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Published: 2017
Total Pages: 55
ISBN-13: 9789279677731
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The number of people affected by conflicts, displacement, or a lack of necessities such as food, water or shelter continues to rise across the globe. As a consequence, the need for humanitarian aid is also increasing. There are currently three "Level 3" emergencies – the worst level of humanitarian crises according to the United Nations – in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. Since the last Eurobarometer survey in 2015, the consequences of conflict and disasters outside the European Union have also been felt closer to home with the growing refugee crisis in the EU. In fact, as a partial result of this crisis, in 2016 a new EU regulation was adopted to allow the EU to provide humanitarian emergency support in urgent and excepcional circumstances for people affected by crises or disasters within the EU territory. Together with funding provided by EU Member States, the EU is the world's largest humanitarian aid donor. Based on the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, the European Commission provides life-saving assistance to those in need through its Directorate- General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). ECHO works in partnership with UN agencies, NGOs and international organisations such as the Red Cross. Although EU funding represents less than 1% of the EU budget, EU funded humanitarian aid helps over 120 million people every year. This report details the results of the Eurobarometer survey on public opinion on humanitarian aid in the 28 EU Member States. The aim of the survey is to understand EU citizens’ awareness and support for EU activities in the area of humanitarian aid, including comparisons (where appropriate) with similar surveys conducted in 2010, 2012 and 2015. This year's Special Eurobarometer considers the following: EU citizens' awareness of EU funding of humanitarian aid activities; support for the funding of humanitarian aid in general, and specifically in light of the current economic challenges; the impact the EU’s provision of humanitarian aid has on citizens’ image of the EU; whether EU citizens believe it is more efficient for humanitarian aid to be provided by each EU Member State separately or by the EU as a whole and coordinated by the European Commission; attitudes to different types of aid, including sending volunteers and providing aid for education for children and young people caught in emergencies; preferred sources of information about EU humanitarian aid policy. Results are presented for the EU as a whole, and variations by country, as well as significant variations by gender, age, education and other sociodemographic variables are discussed. This survey was carried out by TNS Opinion & Social network in the 28 Member States of the European Union between November 26 and December 5 2016. Some 27,929 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed face-to-face at home in their mother tongue on behalf of Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. The methodology used is that of Eurobarometer surveys as carried out by the Directorate-General for Communication (“Strategic communication” Unit). A technical note on the manner in which interviews were conducted by the Institutes within the TNS Opinion & Social network is appended as an annex to this report. Also included are the interview methods and confidence intervals.
