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Humanitarian Action for Children 2017 - South Sudan

Countries
South Sudan
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date
Origin
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Total population in need: 8 million

Total children in need (<18): 4.3 million

Total people to be reached in 2017: 3.3 million

Total children to be reached in 2017: 2.4 million

Renewed conflict since July 2016 has deepened the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, with women and children facing immediate risks of violence, displacement, hunger and lifethreatening diseases. These risks are exacerbated by the rapidly deteriorating economic situation, with inflation above 800 per cent. Since December 2013, nearly 3 million people have been displaced, including 1.1 million people seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Children comprise almost 70 per cent of refugees. The country is facing a critical food security crisis, with an estimated 31 per cent of the population experiencing severe food insecurity as of December 2016, and children among the most vulnerable. The situation is expected to deteriorate further, with 276,343 children likely to be affected by severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2017. Renewed outbreaks of cholera and measles continue, while malaria remains the primary cause of morbidity among children under 5. As insecurity rises, boys remain at risk of recruitment into armed groups and girls continue to face sexual violence, forced marriage and exploitation.6 Countrywide, 51 per cent of children are out of school, and only 40 per cent of those accessing education are girls.

Humanitarian strategy

UNICEF will develop local capacities and ensure accountability to affected populations by building on existing community networks and other community-based resources to assess, plan and implement the response. UNICEF co-leads the nutrition, education and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) clusters as well as the child protection subcluster, and is at the forefront of the humanitarian response in South Sudan. Where possible, resilience-based programming will bridge the humanitarian development divide. Through the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM), UNICEF will deploy integrated missions to hard-to-reach areas, providing life-saving support to otherwise inaccessible populations. The joint UNICEF-WFP Nutrition Scale-Up Plan will continue into its third year. The back-to learning effort will build on the success of previous years and bring conflict-affected children, particularly girls, back to school. In 2017, UNICEF will focus on increasing the quality of education services and end-user monitoring. WASH interventions will provide access to safe water and improved latrine facilities. In health, UNICEF will focus on improving the quality of care in health care facilities and strengthening immunization activities. UNICEF will continue to monitor and report on grave violations against children, advocate for respect for child rights and support family tracing and reunification efforts for unaccompanied and separated children. Social mobilization will be used to generate social and behavioural change.