Emergencies

Learn about ActionAid's approach promoting women's leadership during humanitarian crises, and why female humanitarian leaders are critical in emergencies.

ActionAid's Emergencies Action Fund is there to make sure we are always ready to respond to emergencies. It is reserved solely for our work in emergencies. Donate now to our Emergencies Action Fund.

Over the last week the criticism of international aid found a new target - the practice of giving money directly to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people, otherwise known as direct cash transfers. The allegation made was that this amounted to setting up UK-funded cashpoints for the poor. Aid money should never be misspent or wasted, but the criticisms of direct cash transfers - giving money directly to people in need - misunderstand the issue. Here's why.

ActionAid responds immediately in an emergency or humanitarian crisis. Find out more about humanitarian crises and our responses.

Learn about some of our most effective local initiatives and ways of working that we use around the world to empower women and girls to achieve lasting change.