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Humanitarian Action for Children 2018 - Haiti

Countries
Haiti
Sources
UNICEF
Publication date
Origin
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In 2018, UNICEF and partners plan for:

720,000 people reached by rapid response teams and benefitting from the cordon sanitaire

30,000 children accessing recreational and psychosocial support activities

30,000 children aged 5 to 14, including children repatriated from the Dominican Republic, received learning materials to access education

2018 Requirements: US$30,000,000

One year after Hurricane Matthew made landfall, the humanitarian situation in Haiti remains challenging. The country is affected by cholera outbreaks, food insecurity, malnutrition, migration and natural disasters. Although the number of cholera cases declined in 2017, more than 11,600 suspected cholera cases and 130 deaths were reported by the Ministry of Public Health and Population over the course of the year. If prevention and control efforts are not continued, another 11,000 new cholera cases will likely occur in 2018. More than 4.8 million people lack access to an improved water source,3 1.3 million people are food insecure,4 and more than 75,000 children under 5 are affected by acute malnutrition, including some 25,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).5 Haiti is frequently exposed to natural disasters, with hurricanes and heavy rains threatening the lives and livelihoods of the population every year. Although the country was largely spared the impacts of the powerful category 5 hurricanes that hit the Caribbean in 2017, the resulting heavy rains caused flooding in 5 out of 10 departments.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2018, UNICEF will address the immediate needs of children and families in Haiti through the implementation of the Cholera Elimination Plan, which covers daily surveillance and coordination; rapid response in communities; hygiene awareness-raising activities; and engagement with local authorities and communities. Access to water and sanitation will be facilitated through the rehabilitation and chlorination of water supply systems, the construction of sanitary blocks, hygiene promotion, and the distribution of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies. UNICEF will support national capacity strengthening, including coordination, the identification and treatment of acute malnutrition, infant and young child feeding in emergencies and the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies. The Ministry of Public Health and Population will be supported to coordinate emergency nutrition assessments and interventions and develop sector contingency plans. Schools will be equipped with supplies and alternative learning programmes will help migrant children returning to Haiti reintegrate into the education system. UNICEF will support the Ministry of Education to improve information management systems and preparedness and response mechanisms. Synergies between the education and protection sectors will support the provision of a comprehensive package of services to affected children. UNICEF will also continue to maintain and pre-position contingency supplies for humanitarian response.

Results from 2017

As of 31 October 2017, UNICEF had US$28.5 million available against the US$42.4 million appeal (67 per cent funded).6 As part of the cholera response, UNICEF reached nearly 900,000 people through cholera prevention awareness-raising activities, disinfected 73,000 homes and activated 413 emergency water chlorination points. Eighty-four per cent of all cholera cases identified were responded to within 48 hours. More than 910,000 people received safe water through water treatment, water trucking or chlorination points. Over 370,000 people were sensitized on emergency hygiene practices, 5,800 hygiene kits were distributed and 229 hand-washing stations were installed. More than 11,000 children under 5 years were treated for SAM, nearly 8,400 were treated for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), and some 8,000 children aged 6 to 23 months received micronutrient powders. Over 23,000 children under 1 received emergency vaccinations and 90 cold chain systems were installed, as planned.

More than 4,300 unaccompanied and separated children received interim care and family reunification support, and over 42,000 children benefitted from recreational and psychosocial support activities. Over 83,000 children aged 5 to 14 received learning materials to access education, and nearly 90,000 children aged 5 to 14 benefitted from the rehabilitation and/or provision of equipment to schools.