CARE in the new millennium
In the early 2000s, CARE applied its time-tested approaches to emergency relief and recovery to a series of major crises, including the Indian Ocean tsunami, earthquakes in Pakistan and Indonesia, and the displacement of more than 2.5 million people in the war-torn region of Darfur, Sudan.
In more recent years, the rise in conflicts, climate shocks and health emergencies around the globe have required wider and more complex responses. Multiple crises led to a global refugee crisis, and CARE works with both displaced and host communities in affected areas. By 2018, CARE has tripled the scope of its emergency response work in five years.
Relief efforts include working at Azraq refugee camp in Jordan with people fleeing the civil war in Syria, and at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, to assist Rohingya people fleeing violence in Myanmar. In 2014, civil war breaks out in Yemen, marking the beginning of what the UN has determined to be one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. CARE works with displaced Yemenis, including strengthening water, health, and sanitation services to prevent the spread of cholera and other diseases.
Our emergency response capacities have also helped to alleviate the impacts of extreme weather events caused by climate change. In 2019, we responded to the devastating impacts of Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, two of the strongest storms to ever hit Mozambique. Two years later, CARE supported people in Haiti who were affected by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake and Tropical Depression Grace. Increased flooding in Latin America, a severe drought in Somalia, and harsh winters in Syria are other drastic climate-related crises to which we have responded in recent years.
In 2022, CARE scaled up efforts in Eastern Europe to respond to intense conflict in Ukraine, and began working with refugees fleeing to neighboring countries including Poland and Romania.
Responding to COVID-19
In 2020, CARE adapted programming to respond to COVID-19 in more than 60 countries worldwide. Response efforts include distributing health and hygiene kits, installing handwashing stations in public places, providing clean water where it is scarce, and helping ensure vaccine access through our Fast and Fair Vaccine campaign.
Long-term development and advocacy
While responding to these crises, CARE continues its work on long-term development projects aimed to fight poverty and realize the rights of women and girls worldwide.
In Peru, the SABA+ project improved water and sanitation access and delivery to nearly 20% of the population. The Ignite program has empowered women entrepreneurs in various countries to contribute to resilient economies and women’s economic justice. In Somalia, we have empowered communities to fight gender-based violence and female genital mutilation through early education and conscientization programs.
CARE International solidified its position as a leader in the fight against poverty, focusing on:
- Food and nutrition security
- Climate change resilience
- Humanitarian response
- Sexual, reproductive, and maternal health and rights
- Women’s economic empowerment
- Prevention of gender-based violence
We have increased our efforts to influence governments and key international organizations to promote policy changes aimed at more inclusive and gender-equal societies. CARE develops analytical reports to highlight priorities in crisis and response recommendations, participates in key international leadership conferences and seeks to meet public, private and civil society representatives to push for what we consider are the most urgent changes.
Since the beginning of the Ukraine War, CARE has produced various Rapid Gender Analyses to highlight the specific needs of women, girls and other vulnerable groups. We have a strong presence in the Commission of the Status Women annual conferences, the largest intergovernmental body promoting gender equality. Our yearly ‘Suffering in Silence’ report gathers the crises overlooked by the international community around the globe.
Learn more about our Advocacy work.
The future of CARE
Over the next decade, CARE aims to develop and deepen our work with both youth and the urban poor to achieve our 2030 aspirations and meet the changing needs of an evolving global population. To accomplish these goals, CARE looks forward to working in partnerships for sustainable development and humanitarian assistance with an emphasis on amplifying local women leaders and movements.
Learn more about our Vision 2030 strategy.
