Brussels, October 11 (RHC)-- The International Red Cross says that the financial crisis in Europe has left 43 million of its citizens without enough food to eat, calling it the worst humanitarian crisis over a half century.
Bekele Geleta, secretary general of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) presented a report in Geneva on Thursday over the impacts of the economic crisis.
The report also showed that some 120 million Europeans face the risk of poverty and many continue to suffer in countries that are in the process of recovering financially.
The Red Cross surveyed 22 of its national organizations in Europe and found that the impacts of the Euro-crisis have led to more people coming to the humanitarian organization to ask for treatment, financial assistance to buy medications or help fill in forms for benefits.
According to the report, 3.5 million people in Europe are receiving food aid by the Red Cross, which is 75 percent more than three years ago. The report also showed that poverty is not only affecting countries such as Latvia, where food aid has more than tripled in three years, but also richer European nations, including France.
The worsening debt crisis has forced EU governments to adopt harsh austerity measures and tough economic reforms, which have triggered massive demonstrations in many European countries.