, ACT Alliance called for increasing urgency to address the impacts of climate change.

Addressing a parallel event focusing on the role of faith-based actors in sustainable development, the international humanitarian and development network said that the SDGs must steer the world onto a sustainable pathway towards poverty eradication.

“Ending extreme poverty starts with addressing climate change, as a key pillar of our moral imperative,” said ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna, addressing faith leaders and political dignitaries. “Mother earth weeps for climate justice. As long as we human beings abuse mother earth, ending extreme poverty will be an illusion.”

“Climate change denies people and communities the ability to overcome poverty,” he continued. “Without  rain in sub-Saharan Africa, people cannot grow their food or feed their families. When streets and fields flood in Asia, communities lose their livelihoods and lives. As the sea level rises in the Pacific, people are stripped of their land and risk statelessness. Our leaders must urgently and adequately confront climate change.”

ACT Alliance has engaged in work related to climate justice and sustainable development since 2010, from community mobilisation to high level political engagement.

“While we celebrate the adoption of the  SDGs,” said Nduna, “we must now urgently stand together, ready, excited and motivated begin working in partnership with one another for the effective implementation of these goals.”

The negotiations towards the new global development framework continues to build momentum towards the UN climate change meeting (COP21) which will take place in Paris, France, in December.

“The ambition that we see with the adoption of the SDG framework today must translate to concrete action in Paris at COP21,” said Nduna. “Sustainable Development and poverty eradication is largely dependent on the ambition of the climate agreement to be adopted in Paris. Progress on SDGs should encourage parties to come up with a strong, fair and equitable climate agreement.”