Cuts at Caritas: Millions in danger - help for needy people threatened!

Cuts at Caritas: Millions in danger - help for needy people threatened!

Dresden, Deutschland - In 2024, Caritas International spent a total of 105 million euros for humanitarian aid projects. This impressive result is the second best in the history of the organization, such as Bistum-dresden-meissen.de. It should be emphasized that over 2,100 donors from the diocese of Dresden-Meißen have contributed to this success with 434,176.52 euros. The donation revenues mainly flowed into projects for Palestine, Ukraine and auxiliary measures for flood victims in Europe. Caritas International was able to support a total of 9.1 million people in need, which represents an increase of 1.6 million compared to the previous year.

Despite these successes, the aid organizations face major challenges. As reports swr.de, the Federal Ministry of Finance plans massive cuts in spending on humanitarian aid. These cuts come at a time when 363 million people are dependent on such support worldwide. Oliver Müller, the head of Caritas International, expressed concern in Freiburg about the planned cuts and their potential consequences. At a meeting in Freiburg it became known that from August 2023, budget cuts will be introduced, which will also affect Caritas's work.

global effects of the cuts

In 2023, around 368 million people had already relied on humanitarian aid, although $ 56.7 billion would have been necessary for their appropriate care. But only less than 40 percent of this sum were available. According to [Evangelisch.de] (https://www.evangelisch.de/inthalt/231716/10-07-2024/caritasinternational-kuerzungen-bei-humanitaerer-aid faal), the aid projects from Caritas are on the brink due to the current cut plans in Berlin. The cabinet will decide on the cuts on July 17, and numerous projects, such as aid measures in the Eastern Congo, are already at risk.

The concern for the performance of aid organizations has grown, since 60,000 humanitarian helpers, including more than 5,000 Caritas employees, have been released in the past few months. If the planned cuts are really implemented, this could have a significant impact on people who urgently need help. Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa, President of the German Caritas Association, still praises the solidarity of the donors in times of high inflation and political uncertainty.

future of humanitarian aid

Caritas International is urging a stronger localization of aid offers, since around 95 percent of humanitarian funds are currently flowing to large international organizations. The organization demands that the funds are distributed more efficiently in order to be able to help faster and more targeted. The impending decisions of the federal government will be crucial, as Oliver Müller emphasized. "Cuts today could lead to major crises in the future," he warned.

Overall, the current situation illustrates the growing challenges and the importance of humanitarian aid in times of crisis. Without a sufficient financial basis, the network of support for the most needy crumbles. The solidarity of people in Germany remains essential for Caritas in order to continue to help.