Australian Shabia Mantoo has spent the past year working on UNHCR’s humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen. She explains what it’s like to work on the ground in a conflict zone.
Every day Shabia Mantoo sees first-hand the impact of conflict on the people of Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Middle East.
Born in Albury in New South Wales, the qualified lawyer left corporate roles in London and Dubai to join the humanitarian sector. She is currently a spokesperson for UNHCR and has been working in response to the Yemen crisis since June 2016.
As the country enters its third year of conflict and teeters on the brink of famine, Shabia reflected on the scale of the crisis: “Almost everyone in Yemen has been affected by the conflict in some way and the travesty is that the suffering, as catastrophic as it is, remains ignored.”
With 2 million Yemenis internally displaced, there is an overwhelming need for basic assistance. UNHCR is on the ground in all areas affected by the conflict, providing displaced people with emergency shelter, food, healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene.
Two million people across Yemen are displaced and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Australian Shabia Mantoo is working with UNHCR on the ground to reach those affected by the crisis.
Alawiya Mohammed Maree is over 100 years old. She has lived in an unused building since her family were displaced when a bomb destroyed their home.
That is part of the reason why Shabia’s role as spokesperson and public information officer is so vital. Yemen is considered a ‘forgotten emergency’ – despite being one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, it receives very little coverage or funding.
In her day-to-day work, Shabia reports on the human face of the crisis. This includes displaced and unaccompanied children, people injured by the conflict, damaged buildings, and the families who live in the ruins. But she also has the opportunity to meet many people who have been helped by UNHCR. They now have safe shelter and access to food, clean water and medical care.
Despite spending long periods away from family and friends, Shabia says it is incredibly rewarding to be part of the UNHCR’s efforts to save lives and alleviate suffering for the people of Yemen.
“At the end of the day, whether in Sana’a or in Sydney, people are just people and most of us yearn for the same things in life – peace, security, happiness and prosperity. Nobody chooses to be a refugee or a victim of conflict.”
Shabia urges people not to feel powerless. “Yemen is so far away but know that your contribution will impact a life for the better. Whether it’s an emergency shelter kit or vital household assistance for a displaced family, what you do as an individual makes a world of difference.”
The Yemen emergency has received less than 45 per cent of the funding it needs. Yemeni families desperately need emergency food, water, medical care and shelter.
Please help UNHCR deliver supplies to these people in crisis by making a donation today.
DONATE TODAY
You can help
Host a bake sale, climb a mountain or do a fun run to raise funds for vital aid.
Australia for UNHCR (ABN 35 092 843 322) respects the importance of privacy and security of your personal information. This privacy policy sets out the way we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information and underpins our commitment to protecting your right to privacy. This policy reflects Australia for UNHCR’s obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (including the National Privacy Principles) (the Privacy Act). Australia for UNHCR embraces the National Privacy Principles and is committed to safeguarding your personal data. As members of the following bodies, we adhere to additional codes of conduct and ethical fundraising practices:
We may revise this Privacy Policy or any part of it from time to time. You will find the most current version on our website or obtain a copy from our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Collection of Personal Information
Australia for UNHCR follows the Australian Privacy Principles in handling personal information; we collect personal information about individuals including supporters, employees, contractors, volunteers, special representatives/delegates and job applicants. This information is collected directly from you, in person, by phone or email, on hard copy donation forms or via our website. We may also collect your personal information from publically available sources or third parties.
Use of Personal Data
The information we collect and hold generally includes contact details (name, address, email), personal details including date of birth, and credit card or bank accounts details.
We use the personal information you provide us with for the purpose for which it was provided to us, other related purposes or as permitted or required by law. Generally we collect and use your personal information for:
We also use your information in our marketing and fundraising activities, keeping you informed of our latest news, campaigns and appeals or about campaigns and appeals which may be of interest to you, and offer you the opportunity to subscribe to them. We may also offer you the opportunity to participate in surveys carried out by Australia for UNHCR or its agents.
Direct Marketing
We use your personal details to assist in the cost-effective development of our marketing and fundraising activities by sending you information by post, email or telephone. As we have a large number of supporters, at times we use external providers to assist with our telemarketing and mailing. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that our contracts with third parties include requirements for third parties to comply with the Use and Disclosure requirements of the Privacy Act.
We will endeavour to provide you with an opportunity to opt out of receiving such communications. By signing our pledge documents, you consent to having your personal information stored. If you do not opt out by ticking the box, we will send you our direct marketing materials. We make every effort to ensure that our opt-out notices are clear and easy to follow.
If you do not wish to receive future communications from Australia for UNHCR or have any questions about privacy please contact our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Disclosure and Sharing of Personal Data
We occasionally invite other like-minded and trusted organisations in Australia to contact you with information that may be of interest. This allows Australia for UNHCR to increase its base of supporters and reach more people with our vital message.
Any personal contact information you provide to us may be disclosed, if appropriate, to third parties who provide services on our behalf. We may also disclose your personal information to our volunteers who assist with many of our tasks.
Strict confidentiality agreements are in place with our service providers and external agencies, and with staff and volunteers who handle your personal information. We will only disclose your personal information for the purposes for which it was initially collected, other directly related purposes or purposes to which you otherwise consent.
Other than as stated above, we will we not share your personal information. However, it is possible, though unlikely, that we might be forced to disclose personal information in response to legal processes or when we believe in good faith that the law requires it, for example, in response to a court order, subpoena or a law enforcement agency's request.
If you do not wish Australia for UNHCR to share your personal information with like-minded and trusted organisations in Australia, you may opt out by ticking the appropriate box on the donation or pledge form or contact our Donor Care team, with contact details at the bottom of this policy. If you have any questions about privacy please contact our Donor Care Team (see contact details at the bottom of this policy).
Access and Correction of Personal Data
Australia for UNHCR will correct its records containing Personal Information as soon as practically possible at the request of the individual concerned in accordance with the Privacy Act. We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information that we collect and hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, we rely on you to advise us of any changes to your personal information to help us maintain accurate, complete and up-to-date information.
We will, on request, provide you with access to the personal information we hold about you unless otherwise required or permitted by law. We will notify you of the basis for any denial of access to your personal information.
Individuals wishing to lodge a request to access and/or correct their Personal Information should do so by contacting our Donor Care Team; contact details are included at the bottom of this document.
Quality of Personal Information
Australia for UNHCR will review, on a regular and ongoing basis, its collection and storage practices to ascertain how improvements to accuracy can be achieved. We may utilise the services of third parties in order to maintain accurate personal information. Where such disclosure is made, we take reasonable steps to require these organisations comply with the National Privacy Principles.
Storage and Security of Information
We strive to protect your personal information, that it is protected from misuse, loss, interference and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. For example, whenever we ask for your financial details online, we use security-encrypted response forms.
No data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, Australia for UNHCR cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us over the internet, and you do so at your own risk. Once we receive your transmission, we make our best effort to try and ensure its security both on our systems and while in transit between our systems and the companies who provide us with various services. If you do not wish to make your financial contribution online, please contact us to receive a hard copy form; contact details are included at the bottom of this policy.
Making a Privacy Complaint
If you wish to make a complaint about a breach of this privacy policy or the privacy principles of the Privacy Act 1988 you can contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this policy. You will need to provide us with sufficient details regarding your complaint as well as any supporting evidence and/or information.
We will refer your complaint to our Privacy Officer who will investigate the issue and determine the steps that we will undertake to resolve your complaint. We will contact you if we require any additional information from you and will notify you in writing of the outcome of the investigation. If you are not satisfied with our determination, you can contact us to discuss your concerns. If your complaint is about the way we handle your personal information, you may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by calling 1300 363 992, online at www.oaic.gov.au or writing to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.
Online Activity and Privacy
Cookies
When you visit our website our server tracks non-personal statistical information about your experience on the site, such as pages viewed and donation details. The Australia for UNHCR website uses cookies and tracking technology to enhance your experience and deliver content relevant to your behaviour. This enables us to gather information such as the number of website visits and how you interact with our website. We use this information to help us understand more about how our site is used, so we can continually improve your experience.
We also use cookies for tracking the statistics of our website, which allows us to better understand your visit and improve the layout and functionality of our website. This analysis is conducted in such a way to ensure the anonymity of visitors while the information can help us customise the online experience for visitor to our site. No personally identifiable information is obtained. Information is gathered at an aggregate level and may be shared with third parties to help us analyse website usage and deliver marketing material.
You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. If you do not wish to receive any cookies you may set your browser to either prompt or refuse cookies.
Third party cookies
Australia for UNHCR sometimes embeds photos and video content from websites such as YouTube. Pages with this embedded content may present cookies from these websites. Similarly, when you use one of the share buttons on our website, a cookie may be set by the service you have chosen to share content through. We do not control the dissemination of these cookies; you should check the relevant third party website for more information about these.
In addition, if you linked to our websites from a third party website, we cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of the owners or operators of that site. We recommend you check the policy of the third party site and contact its owner or operator if you have any concerns or questions.
Web browser cookies
If you don’t want to receive cookies, you can modify your browser so that it notifies you when cookies are sent to it or you can refuse cookies altogether. You can also delete cookies that have already been set.
If you wish to restrict or block web browser cookies which are set on your device you can do this through your browser settings; the Help function within your browser should tell you how. Alternatively, you may wish to visit www.aboutcookies.org which contains comprehensive information on how to do this on a wide variety of desktop browsers.
Social Media
Our website and mobile site may contain links to online forums. Think carefully before you post or publish any Personal Information in these forums as it will be publicly available.
Secure Online transactions
If you make a donation via our website, we process your credit/debit card details securely using an accredited internet payment security system. With the combination of SSL encryption on our website and a secure browser at your end, we take all reasonable measures to ensure that your credit/debit card and personal information are protected when you donate online. We also recommend that you take appropriate security precautions when accessing the internet via public Wi-Fi networks or shared computers.
Contact Us
You will find the most current version of our Privacy Policy on our website at privacy-policy.
If you have any questions about your privacy, wish to access or change your details, how to lodge a complaint regarding the handling of your information and how that complaint will be handled by Australia for UNHCR, please contact our
Donor Care Team: