Blog Post

International Migrants Day 2019

On International Migrants Day 2019, the number of people who are migrants and refugees across the globe has reached an estimated 272 million, 51 million more than in 2010, according to the UN. Under this year’s theme of #WeTogether, Start Network takes stock of its work in 2019 to understand, anticipate, and address migration needs and patterns, using a collaborative and speedy approach in its work.

Blog Post

Simon O'Connell: Consolidation is key to better aid delivery

There are simply too many charities operating in international development. It is time we ourselves took action, argues the executive director of Mercy Corps.

Resource

Migration Emergency Response Fund Annual Report 2017

Over the past year, the Start Network has tested the flexibility of the Start Fund mechanism applied to one specific and highly volatile crisis context. The Mediterranean migration crisis has provided a testing platform for NGOs to use the Start Network’s peer review decision-making process to respond in one complex crisis. It aims to respond to rapidly changing contexts, spikes and emerging unforeseen needs within wider and highly politicised humanitarian response. The Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF), funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), was established in January 2017 in partnership with the 15 member representatives of the Start Network present in the region. Its aim is to address the unpredictable nature of the mixed migration crisis across the Mediterranean that exacerbated an already difficult operating context for aid workers and made it difficult to plan for a response. 

News Article

Cash transfer success in Colombia floods

In early April, Mocoa city in the south west of Colombia, was hit with one of the worst natural disasters the country has seen in its history. Heavy rains had resulted in a mudslide that swept through the city and left 333 dead and hundreds missing. The destruction caused by the floods left 22,310 people affected.

Resource

Cash delivery mechanism assessment

As part of Start's Migration Emergency Response Fund, Network members Mercy Corps, ACTED and IRC have conducted an assessment of how different cash delivery mechanisms serve migrant and refugee populations in Libya.

Blog Post

Reuters article on the Drought Financing Facility:

A Reuters article explores the Start Network's Drought Financing Facility initiative in Pakistan and how it could result in more rapid, effective and large-scale response to protect drought-hit communities.