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Humanitarian Action for Children 2017 - Somalia

Countries
Somalia
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date
Origin
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Total people in need: 5 million

Total children (<18) in need: 3 million

Total people to be reached in 2017: 3.9 million

Total children to be reached in 2017: 1 million

2017 programme targets

Nutrition
• 112,500 children aged 6 to 59 months affected by SAM admitted for treatment

Health
• 200,000 children under 5 vaccinated against measles
• 400,000 children and women provided with access to emergency health care services

WASH • 750,000 people provided with temporary access to safe water (7.5–15 litres per person per day)
• 600,000 people provided with means to access appropriate hygiene practices through hygiene kits

Child protection
• 2,460 children released from armed forces provided with reintegration support
• 3,160 survivors of GBV provided with appropriate support (medical, legal, psychosocial support and materials)

Education
• 65,700 children aged 3-18 years provided with access to education services Cash transfers
• 15,000 emergency-affected households provided with monthly cash transfers to support access to basic services

Somalia remains in a state of chronic humanitarian crisis, with the number of children under five acutely malnourished projected to rise to 850,000 during the course of 2017, with 150,000 of these children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).

Five million people, or 40 per cent of the population, is food insecure. There are 3.2 million people in need of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and 3 million children remain out of school. More than 1 million people are internally displaced and more than 30,000 refugees have returned from Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Fighting in Gaalkacyo, Lower Shabelle region and the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Bakool, Hiraan and Galgaduud has generated instability and displaced nearly 150,000 people.

Drought continues to prevail in Puntland and parts of Somaliland as well as in southern Somalia. Malnutrition rates remain above emergency thresholds in internally displaced persons sites and Somalia is plagued by disease outbreaks, including measles and acute watery diarrhoea (AWD)/cholera. Without urgent assistance, the drought could lead to a considerable deterioration in children’s wellbeing, with a likely sharp rise in the caseload of children requiring urgent treatment for malnutrition.

Humanitarian strategy

In line with the 2016–2018 Somalia interagency humanitarian strategy, UNICEF will continue to support populations affected by crises. This will include lifesaving assistance; prevention and response to disease outbreaks; an integrated response to malnutrition; provision of protective environments; and access to education. UNICEF Somalia has developed a more focused response for 2017, looking at the core humanitarian interventions to be implemented. The 2017–2019 National Development Plan will reflect all resilience programmes; hence the reduction in 2017 humanitarian requirements despite higher needs.

UNICEF will continue to strengthen its strategic partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to address the deteriorating food security and nutrition situation, and expand the use of the SCOPE biometric platform.4 This will be combined with a shift towards direct implementation and continued efforts on preparedness and cross border coordination. UNICEF will transfer 30 per cent of funds to local partners, exceeding the Grand Bargain commitments, and will use humanitarian cash transfers to support returnees and newly displaced communities. UNICEF will also invest in reducing vulnerability by ensuring linkages with resilience and development programming through durable solutions and the National Development Plan.