Only 1 in 5 families receive shelter after disaster
Our research reveals a significant funding gap
Have you ever stopped to think about how important it is to have a roof over your head?
It makes you feel safe. It offers security for you, your family and your possessions. It protects you from the driving rain or beating sun. It can even help you to get access to public services and community networks.
In fact, ‘while starvation occurs over a period of weeks, death from exposure can occur in a single night’ (UN Coordinator for Afghanistan).
But in 2017 alone, 26.5 million people did not receive the vital emergency shelter aid they so desperately needed after being forced to flee their homes after a disaster. Only one in five families world-wide received the support they needed.
Our report, ‘Recovery Starts with Shelter’, reveals the scale of the huge unmet need for emergency shelter. Take a look at our key findings.
Our key findings
Only 1 in 5 families
received shelter and non-food items in 2017. That’s a shortfall of 81%.
26.5 million people
did not receive the support they desperately need due to funding shortages.
$1.1 billion
is all that is needed to fund the shelter needs for families left homeless by conflict and natural disaster.
In the last five years...
…shelter provision has been consistently underfunded, with all appeals in the study raising less than half of their target funding.
Of all the countries included
…the Democratic Republic of Congo received the least amount of funding, reaching only 4% their target funding for shelter.
Over half (56%)
…of the countries impacted by humanitarian and climate disasters were already experiencing low human development.
Chris Warham, Chief Executive of ShelterBox said,
“These numbers are shocking and unacceptable. Shelter is a basic human right. It is essential for survival and without it, the long process of recovering from such huge trauma cannot start. We must do more to help families recover from the worst days of their lives.”
Our theory of change shows the vital importance that shelter can make to survival. It shows that shelter:
- Protects against the elements like hot sun, bitter cold, or torrential rain.
- Protects from infectious disease and dangerous animals.
- Keeps families and communities together so they can support each other.
- Increases personal safety and security.
- Reduces stress and anxiety.
- It provides privacy and dignity.
- It gives families a place to live and structure to rebuild their lives.
Shelter is a basic human need
In this report, we look at the scope of the problem and how much funding is needed by looking at case studies in the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Chad.
Read the full report to find out more.