Today the findings of the government-sponsored Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) are released. This forward-looking review aims to help organisations like Kids in Asia to respond more effectively to future disasters and emergencies.

It predicts that by 2015, climate-change related disasters will affect the lives of around 375 million people each year. Impacting many more will be the hardships brought about by conflict and other rapid-onset emergencies.

In response, Kids in Asia’s Humanitarian Director Colin Sun says: “Millions more people in the regions we work in are having their lives blighted by natural disasters, war and environmental damage. So this review is relevant and timely and we welcome its key recommendations. We also feel the review is right when it stresses the importance of helping local communities prepare better for when an emergency strikes.

“People in the UK continue to strongly support humanitarian aid – as shown by their response to the recent floods in Pakistan and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. But official state aid remains crucial – especially for long-standing crises like that affecting children in Afghanistan.”