2011: the year of the crisis fatigue?

After donating to recent international crises such as the Haitian earthquake, Pakistani floods, Japanese earthquake and Afghani food shortage, non-government organisations can be forgiven for fearing the onset of a public ‘crisis fatigue’.

Just one in three British people have donated to the crisis in the Horn of Africa this year, compared to 43% who donated to the Pakistani floods in 2010, or the half of the population who gave to the earthquake in Haiti.

These figures are based on an August survey of roughly 1500 respondents conducted by the UK Public Opinion Monitor (UKPOM).

The UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee estimates that more than 13 million people in the Horn of Africa are in need of food, water and healthcare following one of the worst droughts in 60 years.

While the apparently slowing rate of donations to international crises might be worrying, Dr Matthew Lockwood from the Institute of Development Studies says there is an abundance of reasons why fewer people are donating.

“There is a suggestion of some evidence of ‘crisis fatigue’… However, we should be cautious about reading too much into three examples over two years,” Dr Lockwood said to Civil Society Fundraising.

He said responses to crises could be shaped by a range of factors unique to each crisis, including media coverage and timing.

In Australia, the Federal Government has pledged to match each dollar donated to appeals run by AusAID-accredited organisations working to alleviate the food crisis in the Horn of Africa until November 30.